The Department of Pediatrics is committed to providing the highest quality educational experience possible for medical students. As part of the University of Washington School of Medicine, we have one of the most unique medical education programs in the nation. The program focuses on personalizing medical education for students and providing a deep understanding of fundamental clinical skills and professionalism.
The UW School of Medicine is the home site for the WWAMI Regional Medical Education program, named for the five states it serves: Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho. All medical students and residents within the Department of Pediatrics benefit from the opportunity to train in rural hospitals and community clinics within the WWAMI region as part of their medical education.
Applying to the UW MD Program
Visit UW Medicine’s MD Program Admissions webpages.
Curriculum
The curriculum for medical students has three main phases: the Foundations Phase, the Patient Care Phase, and the Explore and Focus Phase. In addition to the core curriculum, students have opportunities to participate in supplemental programs to further explore areas of interest.
The Department of Pediatrics invites medical students to complete a preceptorship during the Foundations Phase, which covers the first two years of medical education. Our Medical Student Office has a list of pediatric clinics in the Seattle area as well as specialists located at Seattle Children's.
The goals of the preceptorship include providing a mechanism for early patient contact and an opportunity to observe and practice doctor-patient communication, as well as learning about the practice of a particular specialty.
Medical students can complete their core pediatrics rotation at one of 26 unique sites via the nationally recognized WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho) program. This allows students to evaluate a wide variety of pediatric patients.
Every student completes the same core curricular cases, participates in observed physical examinations, completes cases on ethics and professionalism, and takes a common final examination.
Students in their third year may apply for the WWAMI Rural Integrated Training Experience (WRITE), which offers a 21- to 24-week clinical education experience at a rural primary care teaching site. The UWSOM also offers students the opportunity to apply to the Olympia Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship (LIC), an 11-month long longitudinal clerkship in Olympia, WA.
There are more than 30 Explore and Focus courses currently offered in Pediatrics, and more electives are being created in the WWAMI region. Although most of these are listed as "by permission only," they are generally available at the times students request them. Goals and objectives can vary across courses.
Funded Visiting Rotations for Medical Students
Funded medical student rotations in Pediatrics will be available at Seattle Children's from June through December 2026 for qualified applicants who are planning to apply to Pediatric residencies and who are committed to contributing to a physician workforce that prioritizes and celebrates diversity, equity, and inclusivity.
Students of all backgrounds are invited to apply. Funding will be paid as a stipend of $2500 at the start of the rotation and can be applied toward costs associated with the rotation. In addition, applicants chosen for the program are guaranteed an interview for our residency in Pediatrics at the UW.
The application deadline is June 26, 2026. However, the program utilizes a rolling admission process in which students are accepted or waitlisted at the time of their submission of a complete application.
Learn more and apply for a Funded Visiting Rotation.
Career Advising
Our department is dedicated to providing career advising support to all students at the UW who are interested in a career in Pediatrics or Internal Medicine-Pediatrics. Make sure you talk to your site director or pediatric preceptor for advice about what it is like to be a pediatrician.
In your Explore and Focus Phase, you will be assigned a specific career advisor to help you through the application process. This typically happens in April or May. These career advisors are all college mentors as well, so you can ask them questions anytime!
We know this can be a stressful time, but we have provided answers to frequently asked questions, a list of career advisors, and a detailed timeline for applying to residencies in the link below.
Learn more about Career Advising.
Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Our department is committed to fostering and sustaining a working, learning, and healing environment that is diverse, equitable, and welcoming of all people. We value and honor diverse identities, experiences, and perspectives; strive to create welcoming and respectful learning environments; and promote access, opportunity, and justice for all. Fostering and sustaining this institutional culture is essential to fulfilling the core mission of the Department of Pediatrics to improve the health of all children and adolescents.
Find more information about our commitment and work for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Contact Us
Opportunities for you to explore the field of Pediatrics span all four years of your medical education at the University of Washington. We hope that each experience will build on the next helping you determine whether caring for infants, children, and adolescents will become part of your future career.
Clinical Assistant Professor
Clinical Associate Professor
Clinical Professor
Please provide us with feedback as we are always looking for new ideas!
Pediatric Medical Student Office, including WWAMI and WRITE
Seattle Children's
4800 Sand Point Way NE, MS: OC.7.830
Seattle, WA 98105
Phone: (206) 987-2008
medical.students@seattlechildrens.org