The legislators backing Washington State Universitys bid to establish its own Spokane-based medical school said Tuesday the rural doctor shortage is so severe the state needs more than one approach to physiciantraining.

This is something that is long overdue, state Sen. Michael Baumgartner, R-Spokane, said of plans to seek legislative removal of legal restrictions designating the University of Washington as the states only medicalschool.

Co-sponsoring the effort is state Rep. Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane, who called the restriction archaic and said the state needs to do a better job of training doctors willing to work in rural

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The legislators backing Washington State Universitys bid to establish its own Spokane-based medical school said Tuesday the rural doctor shortage is so severe the state needs more than one approach to physiciantraining.

This is something that is long overdue, state Sen. Michael Baumgartner, R-Spokane, said of plans to seek legislative removal of legal restrictions designating the University of Washington as the states only medicalschool.

Co-sponsoring the effort is state Rep. Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane, who called the restriction archaic and said the state needs to do a better job of training doctors willing to work in ruralcommunities.

Our current system isnt working, Riccelli said, adding WSU is committed to changing that. Its very clear that we need to move forward with a newmodel.

But while they pledged their backing to the WSU effort, both also said they support the University of Washingtons proposal to double the size of its Spokane branch, which is part of a five-state physician training program and until October was operated in partnership with WSU. The universities parted ways over differing views of how best to meet Washingtons need for moredoctors.

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State legislators support new medical education model - Wed, 03 Dec 2014 PST