2026-2027 MEDEX Application Cycle Is Now Open
Applications will be accepted May 1 - October 1, 2026 for June 2027 matriculation.
Prospective applicants should review the updated admissions criteria on the Applicants page before applying.
Features
Meet some of the people of MEDEX Northwest – students and faculty, founders and visionaries – who have helped to forge the forward path for PAs and affect change in world of progressive and responsible healthcare delivery.
A Reason Not Entirely Recognizable To Myself
During the months between his PA didactic and clinical years, Rich Wehling of MEDEX Anchorage Class 8 scaled Mount Everest to undertake a research study on the effects of caffeine in high altitude environments. Along the way, he found some answers to questions not originally considered.
The Orchestration of Care
Inter-Professional Education or IPE brings students from differing programs together to learn from one another and improve patient outcomes. In the case of the Free Dental Clinic, MEDEX Northwest students and UW Dentistry students work side-by-side to bring a more holistic and team-based approach to the healthcare needs of their [...]
We Learned One Helluva Lot of Medicine
In August of 2017, 113 students graduated from the MEDEX Northwest physician assistant training program at the University of Washington. We celebrate this occasion with a lively 7-minute video of the graduation proceedings plus over 330 photos from across the four MEDEX training sites in Anchorage, Spokane, Seattle and Tacoma.
Kayaking As A Metaphor for Cancer Survival
Jace Meng of MEDEX Northwest Seattle Class 50 finds energy and inspiration from volunteering with young adult cancer survivors through First Descent, an adventure organization that takes participants out on kayaking expeditions. As survivors overcome the limitations and fears of their disease, Jace is learning firsthand about the disease and [...]
Lois Thetford, PA-C: Recipient of the 2017 UW Humanitarian Award
Lois Thetford, PA-C was recently awarded the prestigious UW Alumni Humanitarian Award for her work on behalf of the homeless. A longtime advocate for social change, Lois’ entry into healthcare and the PA profession focused her efforts in a new way. Now she’s teaching others to follow in her footsteps.
Chris Heim, PA-C: Better For Knowing Him
His skills always in demand during 23 years as a U.S. Army 18D Special Forces medic, Chris Heim, PA-C proved to be an anchor for his cohorts of MEDEX Seattle Class 41. With a promising civilian PA career in place, Chris died unexpectedly in 2015. He is now memorialized with [...]
Nine Reasons to Appreciate Henry Stoll, PA
Henry Stoll has been a PA educator for 41 years. 38 of those years were spent at MEDEX Northwest where his influence throughout the community is felt wide and deep. This 9-minute tribute video takes a look at Henry’s contributions and career at the time of his retirement. Henry Stoll [...]
A PA Pioneer’s Notes
From 2005 to 2016 Steven Meltzer, PA served as full-time lecturer to the MEDEX Northwest Spokane and Yakima sites. However, it is his commitment to rural healthcare access and rural communities that distinguishes him as a PA Pioneer. In this enlightening and sometimes humorous video, we learn of the depth [...]
PA Leadership
As the physician assistant profession marks its 50th birthday, opportunities have arisen for PAs to assume leadership roles within hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Three PA leaders—all MEDEX alumni—are profiled here. Together they exemplify a future where PAs can fill major roles in medical administration.
Richard A. Smith, MD, MPH:1932 – 2017
Long recognized as a founding father of the PA profession, Dr. Richard A. Smith achieved numerous milestones in his 84 years. He served as a Peace Corps Medical Director, a Civil Rights leader assigned to desegregate US hospitals, and a Global Health innovator. Today over 100,000 US physician assistants follow [...]