An asterisk (*) denotes module credit is available for participating Pathway scholars. Please reach out to the UP Program Manager at upath@uw.edu with any questions.
2025-2026
The UP is managed by the Department of Family Medicine Medical Student Education (MSE) section. Everyone is welcome at this informal event. There will be lots of take-home snacks and swag, light mingling, and box lunches to go. Meet the UP Team and chat about all things family medicine and Underserved Pathway! We look forward to seeing you!
Monday, October 6, 2025
11:30am-1pm
Health Sciences Bldg. F-306
All UP scholars are invited and encouraged to attend and participate! Earn final assignment credit for the Health Literacy module by participating in this engaging Zoom discussion using case studies with your peers from across WWAMI. Facilitated by two UP scholars and moderated by UP Co-Director Dr. Samira Farah.
Prerequisite: complete the UP web module Health Literacy and participate in this discussion as your (substitute) final assignment.
Tuesday, October 7, 2025
7-8:30pm Pacific Time
RSVP here
In-person dinner in Spokane + livestreamed panel discussion
Interested in rural primary care? Tune in for a livestreamed panel discussion with four inspiring family physicians practicing in rural Washington. You’ll hear personal stories about their paths to rural practice, the challenges and rewards of broad-scope care, and how they stay skilled across a wide range of services. This is a unique chance to explore rural medicine and get your questions answered in real time. Whether you’re planning a rural career or just curious, don’t miss this engaging and informative session! UP scholars earn module credit for attending the event/webinar in real-time. Students near Spokane, please join us for a casual dinner with area physicians before the event — please RSVP here by 10/29/25.
Wednesday, November 5, 2025
Spokane dinner: 5:15-6pm PT
Panel discussion: 6-7:30pm PT / 5-6:30pm Alaska Time / 7-8:30pm Mountain Time
ZOOM LINK — panel discussion starts at 6pm PT: https://washington.zoom.us/j/91547077738?pwd=ugB7erXRLDglLV067vrbTMQSmt5AbD.1
This event will be recorded. The recording will be available in the UP’s Rural Health II web module the week following the event.
Thank you to the Washington Academy of Family Physicians (WAFP) Foundation for their generous financial support of this event.
Confirmed panelists
Dr. Leah Kobes-Jurgens, MD, grew up in North Spokane and spent much of her life in several small towns of Eastern Washington. She attended medical school with the WWAMI program and completed her residency at the Family Medicine Residency Spokane. In July 2020, she opened her own private practice in Deer Park, WA and is thrilled to be fulfilling her dream as a small-town doctor. Outside of work, she loves spending time with her husband and children and is active in the community coaching Little League, participating in church, and area activities such as the fair, rodeo and 4-H.
Dr. Trinell Newby, MD, PGY-3, grew up on a small farm near Lynden, Washington. After completing her undergraduate degree in public health at the UW, she worked at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center for a couple years. She then attended UWSOM as a TRUST (Targeted Rural Underserved Track) scholar and additionally completed the Underserved Pathway. She found family medicine filled her cup up from providing preventative medicine to the opportunity to provide longitudinal and multi-generational care. Her professional interests include population health and addiction medicine. After completing residency at Spokane Teaching Health Center (STHC) in Spokane and Colville, Washington, with the rural training track, she hopes to settle down in a rural and underserved community within the PNW. Outside of medicine, she enjoys hunting, fishing, painting, crafting, and spending time with her husband and two black labradors. She is excited to continue her medical training in Spokane and Colville and learn from these amazing communities.
Dr. Stephenie Matosich, DO, is currently the OB Fellowship Director at the Family Medicine Residency at Spokane Teaching Health Center in Spokane, WA. A Montana native and graduate of MSU, Dr. Matosich received her medical education from Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency training at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences. She completed a one-year fellowship in high-risk obstetrics at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center in South Carolina. Prior to joining the residency in 2018, she worked locums in Soldotna, Alaska and then provided full scope care in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Her interests include women’s health, management of chronic disease, procedures, utilization of osteopathy, and teaching. Along with spending time with family and friends, Stephenie enjoys hiking, board games, golfing, knitting, reading, baking, and traveling.
Dr. Lisa Matelich, MD, currently practices adult and pediatric primary care, obstetrics, and hospital medicine at Newport Hospital and Health Services, in Newport, WA where she’s been since 2020. Dr. Matelich attended high school in Vancouver, Washington, and attended UWSOM at Spokane WWAMI. She completed residency in Grand Junction, CO, and returned to Spokane for her OB fellowship.
