The opening of the Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences was celebrated July 23, 2008 with the dedication of Butler-Haney Hall in Yakima, Wash. (AP photo\/Yakima Herald-Republic, Gordon King)<\/p>\n
Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences is set to nearly double the size of its medical college class next year, increasing the number of students from 70 to 135. <\/p>\n
The increase will take effect in time for new students entering the school in fall 2013. <\/p>\n
Administrators and faculty are thrilled that the Commission of Osteopathic College Accreditation, or COCA, approved the schools application for a class increase, said Dr. Keith Watson, PNWUs president. <\/p>\n
This is another step towards realizing PNWUs vision as a leader in community-based primary care education and our efforts to increase the numbers of primary care physicians in the healthcare force, Watson said in a news release. Our graduates will become well-trained, primary-care-focused osteopathic physicians addressing the vast and significant physician workforce shortage areas in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. <\/p>\n
The COCA approval came two weeks ago after PNWU submitted its application on Dec. 1. But the efforts to make PNWU ready for a larger class go back much further. <\/p>\n
The university has been looking to expand its 70-student limit since 2008, with the number of applicants growing from 1,976 for the inaugural class to 2,536 for the class that will graduate in 2016. <\/p>\n
In certifying schools for class size increases, COCA examines classroom and lab space, school curriculum, adequacy of faculty and staff, and rotation openings for third- and fourth-year medical students, among other criteria. <\/p>\n
In June, PNWU broke ground on a $5 million expansion of the main Butler-Haney Hall as part of the schools Phase II of construction, in anticipation of a larger class and the application it would file with COCA, administrators said at the time. <\/p>\n
The school has also been working with a consultant who specializes in medical school buildings to learn how to optimize existing space for students and classes. <\/p>\n
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Local medical school class size to nearly double<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The opening of the Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences was celebrated July 23, 2008 with the dedication of Butler-Haney Hall in Yakima, Wash. Continue reading