| wsma-foundation-selects-elson-s-floyd-college-of-medicine-for-new-medical-school-scholarship | WSMA Foundation Selects Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine for New Medical School Scholarship | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2025/december-12/wsma-foundation-selects-elson-s-floyd-college-of-medicine-for-new-medical-school-scholarship | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2025/december/future-physician-scholarship-graphic-mountain-645x425px.png" class="pull-right" alt="Future Physician Scholarship logo" /></div>
<h5>Dec. 12, 2025</h5>
<h2>WSMA Foundation Selects Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine for New Medical School Scholarship </h2>
<p>After reaching its fundraising goal of $1.5 million through its endowment fund, the WSMA Foundation for Health Care Improvement has selected the Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine for its first four-year scholarship to a student to attend the medical school in Washington state. The investment reflects a strategic priority for both organizations to reduce financial barriers to medical education, increase representation in medicine, improve health equity, and strengthen the physician workforce.</p>
<p>Leading a much-needed change within the medical community of Washington state, in 2023 the WSMA Foundation launched the Scholarship and Diversity Advancement Fund to provide fully funded medical education for students and to build a mentoring program and community to support these students. Ultimately, the endowment seeks to fund one four-year scholarship at each of the three Washington state medical schools.</p>
<p>"At the WSMA Foundation, we believe that medicine should reflect the diversity of the communities it serves," says WSMA Foundation President Bindu Nayak, MD. "Yet, many talented, passionate students face barriers to pursuing their dreams of becoming doctors-barriers that often begin with the steep cost of medical education. With this WSMA Foundation Future Physician Scholarship, we hope to help a deserving student accomplish their dream of becoming a physician by taking at least the financial barrier off the table." </p>
<p>Crossing the fundraising threshold and selecting the medical school for its first scholarship is a significant achievement for the foundation, the WSMA, and the many physician and health care donors who helped make this possible. Thank you to all WSMA members and other donors for their generosity.</p>
<p>The scholarship application cycle will open in February. Learn more and about and donate to the Scholarship and Diversity Advancement Fund and the Future Physician Scholarship <a href="https://foundation.wsma.org/donate-scholarship/">here</a>.</p>
</div> | 12/12/2025 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| cme-podcast-episodes-available-on-wellness-safe-rx-and-oud-treatment | CME Podcast Episodes Available on Wellness, Safe Rx, and OUD Treatment | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2025/december-12/cme-podcast-episodes-available-on-wellness-safe-rx-and-oud-treatment | <div class="col-md-12">
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<h5>Dec. 12, 2025</h5>
<h2>CME Podcast Episodes Available on Wellness, Safe Rx, and OUD Treatment </h2>
<p>Catch up on episodes from our Physician and Practitioner Wellness Podcast and Better Prescribing Better Treatment Podcast, all featuring CME.</p>
<h3>Physician and Practitioner Wellness Podcast </h3>
<p>The Physician and Practitioner Wellness Podcast is freely available to all practitioner types. Thirteen episodes are available from the <a href="http://www.wsma.org/wsma/foundation/physician-and-practitioner-wellness/physician-and-practitioner-wellness-podcast/wsma/foundation/physician-and-practitioner-wellness/physician-and-practitioner-wellness-podcast.aspx?hkey=bc2edb3f-b410-48c8-8e36-1b9c4f24af67">WSMA website</a> or from our podcast channel, WSMA Podcasts, available through <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wsma-podcasts/id1702920307">Apple Podcasts</a> and <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0PBMBLgHr6e0X3OaMjyJON?si=af140842c00c430c">Spotify</a>. Each podcast is approved for <em>AMA PRA Category 1 Creditâ„¢</em>.</p>
