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--Brock Bemis and Connor Quinn E-03

Here is an example of a typical day in the life of a WWAMI student. Tests are fair off on the horizon and I haven't realized how far behind I am yet. Contrary to my expectations of medical school these events actually do take place on a regular basis. I am sure you have heard med school can be a bear, which it can. But, it's fun and enjoyable a majority of the time.

8:00 am - Alarm goes off and I hit snooze for the first time.

8:07 am - Hit snooze for the second time.

8:14 am - Alarm goes off again and I finally drag myself out of bed and into the shower to wake up

8:20 am - Dripping wet, throw some bread in the toaster

8:25 am - Finally dry, toast is cold, but backpack is packedwith today's materials. So I put thetoast back in the toaster.

8:30 am - Finally dressed, but now I can smell the smoke from burnt toast in the kitchen.

8:35 am - Enjoy some OJ and my burnt toast while reading the sports section of the paper.

8:43 am - Lost track of time, van leaves in 2 minutes. Grab a Cliff Bar and some yogurt on the way out the door The toast is leaving a bad taste in my mouth.

8:47 am - Last one at Rosauer's parking lot, hop in Baby Blue (our van) directly behind shotgun and get last choice of the doughnuts that someone (with extra time) picked up, from Daylight Doughnuts, on the way.

9:10 am - After passing through the gauntlet of flying snow unscathed, its obvious that none of our classmates played college baseball.

10:05 am - After reminding Dr. Fortunato of our 10 minute break, everyone pours into the hall to recount Baby Blue's victory in the morning snowball fight.

10:30 am - A buddy has fallen asleep and I decide that it would be in his best interest if I woke him up with a Wet Willy.

Noon - After three grueling hours of Biochemistry we were ready to hit the CUB for some pool and ping pong.

1:05 pm - Arrive back at the classroom, sweaty from numerous defeats in Around the World ping pong with a group of WWMAIs.

1:10 pm - Open the window and cool off while listening to Dr. Conley's lecture on the orbit.

2:00 pm - The Dream Team (my dissection group) assembles down in the Anatomy Lab to put on a dissection clinic from the other lab groups.

4:00 pm - Brain is shot, luckily the day is over.

4:30 pm - Meet at the Rec Center from some hoops with fellow classmates.

4:45 pm - Finally the WSU guys arrive late as usual. Most of them are from Seattle and don't know how to drive in the snow.

*6:00 pm - Its nice to be finally home. I turn on the TV to see what college basketball game is on as I make dinner.

7:00 pm - Game and dinner are finished, so I hustle over to the study carrels to get some work done.

7:15pm - The parking lot is full, but after my second pass through I finally get a spot.

7:45pm - Time for my first study break and to distract everyone else at the carrels.

8:15pm - Break number two.

8:50pm - During break number three, spend some time out on WWAMI Beach with some fellow unmotivated studiers. Have a contest to see who can be the first to make a snowball in the chimney of the frat next door.

10:00pm - Time to go meet up with the rest of the WWAMI class at the Coeur d'Alene Ale House.

11:30pm - After a dance contest between classmates, the WWAMIs close down the bar and it is time to head home.

12:00pm - Hit the sack looking forward to our typical short Friday getting out at noon, and the weekend of relaxation.

*When tests are right around the corner, substitute studying for everything from 6:00 pm on, but add more study breaks and subtract some sleep.

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--Brad Nelson E-97

What are the pros and cons of WWAMI land? Well, everyone has his or her own twist on this age-old issue. The following are some things that could be overheard in discussions throughout the year

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--Carrie Youngberg E-96

Every student who has been (involuntarily) WWAMI'd has a unique anecdote to tell, and in order to appreciate the diversity of these experiences I highly recommend that you talk with some people who have been in your position. All of our stories, however, share a common theme: you were accepted to the UWSM (congratulations!), you checked Seattle on the questionnaire asking for your desired placement, and for the last few weeks you've been planning on spending your first year of medical school at the UWSM in SEATTLE. Then, one day the impossible (which, it turns out, isn't so impossible after all), happened.

You received the infamous letter from the UW, the one that begins: Congratulations, you've been accepted to the WWAMI program and will spend your first year in Pullman. The rest of the letter is filled with fine print, which can be hard to read through the tears, about all of the reasons why you can't get out of this. And we all asked ourselves the obvious question, if this is such a great opportunity, why does it feel like a sentencing? (Note: a concrete answer to this question is yet to be determined, but if you want my opinion, it's because the students for the UWSM entering class aren't well informed about all that the WWAMI program has to offer.)

Like so many students who came before me, I quickly came to realize that the benefits of the WWAMI program far outweigh the sacrifice of leaving Seattle. Amy Dechet, an E-95, did a great job of summarizing the attractive features of the program, so I'll include her comments here:

Small class size allows for questions during lecture and clarification in the day and evening hours by approachable professors. The preceptorship program is excellent and grants active participation and first-hand encounters of births, surgeries, and clinical procedures. The forever-helpful WWAMI staff (which, by the way, is excellent) judges no concern to be too small for attention, whether it's help with paperwork or providing moral support. The countryside holds endless potential for exploration, and you can venture into the surrounding mountainous areas, to the Snake River, or just a few blocks outside of town to the rolling hills to witness a spectacular sunset.

No doubt the best part of being WWAMI'd, however, is the opportunity for forming close relationships with 37 of your classmates. They become like an extended family, sharing birthday cakes, consoling and supporting you in your personal struggles, and celebrating individual triumphs. You even come to find those annoying habits endearing. The friendships most certainly continue in Seattle and beyond.