-
The difference between immigrants, asylum seekers, and refugees
-
Practical tips on how health professionals can support immigrant patients
-
Patient advocacy in clinics and the community
-
Ongoing efforts to support immigrant families in the area
2024-2025
Join UP Director Dr. Samira Farah and fellow UP scholars in a discussion about the complexities of care for people experiencing homelessness. Prerequisite: complete the module Introduction to Homelessness in the U.S. and participate in this discussion as your (substitute) final assignment.
We are currently looking for two student facilitators for this discussion. If you are interested in facilitating, please note your interest in the RSVP form below.
Tuesday, October 1, 2024
6-7pm Pacific Time
RSVP here for Zoom link
The UP is managed by the Department of Family Medicine Medical Student Education (MSE) section. Swing by to meet the UP Team and chat about all things family medicine and Underserved Pathway! We look forward to seeing you!
Monday, October 7, 2024
11:30am-1:20pm
Health Sciences Bldg. E-304
We are teaming up with the Family Medicine Interest Group for this one. This event is so special it gets its own webpage. Check it out here and be sure to RSVP!
Interested in applying to the Underserved Pathway or another UWSOM pathway program? Come to this information session to learn more and ask your questions. Representatives from all the UWSOM pathways will be present.
Wednesday, October 9, 2024
7-8pm PT
Zoom link: https://washington.zoom.us/j/95211943898
Marginalized populations, including low-income individuals, racial and ethnic minorities, and rural residents, experience a disproportionate burden of poor oral health. The consequences can be serious and long-lasting. However, by integrating oral health into routine visits, physicians can play a pivotal role in bridging the gap in oral health disparities.
In this hands-on session, participants will:
- Learn about oral health disparities and how integrating oral health into medicine is a social justice issue
- Learn about the oral health burden of disease and its connections to systemic health.
- Practice abbreviated oral exams, head and neck exams, and oral cancer screenings.
- Perform prevention procedures such as the application of fluoride varnish and silver diamine fluoride.
- Engage informally with students and faculty from the UW School of Dentistry.
Dinner provided!
Tuesday, October 15
6-7:30pm
UW Seattle, South Campus Center, room 308
Three UP scholars have founded a chapter of the non-partisan non-profit org Doctors for America at UWSOM!
They have organized the first of a three-part speaker series via Zoom designed specifically for healthcare providers-in-training. This first session provides a unique opportunity to learn how electoral advocacy can shape your career, impact patient care, and enhance your role in the healthcare system. Learn more and RSVP here.
Three UP scholars have founded a chapter of the non-partisan non-profit org Doctors for America at UWSOM!
This is the second of a three-part speaker series via Zoom designed specifically for healthcare providers-in-training. This session dives into federal advocacy, examining pathways to influence policy in the pharmaceutical, legal, and literary fields. If you’re a medical student or early-career healthcare professional looking to amplify your voice in public health, this session offers a unique opportunity to learn how to engage effectively at the federal level. Learn more and access the Zoom link here.
Join us for an engaging discussion on the urgent need to dismantle race-based clinical equations that perpetuate inequities in healthcare. This event will bring together potential opportunities to engage in a new national coalition formed– Encoding Equity and UAEM’s Civic Science Project focused on Race and Health Equity work in medicine and clinical research.
We’ll delve into the historical context of race in medicine, examine the implications of these clinical tools, and highlight innovative approaches to ensure that healthcare practices are fair, just, and discuss ways that you can learn more how to engage with the Encoding Equity coalition and UAEM’s healthcare access projects.
This event is designed for a discussion ensuring we are fostering equitable health systems. Together, we can work towards a future where all patients receive equitable care outcomes, free from the biases of outdated clinical equations.
Date: Nov 12, 2024
Time: 6-7:30pm PST
Location: Zoom; Link Below
Contact: Luyi Adesanya, luyi@uaem.org
Zoom Details:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89646286821?pwd=TyheynEY2UkOkTk5isg4adhPOXv5UE.1
Meeting ID: 896 4628 6821
Passcode: 692955
—
One tap mobile
+13092053325,,89646286821#,,,,*692955# US
Doctors for America UW Chapter presents:
Medical Student Advocacy Series: State Level Advocacy
Tailored for medical students or early-career healthcare professionals looking to amplify their voices in public health
Featuring:
- Dr. Daniel Low, MD, Community Family Physician, HealthPoint CHC
- Carrie Flaxman, Senior Legal Advisor, Democracy Forward
- Dr. Garrett Strizich, MD, Internal Medicine Physician, Bonner General Health
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
5-6pm PT (4-5pm AT, 6-7pm MT)
Register for Zoom link here
Join UP Faculty Advisor Dr. Robin Christian and fellow UP scholars in a discussion about the complexities of care for people who identify as LGBTQ+. Prerequisite: complete the UP module LGBTQ+ Health and participate in this discussion as your (substitute) final assignment.
