UW School of Medicine receives $25M to boost rural and Indigenous healthcare access

The University of Washington School of Medicine has announced a $25 million gift from William and Carolyn Franke to expand the pipeline of primary-care physicians serving rural and Indigenous communities across Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho. The funding establishes a $20 million scholarship program that will cover half of medical school tuition annually for approximately 30 students committed to practicing in underserved areas. Another $4.5 million will support student recruitment, retention, and rural physician training programs, while $500,000 will launch a regionwide rural medical education summit.