Many former residents and current faculty have spent time working in the Indian Health Service. Because of these connections with our UW program, residents have the option of spending one month working in the Indian Health Service at one of these sites:
- Chinle, Arizona, is a site where a number of our residency graduates currently practice or have recently practiced. Our residency program has a dedicated slot for elective time at this site and residents who rotate at this site are also provided with housing during their rotation.
- Shiprock, New Mexico, located in the high desert three to four hours from Albuquerque, is another popular site for our residents to spend one month. One of our recent graduates is currently practicing at this site.
- Other options include remote sites in Alaska as well as a site in Fort Defiance, Arizona, where the first Navajo medical center was set up in 1938.
Seattle Children’s has two to three residents each year that choose to spend elective time in one of these locations.
Typically, residents choosing this experience learn to care for a significantly underserved and culturally unique population of children, many of whom infrequently seek healthcare.