PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State University’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine (ESFCOM) achieved another significant milestone this week when it received news that WSU was granted accreditation by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) for the doctor of medicine program that the ESFCOM will be offering.

“This is another historic step in our commitment to educating physicians who will practice in Washington’s underserved communities,” said WSU President Kirk Schulz. “I’m grateful to the NWCCU and to our internal team that continues its outstanding work as we prepare to welcome our inaugural class of medical students in August.”

Founding Dean John Tomkowiak, MD, MOL, said the accreditation process was a rigorous one and required an enormous combined effort of faculty, staff and administration from ESFCOM as well as from the main WSU campus at Pullman.

“The team effort that resulted in this accomplishment is exemplary of the kind of collaboration the college has received from the beginning,” Dr. Tomkowiak noted. “This is a major step that allows the university to confer the MD degree to graduating medical school students.”

The NWCCU’s approval for WSU to include a Doctor of Medicine degree under its accreditation is effective in August when the charter class of medical students arrives on campus.

Accreditation from the NWCCU follows the October 18, 2016, preliminary accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).

The college is in the process of interviewing candidates from Washington state. Offers of acceptance to the charter class will begin in March.

WSU is requesting $10.8 million in the state 2017-19 operating budget to support classes of 60 first-year medical students and 60 second-year students.

The ESFCOM is named after WSU’s late president Elson S. Floyd who proposed the medical school in 2014.

Media contact:

Robert Strenge, WSU News, 509-335-3583, rstrenge@wsu.edu