Lawmaker says UW hasn’t agreed to request that no tax dollars be used for abortions
Citing pro-life “values,” Idaho lawmakers are debating legislation that would end a partnership between state higher education institutions and the University of Washington’s medical school.
The bill, which is being considered this week in the House, would phase out a 50-year agreement between Idaho universities and the UW School of Medicine through its Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho Regional Medical Education Program, Idaho Statesman reports. The program provides clinical training to medical students, with a focus on rural healthcare.
Rep. Dustin Manwaring, the lead sponsor, mentioned abortion as one of his reasons for House Bill 176. Idaho prohibits elective abortions, while Washington state permits them in most cases.
Idaho lawmakers asked the University of Washington to promise that none of the state tax dollars that fund the partnership will be used for abortions or abortion training, but, as of yet, they said the university has not provided its written assurance, according to the report.
“If they want to be a good partner, then show us you’re a good partner and sign that request,” Manwaring said. “Show us that you’ll respect Idaho values. They’ve had over a year to do that.”
Pro-life advocates have raised concerns about the University of Washington’s abortion practices in the past. In 2022, pro-life activists said they caught the public institution storing aborted babies and fetal parts in brown paper bags, The Fix reported at the time.
In addition to lawmakers’ concerns about abortion, they said they also asked for 10 more student slots in the WWAMI program in 2022, but the university still has not provided them, according to the Statesman.
If the bill passes, the Idaho State Board of Education would be tasked with finding another medical school to partner with in Idaho or another neighboring state, most of which are Republican-led.
One possible new partner that Manwaring mentioned is the University of Utah School of Medicine.
However, a University of Washington leader said the issues that Manwaring mentioned are being addressed, according to the Statesman:
Suzanne Allen, vice dean for academic, rural and regional affairs for UW’s medical school, said the university does not use Idaho money to fund abortion care or abortion training. And the university is “working very diligently” to expand WWAMI seats for Idaho students.
“We are committed to that expansion,” said Allen, a Boise-based family physician. “Currently, we do not have enough clinical training in the state of Idaho for us to be able to do that expansion.”
Manwaring also noted shared details on the financial incentive to finding a new medical school partner. WWAMI tuition for 40 Idaho students is $13.83 million over four years, he said, and UW keeps 68% of the money. A partnership with Utah “would flip that on its head,” and Idaho would keep 65%, Manwaring said.
The WWAMI program aims to “make public medical education accessible to residents throughout the five states, and to encourage graduates to choose careers in primary care and family medicine, and practice in non-metropolitan areas of the northwestern U.S., often lacking adequate numbers of primary care physicians and access to healthcare.”
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