What Is the Alaska Track?
The University of Washington/Seattle Children’s Pediatric Residency Alaska Track is a primary care track of our three-year categorical pediatric residency program.
Why Did We Develop This Track?
Our training program is the only civilian pediatric residency in the entire five-state WWAMI region. We feel that one of our most important responsibilities is to train pediatricians to meet the primary care needs of children throughout this area. While approximately half of our graduates already choose a primary care career, we would like to increase the number of graduates who eventually practice in the WWAMI region.
A well designed primary care track can be a highly effective way to meet that goal.
How Will Residents' Time Be Spent?
In each of the three years of residency, residents in the Alaska Track will spend eight months of the year in Seattle and four months of the year in Alaska.
- The time in Seattle will be focused on inpatient medicine, subspecialty electives, intensive care and ED rotations all in the three major teaching hospitals that are part of our program.
- The time in Alaska will be focused on ambulatory rotations in two different practice settings – one setting that serves a primarily Alaska Native population and one setting that serves the general population.
Won't This Be Expensive for Residents in the Track?
The residency program will provide residents in this track with:
- Round-trip airfare from Seattle to Alaska
- Housing in Alaska
- The use of a car in Alaska
- Licensure in Alaska for all three years of training.
We believe this should offset most, if not all, of the additional expenses of participation in the track.
What Makes the Alaska Track Different from Other Primary Care Tracks?
Residents in the Alaska Track will have all of the benefits that the UW/Seattle Children’s categorical residency has to offer and at the same time will have an incredible opportunity to work in both the Alaska Native and private practice settings with an exceptional group of practicing pediatricians.
Why Choose the University of Washington?
The University of Washington is known throughout the country for the WWAMI program which has been at the forefront of innovation in decentralized medical education.
For over 35 years, all of our pediatric residents have spent 2 months in their PL-2 year in one of five rural pediatric practices in the WWAMI region. Residents have consistently voted this experience as one of the most important rotations in their three years of training.
With over three decades of experience with this model, the University of Washington has developed an incredible infrastructure to support primary care education.
How Do I Apply to the Alaska Track?
Please follow the instructions on how to apply to the University of Washington/Seattle Children's Pediatric Residency Program.