<ul>
<li>Episode 1: Community Well-Being: A Collective Voice for Change</li>
<li>Episode 2: Wellness-Centered Leadership</li>
<li>Episode 3: Building a Business Case for Well-Being</li>
<li>Episode 4: Use of Team-Based Care to Improve Clinician Professional Fulfillment</li>
<li>Episode 5: Thriving in Medicine</li>
<li>Episode 6: Fierce Self-Compassion and Boundaries</li>
<li>Episode 7: The Power of Our Mindset and Perspectives</li>
<li>Episode 8: Coaching Programs to Improve Wellness</li>
<li>Episode 9: Stress Less: Tools for Clinician Well-Being and Compassion</li>
<li>Episode 10: Advocacy as Wellness: Navigating the Path to Reform and Resilience</li>
<li>Episode 11: Efficiency as Wellness: How Smarter EHRs Strengthen Health Systems and Clinicians</li>
<li>Episode 12: Compassionate Care Starting with Ourselves: Cultivating Self-Compassion in Clinical Practice</li>
<li>Episode 13: Trauma-Informed Care</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Better Prescribing, Better Treatment Podcast</strong></p>
<p>Better Prescribing, Better Treatment is WSMA's peer-to-peer safe prescribing and opioid-use-disorder treatment initiative. Nathan Schlicher, MD, JD, is your host. Twenty-six episodes are available from the <a href="http://www.wsma.org/wsma/resources/better-prescribing-better-treatment/better-prescribing-better-treatment-podcast/wsma/resources/better-prescribing-better-treatment/better-prescribing-better-treatment-podcast.aspx?hkey=f35d3146-6429-442e-ac83-7ee35fa33ecb">WSMA website</a> or from our podcast channel, WSMA Podcasts, available through <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wsma-podcasts/id1702920307">Apple Podcasts</a> and <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0PBMBLgHr6e0X3OaMjyJON?si=af140842c00c430c">Spotify</a>. Each podcast is approved for <em>AMA PRA Category 1 Creditâ„¢</em>. The latest episodes are below; visit the webpage for the full episode list.</p>
<ul>
<li>Episode 17: Opioids and Physician Assistants</li>
<li>Episode 18: Buprenorphine Guidelines and Fentanyl</li>
<li>Episode 19: Telemedicine and Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder</li>
<li>Episode 20: Schools and Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder</li>
<li>Episode 21: Regulation and Legislative Update</li>
<li>Episode 22: First Responders and the Opioid Crisis</li>
<li>Episode 23: OUD Treatment in Tribal Clinics</li>
<li>Episode 24: Benzodiazepines and Sedative Safe Prescribing Guidelines</li>
<li>Episode 25: Variants and Novel Drugs</li>
<li>Episode 26: Injectable Buprenorphine Prescribing</li>
</ul>
</div> | 12/11/2025 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| practice-partnerships-result-in-thousands-of-rsv-doses-saved-next-steps-in-rsv-ordering | Practice Partnerships Result in Thousands of RSV Doses Saved; Next Steps in RSV Ordering | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2025/december-12/practice-partnerships-result-in-thousands-of-rsv-doses-saved-next-steps-in-rsv-ordering | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2025/december/getty-images-b5fx4tswk-a-unsplash-for-web.jpg" class="pull-right" alt="doctor giving vaccination to child" /></div>
<h5>Dec. 12, 2025</h5>
<h2>Practice Partnerships Result in Thousands of RSV Doses Saved; Next Steps in RSV Ordering </h2>