We are currently looking for two student facilitators for this discussion. If you are interested in facilitating, please note your interest in the RSVP form below.
Tuesday, January 21, 2025
7-8:30pm Pacific Time
RSVP here for Zoom link
Immigrant and Refugee Patients: How Can You Help?
Panel Discussion Webinar
Learn about how our panelists came to work with immigrant and refugee patients, how they talk with their patients about fear around potential changes in immigration law and possible deportation, how healthcare professionals in training can advocate for immigrants’ healthcare or changes in immigration law, and more. Moderated by UP Director Dr. Samira Farah. There will be time for questions from event attendees.
Tuesday, February 11, 2025
7-8:30pm Pacific Time / 6-7:30pm Alaska Time / 8-9:30pm Mountain Time
ZOOM LINK: https://washington.zoom.us/j/95199195964?pwd=UuBXHgLLQhnyqfWmr9hkA3yDbhbxWp.1
This event will be recorded. The recording will be available in the UP’s Refugee and Immigrant Health web module the afternoon following the event.
Panelists:
Dr. Khanh Luong, MD, MPH. PGY-2, UW Family Medicine Residency in Seattle, WA
My name is Khanh Luong (she/they), and I’m currently a family medicine PGY-2 at UW. While becoming a physician is a dream of mine since grade school, I chose family medicine as a career largely due to my immigrant family’s interactions with the US healthcare system. Drawing from the Vietnamese American history where we first arrived at the US as refugees, I find deep gratitude and meaning in caring for those who come here in search for better lives. Fortunately, I have been able to explore and further my passions in refugee care throughout college and medical school. Now in residency, I am proud to provide primary care at Harborview FM clinic where more than half of our patients speak a language different from English. I am honored to be invited to join in this conversation and learn from everyone.
Dr. Syed Gillani, DO. Columbia Basin Health Association in Othello, WA
I have been an attending Family Medicine Physician at CBHA in Othello, Washington since October 2018. I am also a clinical assistant professor at the University of Washington, Seattle, and at the Washington State University, Spokane. I am also an immigrant from Pakistan. I was practicing family medicine in Pakistan but had to go back to medical school in the United States to fulfill my dream of becoming a physician. I have the privilege of working in remote and rural underdeveloped communities in different parts of Pakistan, Africa, and currently in the United States. In the USA, I have mainly been working in immigrant communities. Based on my background, I understand the healthcare challenges for immigrants and help my patients every day to tackle them.
Dr. José Carlos Flores Rodarte, MD, MPH, Health Point CHC in SeaTac, WA
I was born in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and was brought to the U.S. when I was about 1 year old. I became a U.S. citizen when I was 13, and before that I grew up receiving healthcare at our local community clinic/FQHC. I attended the University of California, Irvine, where I received a B.S. in Biological Sciences and a B.A. in Philosophy. I went to medical school at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, where I also received my Master’s in Public Health with an emphasis on Global Health, and then completed my Family Medicine residency at the University of Washington in the Harborview track. I have now worked at HealthPoint SeaTac for just over 2 years, fulfilling my National Health Corps Scholarship service commitment and working primarily with Spanish speakers and new arrivals to the United States. In my spare time, I like to ride my e-bike, hang out with my dogs and cat, play board games and video games, make cocktails, and travel.
Maya Reneé, former Vice-Chair, Idaho Community Health Workers Association
I am a dedicated healthcare professional with a deep commitment to finding innovative ways of supporting the underserved and vulnerable communities across Idaho. With over a decade of experience in healthcare, I focus on improving access to care and advocating for health equity. I serve on the Board of Directors for the Idaho Community Health Workers Association, where I play a key role in advancing policies and programs that support the CHW profession.
Join UP Associate Director Genya Shimkin, MPH and fellow UP scholars in a discussion about the complexities of medical volunteerism, both domestic and abroad. Prerequisite: complete the UP module Ethics of Medical Volunteerism and participate in this discussion as your (substitute) final assignment.
We are currently looking for two student facilitators for this discussion. If you are interested in facilitating, please note your interest in the RSVP form below.
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
7-8:30pm Pacific Time
RSVP here for Zoom link