KREM 2's Alexa Block goes to the inaugural white coat presentation for the Elson Floyd School of Medicine.

Alexa Block , KREM 8:41 PM. PDT August 18, 2017

SPOKANE, Wash --- WSUs Elson S. Floyd School of Medicines inaugural class took center stage when they received their white coats on Friday.

The school welcomed its first class of students on Friday in the white coat ceremony at the Fox Theater. All 60 of the medical students went up on stage and were presented with their white coats.

The 60 students are from 15 different counties in Washington, two of them have served in the military and together they speak 25 languages, according to the medical school. They all took the Hippocratic Oath at the ceremony to cement their medical aspirations.

This class was almost not possible because a 1917 law gave the University of Washington the sole authority to operate a medical school in the state. In 2015 it was finally decided WSU could have its own medical school. It was a long, drawn out battle between lawmakers, academics and citizens to get WSU the medical school.

One of the focuses of the school is to provide healthcare for rural areas. One out of five Americans live in rural areas, but only 9 percent of the nations doctors practice in rural areas. Many of the students want to work in these areas too.

The medical school is named after Elson Floyd because of all the work he put in to make this school a reality.

They will be able to learn on clinical equipment that was donated from the Paul Lauzier Foundation, check out the full story here.

2017 KREM-TV

KREM

WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine welcomes its first class

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WSU school of medicine gave inaugural class their white coats Friday - KREM.com