Underserved Pathway Policies & Deadlines

Enrollment

We encourage you to enroll in the Underserved Pathway as early as possible so you have as much time as possible to complete the requirements and build a relationship with your mentor. However, we recognize that some students discover an interest in care of the underserved later in medical school, so we accept applications until JULY 1 between your MS2 and MS3 years (e.g. if you are an E-21 student, you have until July 1, 2023 to apply for the Pathway). Important note: Students enrolling after the end of Foundations Phase need to show mentorship over time prior to enrolling (see below regarding mentorship).

If you are an expanded student and have not yet started clinical rotations or Patient Care Phase, it may still be possible to join the Undeserved Pathway. Having an existing mentoring relationship and having demonstrated interest in and work with underserved populations will be the main criteria for acceptance. Applicants will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

The Underserved Pathway is a curriculum that spans medical school. Participation in this program is predicated on Pathway students having a longitudinal experience with the entire Pathway curriculum: this includes an UP mentor, underserved community experiences, UP modules and more. It is for this reason that it is not possible to join the Underserved Pathway in the third or fourth year or during the Patient Care or Explore & Focus Phases.

Mentorship

You take the lead on identifying a qualifying mentor and are responsible for initiating quarterly check-ins. Check-ins can be in-person or over the phone, video chat, or email.

All students must confirm their mentor by updating their UP Tracker with their mentor’s information by the end of Foundations phase. Students enrolling after the end of Foundations Phase need to show mentorship over time prior to enrolling.

Read about who qualifies as an UP mentor and more information on our mentorship page.

Underserved-focus Scholarly Project

If you do not complete RUOP, GHIP, or MedStAR, you’ll need to submit your proposal for your project in the UP Tracker before you begin. After your proposal is approved:

If you will include your participation in the UP in your MSPE, your final project is due by May 1st of the year you prepare your MSPE.

If you will not include your participation in the UP in your MSPE, your final project is due March 1st of the year you’ll graduate with the UP.

Previous deadline: June 1st for students including UP in MSPE. Policy change effective 7/22/24.

Final projects are also submitted via the UP Tracker.

Including the UP in your MSPE

If you want to include your Underserved Pathway participation in your Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE), the deadline for completing all of the below — except the scholarly project, updating your UP Tracker, and notifying upath@uw.edu is June 30th of the year you are applying to residency.

UP requirements for including your UP participation in your MSPE (for details on each required element, please see the Requirements page):

  1. Pre-clinical Experience: RUOP, GHIP, and/or preclinical preceptorship in an underserved setting. If this was not possible, then:
    1. the student can complete an additional two weeks or four credits in an underserved setting in Patient Care Phase.
  2. Clinical Rotations: 12 credits or six weeks — if not entirely completed, then they must be scheduled for the year.
  3. Non-clinical selectives: 2 credits.
  4. Underserved-focus Scholarly Project.* deadline is May 1st of year you apply to residency
  5. 12 of the required 24 hours of service, service learning, advocacy, and/or community engagement in an underserved setting.
  6. 5 of the required 10 modules.
  7. Continued quarterly check-ins with the student’s UP mentor

If you are concerned about not being able to meet the Pathway requirements by the deadlines, please contact the Underserved Pathway team so that we can help you make a plan to get back on track. Note: we do not grant waivers for pathway requirements.

NOTE: for expanded students, or those concurrently working toward their PhD, please contact the UP Program Manager at upath@uw.edu for requirements and deadlines.

Hooding Ceremony Recognition & UP Certificate

To graduate with the Underserved Pathway, earn the certificate of completion, and have it noted in the Hooding Ceremony program, the deadline to complete all program requirements — except the scholarly project — and update your UP Tracker is April 1st of the year you are graduating. The scholarly project is due March 1st of the year you’ll graduate with the UP. If you do not meet this deadline, your certificate will not be noted in the ceremony program.

To graduate with the Underserved Pathway and earn the certificate of completion, the deadline to complete all program requirements — except the scholarly project — and update your UP Tracker is April 25th of the year graduating. The scholarly project is due March 1st of the year you’ll graduate with the UP.

If you are concerned about not being able to meet the Pathway requirements by the deadlines, please contact the Underserved Pathway team so that we can help you make a plan to get back on track. Note: we do not grant waivers for pathway requirements.

Discontinuing Participation

If you are considering leaving the pathway, we strongly recommend that you speak with someone from the Underserved Pathway team and your mentor. We understand that the competing demands of medical school can be stressful, and if at all possible, we’d like to provide you with the support you need during this time.

If you determine that pursuing a pathway certificate is not going to work for you, please let us know by emailing upath@uw.edu. You are free to continue accessing the online modules and remaining on our e-mail list so you receive notices of relevant events.