The end of the year is a bittersweet time. The idea of being in a place next year where the traffic lights aren't turned off at night sounds exciting, but it's something I'll miss. While I can only speak for myself, I think most of my classmates would choose to be WWAMI'd again for their first year. So embrace the things that make this year unique you might come to like this place more than you ever thought you would.

For those of you who have received the letter, I have 3 pieces of advice: (1) talk with Dr. Mike Laskowski, WWAMI Program Director Extraordinaire, (2) get in touch with former WWAMI students, (3) if you do participate in the WWAMI program, take advantage of the opportunity. The time goes by quickly!

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In fact, I volunteered to be WWAMI'd during the UW interview. Granted, the nearest Nordy's is 76 miles away (Spokane) and our idea of a traffic jam is a stalled combine, but the Palouse has much to offer. For those of you from the wet side of Washington, prepare for 4 authentic seasons, none of which are overcast with sun breaks. Consider this as well: when I was a young'un here we didn't even have a McDonald's. Starbucks and Denny's are recent additions. I survived - Cougar Country, Ferdinand's and the Daily Grind are superior anyway.

There is something to be said for being able to levitate from one's cozy bed and be a mere 7 minutes from class (including parking time). We do get first run movies, Pac-10 athletics, visiting artists and bands. It is a university town after all, and just slightly more isolated than the UW.not that you will have abundant amounts of free time.

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I didn't tell anyone, not even my family, of my fate for several days. I just sat on the couch reading the letter again and looking for the mistake. I thought that when I'd requested Seattle, they'd grant it.Well, I thought, I have a couple options: I could sit here and pout and brew over my poor luck, or I could buck up and decide to make the best of it. I realized that the program was exactly what I wanted in a medical school, small classes, interactive learning styles and early clinical exposure. It wasn't the program I objected to, it was Pullman, especially since I'd spent the last year climbing, sailing and mountaineering and I thought there would be nothing to do. Well, there isn't much to do here, but there are some outdoor activities when you look. They aren't too hard to find, and there will definitely be someone other than you who enjoys the outdoors!

I decided to make the best of the situation and look forward to my adventure in the Palouse and see what it had to offer me. I got more than I bargained for. I love it! From the first day, our class hit it off and we were going out that first night. It was like I walked into a family. The profs are great and very accessible. They know your strengths and weaknesses and are very accommodating to all learning styles and levels. Plus, you can't ask for a better administrator than Mike Laskowski!! There are even a few perks that you can't get in Seattle. The rodeo in Lewiston was a blast, they even had a buffalo in it! Pullman is one of the last places in Washington where you can truly be politically incorrect and be in the majority! There is also cross-country skiing across snowy wheat fields, and of course the famed lentil festival. Even though Pullman/Moscow are lacking in some basic necessities, like good restaurants, they are slowly coming around. They do have good coffee, however. Of course there is a Starbucks, but the best coffee in town is at the Dail Grind, a local drive through coffee bar. And of course, you can't forget the ritual of the Coug - the loca bar on campus. It is the best place to go right after that 11 a.m. Biochem exam!

All in all, I am glad I am here. I will be sad to go. It is amazing to have such a feeling of family and togetherness. It will be fun to be in Seattle next year, but I wouldn't have traded this year in for anything and I think most of my classmates will agree. I never thought I'd encourage anyone to go to Pullman, but I've proved myself wrong. If small classes and a personal learning environment is your thing, than the Palouse is the place to be!

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To be completely honest, Pullman never really did grow on me. I had spent the last four years in Washington, DC completely wrapped up in the urban experience and couldn't quite make the transition to rural community. But with a few weekends spend back in Seattle, a couple daytrips with fellow classmates to Spokane, and many hours bonding with the WWAMI class, I made it. In fact, I enjoyed it. I had a lot more fun my first year in medical school than I ever expected. The strengths of the WWAMI program (small class size, great professors, preceptorship program) more than compensate for the site and looking back on the experience I feel pretty lucky to have been WWAMIed.

In conclusion, if you've been WWAMIed, don't despair. If I survived, and what's more had a good time, you will too. Or if you are debating which site to mark as your preference, you might want to put a check next to Pullman, WA. Try it; you'll like it.

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WWAMI Life

--Greg Basura E-01 Welcome to the Palouse! Life in WWAMI country is an interesting one. Looking back after the first year I realized that I did not take full advantage of the outdoor opportunities available in the Pullman/Moscow area. Only after spending a summer as a counselor during the UDOC program (which I highly recommend your first summer) did I realize what I missed. There are some great hikes (Kamiak Butte, Elk River) and places to unwind (Spring Valley Reservoir, Robinson Lake Park).

It is very easy to get completely wrapped up in your studies, so much that you sacrifice personal balance. Despite the stereotype that it is Hicksville Moscow and Pullman, there are some nice places to eat as well as satisfy your cultural palate. There are some great restaurants in Pullman (Swilley's) and in Moscow (The Red Door). They are a little pricey, but treat yourself once in awhile (after all you are paying Moscow rent . . . not exactly Seattle). For movies and or plays try and step out to the University Theater or attend one of the productions at the Hartung Theater. The shows are fun and relatively cheap. If you have to study . . . and I stress have to don't become a carrel junkie . . . diversify your academic lifethere are a couple of nice coffee shops where you can get your latte and a little gross anatomy as well. Try Bucer's in Moscow (highly recommend) or the Daily Grind in Pullman. Personally, I really enjoyed my first year at UI/WSU. I enjoyed the small class si e and the opportunity to play golf with professors. I can't think of too many med programs that allow you to make such close contact with people. Take advantage of those relationships. They will serve you well not only in your first year . . . but in the future as well. Enjoy!

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