Weekly Information for UW Medical Students




October 7, 2021
 

COVID-related Information

 

Do You Have Concerns About COVID- 19 Symptoms or a Possible Exposure? 

If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, or if you have encountered a possible or known exposure, please follow these COVID-19 Exposure/Symptoms/Diagnosis procedures:
 

UW Medicine Town Hall Meeting

Please join us for the next UW Medicine Town Hall on Friday, October 8, at 3:00 PM PT.

 

Information for All Students

 
Scheduling Pfizer Booster Vaccine Through UW Medicine

Currently, UW Medicine is scheduling appointments for boosters of the Pfizer vaccine for healthcare workers – including students - who completed their initial Pfizer vaccine series at least six months previously. 

To schedule an appointment, students should call 844-520-8700. Eligible students will be added to the waitlist and will receive a call within 24 hours to schedule. 

If you are not in the Seattle area and will not be coming to the Seattle area, please contact your regional campus Foundations dean or clinical dean if you need help determining where you can receive a Pfizer booster vaccine. 

The CDC has not yet recommended a booster for those who received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines. We will keep you informed when these guidelines are available. Please note, also, that UW Medicine will be following the current CDC recommendation that people should not mix COVID-19 vaccines, including for boosters. 
 
Financial Aid Updates 

SOM SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBILITY ANNOUNCEMENT 
Due to staff shortages, SOM Financial Aid had to delay the SOM scholarship announcement. All students who submitted an application will hear back by October 15 if you were or were not eligible this year. Thank you for your patience. 

FAFSA NOW OPEN FOR 2022-23 
The FAFSA opened on October 1, 2021 for the 2022-23 academic year. If you will need financial aid next year, you must complete a FAFSA. UW’s priority deadline is January 15, but we encourage all students to complete ASAP
  • University of Washington FAFSA Code: 003798 
  • Remember to include your parent information if you plan on applying for a SOM scholarship. 

OFFICE HOURS 
SOM Financial Aid continues to hold weekly office hours over Zoom. We encourage all students to attend if you have a quick 5-10 minute question. 
 
New Strategic Plan for Medical Student Education Program - Student Input Requested 

Nearly two years ago, the Educational Quality Improvement & Strategic Planning (EQISP) Committee began crafting a new Strategic Plan for the UW School of Medicine’s Medical Student Education Program. In alignment with UW Medicine and UWSOM plans, the new strategic plan will guide the Medical School Education Program – that part of UWSOM focused specifically on medical students, over the next 5 years. The committee has attempted to create a simple, high-level plan that will provide a “North Star” to guide future decisions. 

Stakeholder groups who have provided input into the plan creation include the following: Curriculum Committee, Patient Care Committee, Explore & Focus Committee (all of which have student representatives), Students (via a previous online survey), UWSOM Graduate Medical Education Committee; Faculty Council on Academic Affairs, Academic and Regional Affairs Deans and Administrators, Committee on Minority Faculty Advancement, UWOSM Vice Deans and Finance as well as outside clinical partners.  

Now we need additional student input about the current draft form. Student members of the EQISP Committee have previously reached out to students, and we want to reach out again as opinions evolve and your feedback is critical to how we move the school forward. 

Please review the Strategic Plan and provide your input here. What is missing? What resonates with you? What is problematic? 

Thank you for your time and input to improving our school. 

Darryl Potyk & Sherilyn Smith 
EQISP Committee Co-Chairs 
 

Class Updates for This Week

 
 
 

In case you missed it...

 
Here is a link to last week’s UWSOM Student Newsletter. That issue included the following information for all students: 
  • UWSOM Accreditation Status     
  • Student Alumni Informational Discussions (SAID) Announcement 
  • Financial Aid Updates 
  • UW Medicine Soup Recipes