Idaho taxpayers are subsidizing pro-abortion, radical gender, and critical race theory ideologies through the University of Washington School of Medicine’s WWAMI program.
The WWAMI program is a regional cooperative between Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho that allows the University of Washington to operate medical school extensions throughout the state. Idaho plans to spend more than $7.3 million in the next fiscal year to subsidize the medical school, despite conduct, training, and ideologies that are not supported by Idahoans.
Last month, the university settled a lawsuit requiring it to release all documents related to a fetal tissue trafficking scheme it developed with Planned Parenthood. In a 2016 report released by the Select Investigative Panel of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, the University of Washington was identified as the “nation’s largest fetal tissue bank.” The school was noted for selling baby parts to interested parties across the nation for a flat rate of $200 per part. Worse yet, the university would often staff cooperating abortion clinics with students and faculty who would encourage women to donate their unborn children for research purposes.
After the landmark Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health overturned Roe v. Wade, the university announced its stance in support of an “individual’s right to an abortion.” The university was also clear that all students — including those studying at Idaho WWAMI — “should have experience in all aspects of reproductive health, including family planning, contraception, and abortion.” Today, medical students have the opportunity to participate in clerkships at Planned Parenthood clinics across the northwest and other abortion-focused gynecology electives.
Beyond abortion care, the University of Washington also ensures that Idaho’s future doctors are well-versed in harmful radical gender theory. All second-year medical students are required to take a “Lifecycles” course, where students learn about hormone therapies, sexuality, and sexual orientation. Those who wish to specialize in Dermatology will receive training in the use of inclusive non-binary terminology in their practice. All physicians will also be trained in the use of the Multifactorial Assessment of Perceived Social Support (MAPSS) during patient interviews to provide a more inclusive sexual health assessment.
Family medicine — the specialty of greatest need in Idaho — has the most extensive collection of critical social justice teaching in the University of Washington’s curriculum. Students would take a battery of courses that include LGBTQ Health and Health Disparities, Transgender Patients, and several transgender health care clinical rotations. These courses are offered in spite of the fact that sex reassignment surgeries and hormone replacements defy effective health care and mutilate our youth.
These basic family medicine courses are in addition to several race-focused courses that students may choose. These courses study African-American, Hispanic, and Indian health disparities. There is also a course entitled Critical Race Theory and Medicine, which looks to analyze health care “through a Critical Race Theory lens in order to eliminate bias and decrease disparities within marginalized communities.”
Most Idahoans would be horrified at the sight of the education at the University of Washington School of Medicine. The Legislature even defunded Idaho public universities in 2021 over implementing similar programs. Yet WWAMI imports these practices to the Gem State, corrupting the training that Idaho’s future physicians will receive and the quality of care available to Idahoans.
Action must be taken to protect Idaho’s youth and the future of medicine in the Gem State. The WWAMI program presents its new budget to the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Friday, January 27.