<p>Thanks to the commitment and partnership of physician practices and practitioners across the state, over 5,500 doses of expiring RSV vaccine (nirsevimab)-valued at $2.3 million-have been successfully redistributed and used, preventing waste and helping protect the financial sustainability of Washington's universal Childhood Vaccine Program. Feedback on the challenges of nirsevimab ordering restrictions, transfer processes, and time delays was crucial in helping guide improvements in coordination and communication, resulting in more than 500 successful transfers, with clinics, tribes, and local health jurisdictions working together to share product regionally. This effort was coordinated by the <a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Flinks-2.govdelivery.com%2FCL0%2Fhttps:%252F%252Fdoh.wa.gov%252F%2F1%2F010101987af94973-1c257704-9d50-4b0f-8abf-4c40423d3cb1-000000%2FbeT_V1aJ8VW0E-v7GtOI7YgdJXO4lIuqEo7GhWz0giM=416/1/0101019a36bbb0d8-016fa24b-e60d-418c-9798-78ed3edad177-000000/Fc1yGJVcXMu5DEIVhReu3V37zEUs6ScVwWlw4VymhU8=429">Washington State Department of Health</a>, <a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Flinks-2.govdelivery.com%2FCL0%2Fhttps:%252F%252Fwcaap.org%252F%2F1%2F010101987af94973-1c257704-9d50-4b0f-8abf-4c40423d3cb1-000000%2F17x99UVbCjmWJLUNztdNOQVJeateVc_s_-XqeccDGr0=416/1/0101019a36bbb0d8-016fa24b-e60d-418c-9798-78ed3edad177-000000/Fz--XAsVo4kf9NGvdNR8VleiyJ2dVnSx6Yb-DS9tcQE=429">Washington Chapter of the Academy of Pediatrics</a>, and the <a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Flinks-2.govdelivery.com%2FCL0%2Fhttps:%252F%252Fwavaccine.org%252F%2F1%2F010101987af94973-1c257704-9d50-4b0f-8abf-4c40423d3cb1-000000%2F1El9Fm3pIM8LotWVHgm73NwbiB7ASH3PIsy94w4CAFo=416/1/0101019a36bbb0d8-016fa24b-e60d-418c-9798-78ed3edad177-000000/fZ_g6IvxVxrTUHZE86-s5I8Tf2ROXOaNma79Pj5qgf0=429">Washington Vaccine Association</a>.  </p>
<h3>RSV ordering status </h3>
<p>Ordering for nirsevimab opened statewide on Oct. 8. Vaccine providers will continue to have the opportunity to order at least weekly. The Department of Health continues to monitor orders closely and expects the process to become smoother moving forward. The goal is to use all RSV product by the end of the season on March 31 so that no doses are held over to next fall. When a product is close to expiring, it should be posted for transfer at least four weeks before expiration to help ensure it is fully utilized.</p>
<h3>Next steps</h3>
<ul>
<li>Order responsibly: small quantities, more often, and only what you will use.</li>
<li>Prioritize use of short-dated vaccines first.</li>
<li>Advertise expiring doses on the <a href="https://doh.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2023-12/348808-VaccineImmunizationProducts.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">vaccine advertisement page</a> in the IIS.</li>
<li>Ensure proper storage safeguards, especially during extreme weather or power outages.</li>
<li>Please refer to the Department of Health's <a href="https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/WADOH/bulletins/3f2e65c">previous communication</a> for current RSV vaccine ordering guidance, schedules, and caps.</li>
</ul>
<p>The partnership with clinics and physician organizations helps reduce waste, maximize access, and protect the sustainability of this vital public health program. For assistance with vaccine transfers, see the <a href="https://doh.wa.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/Documents/Pubs/348-833-VaccineTransferChecklist.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">vaccine transfer checklist</a> and <a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Flinks-2.govdelivery.com%2FCL0%2Fhttps:%252F%252Fdoh.wa.gov%252Fsites%252Fdefault%252Ffiles%252Flegacy%252FDocuments%252FPubs%252F348-740-VaccineTransferFAQ.pdf%2F1%2F010101987af94973-1c257704-9d50-4b0f-8abf-4c40423d3cb1-000000%2FgQ9VD0rPI1L8zfld1u0Uv9ejOf1Uu6mL4-_uEg7odl8=416/1/0101019a36bbb0d8-016fa24b-e60d-418c-9798-78ed3edad177-000000/OGrnfX6OjYevh4X9Ewq-z5IRu75Ze2HhBt1HpM6Smhw=429">FAQs</a>. Additional information on vaccine ordering, returns, and vaccine choice can be found <a href="https://doh.wa.gov/public-health-provider-resources/public-health-system-resources-and-services/immunization/childhood-vaccine-program/vaccine-ordering-and-returns">on the Department of Health website</a>. For questions or feedback, email <a href="mailto:WAChildhoodVaccines@doh.wa.gov">WAChildhoodVaccines@doh.wa.gov</a>.</p>
</div> | 12/11/2025 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |