Mission
Part of the University of Washington, UW Medicine works to improve the health of the public by advancing medical knowledge, providing outstanding primary and specialty medical care to people of the region, and preparing tomorrow's physicians, scientists and other health professionals.
Components
UW Medicine owns or operates
- Harborview Medical Center
- University of Washington Medical Center
- University of Washington School of Medicine
- UW Medicine Neighborhood Clinics
- UW Physicians
UW Medicine shares in the ownership and governance of
- Children's University Medical Group
- Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
Leader in Biomedical Research
Ranks first among public medical schools and second among all medical schools in federal research funding.
In fiscal year 2007, UW Medicine faculty received $579.7 million in National Institutes of Health research awards.
The faculty includes:
Innovator in Education
Among the nation's 129 accredited medical schools, UW has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the top medical school for 15 consecutive years in training primary-care physicians, all the years that category has been ranked. Its academic programs in family medicine and rural health have ranked No. 1 for 17 years, all the years those categories have been ranked.
WWAMI, an acronym for Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho, is a benchmark model of community-based training of medical students and residents and of interstate collaboration in medical education.
UW Medicine currently enrolls:
- 806 medical students
- 726 graduate students in the basic sciences
- 1,087 residents
- 1,148 clinical and research fellows
- 165 physician assistant students
- 183 allied-health students
- 46 medical technology students
The UW medical school has a full-time faculty of 1,830 and volunteer clinical faculty of 4,673 throughout the WWAMI region.
Working to Make A Difference
There are approximately 16,300 employees, including faculty, staff, clinical fellows, and postdoctoral researchers, working on the UW Medicine mission to improve the health of the public.
Nationally Recognized for Patient Care
University of Washington Medical Center ranks 11th among America's best hospitals in U.S. News & World Report's 2007 honor roll and is a Magnet Hospital for nursing. It is renowned for its programs in solid organ transplantation, cancer treatment, heart care, high-risk pregnancy and neonatal intensive care, rehabilitation, and specialized orthopaedic surgery.
Harborview Medical Center has the only Level I adult and pediatric trauma center in the state, and serves as disaster control center for King County. Harborview is highly regarded for its excellence in neurosurgery, rehabilitation medicine, and orthopaedic care.
UW Medicine handles about 20 percent of hospital-based care in King County. Our physicians admit 37,000 patients a year to UW Medical Center and Harborview Medical Center. Our clinics and emergency rooms have approximately 1 million patient visits per year. Our physicians and medical centers provide 60 percent of the hospital charity care in King County and one-third of the total statewide.
updated 10/13/2008
Learn some of the significant events and medical discoveries in UW Medicine's history