SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 5228
As of January 25, 2021
Title: An act relating to addressing disproportionate health outcomes by building a foundation of equity in medical training.
Brief Description: Addressing disproportionate health outcomes by building a foundation of equity in medical training.
Sponsors: Senators Randall, Liias, Das, Lovelett, Nobles, Wilson, C., Darneille, Hasegawa, Keiser, Kuderer, Nguyen and Robinson.
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Higher Education & Workforce Development: 1/26/21.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Requires public medical schools to develop health equity curriculum for medical students.
  • Requires public medical school students to complete a course, or courses, on health equity prior to graduating.
  • Requires each public medical school to create a goal regarding student representation and report progress on that goal annually. 
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Staff: Kellee Gunn (786-7429)
Background:

Public Medical Schools in Washington State.  Washington State has two public medical schools—the University of Washington School of Medicine (UWSOM) and the Washington State University College of Medicine (WSUCOM).

 

UWSOM was founded in 1946.  UWSOM has a partnership with four other western states, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho, known as WWAMI, to allow those states' medical students to receive medical education as in-state students from the University of Washington (UW).  WWAMI is the only five-state medical school in the country.

 

WSUCOM, also known as the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, was created through legislation in 2015.  WSUCOM's first cohort of medical students began classes in 2017.
Summary of Bill:

Health Equity Curriculum.  Each public medical school must develop curriculum for medical students on health equity by January 1, 2023.

 

The objective of the health equity curriculum must be to:

  • provide tools for eliminating structural racism in healthcare systems; and
  • build cultural safety.

 
Each UWSOM and WSUCOM student must complete a course, or courses, on health equity prior to graduating.  Health equity course topics may include, but are not limited to:

  • strategies for recognizing health care disparities and eliminating factors that influence them;
  • intercultural communication skills training;
  • historical examples of medical and public health racism;
  • cultural safety training;
  • structural competency training;
  • methods of evaluating health care systems; and
  • implicit bias training.

 

Goals for Representation.  Each public medical school, by January 1, 2022, must create a goal that their student population be more representative of the demographics of the state of Washington.  The goal must focus on under-represented students and be set for January 1, 2025.  Progress towards each goal must be reported on an annual basis through each of their public websites.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.