Spokane Regional Health District to provide public health training to Eastern Washington University students

The Spokane Regional Health District has opened its doors to Eastern Washington University public health students.

Under a new clinical training affiliation agreement signed Wednesday, the health district will be fully enmeshed in the curriculum of EWU public health students.

“Our staff will have the ability not only to become mentors but also become instructors. The students will have the ability to not only do the clinical rotations but also participate in academic endeavors such as research and publications using all we have to offer,” said SRHD health officer Francisco Velazquez.

The health district provides the Spokane area with education about communicable diseases, investigates when there is spread of those diseases, and offers direct clinical services in the form of its methadone clinic for those addicted to opioids.

According to Velazquez, all of those areas will be open for EWU students to find internships or research opportunities.

“Student participation with the health district will be baked into Eastern public health student curriculum,” Velazquez said. “It will not just be a generic clinical rotation, but it’s a very specific, well-guided rotation that will give the students everything they actually need to gain the knowledge they need.”

EWU President Shari McMahan says the affiliation agreement fits into the university’s role as a polytechnic providing real-life learning opportunities for its students.

“Eastern is focused on giving students hands-on learning that prepares them for the in-demand jobs shaping Washington’s future. And no field is growing faster or is more essential than health care,” McMahon said. “We have a responsibility to help build and sustain that workforce pipeline our community needs. The affiliation agreement allows us to do exactly that. By aligning Eastern and the health district at this level, we are opening the door to real-world engagement opportunities for our students.”

While some partnerships will be available now, embedding the health district into EWU’s curriculum will be more fully realized in the next academic year.

While the health district partners with other universities in the area, this partnership will allow EWU students access to the health district in ways not seen elsewhere. Velazquez also hopes the partnership will create a pipeline of EWU students into careers at SRHD.

“This will prepare students to work pretty much almost anywhere they want, although I would prefer they look at us first,” he said.