Division of Medical Education and Public Health

The Division of Medical Education provides opportunities for qualified Wyoming students to pursue careers in medicine; supports both undergraduate and graduate medical education programs; promotes high quality continuing education in medicine and other health care fields for Wyoming providers; facilitates increased accessibility of health and medical services in remote and shortage areas; supports interdisciplinary clinical training; and works closely with the Center for Rural Health Research and Education to promote research and programs to address rural/frontier health delivery concerns.

The University of Wyoming medical contract program enhances medical education opportunities for Wyoming residents. In March 1996, the University of Wyoming became a partner in the WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho) Program. As a result, students accepted into the medical contract program attend the University of Washington School of Medicine. The first year of this program is taught on campus at the University of Wyoming. The doctor of medicine degree is awarded by the University of Washington. For further information, contact the Preprofessional Advising Office, College of Health Sciences, Laramie, Wyoming 82071, (307) 766-6704.

Because of the need for broadly trained primary care physicians in Wyoming, the Wyoming Legislature has established two residency programs in the specialty of family medicine. These two accredited, university-administered, community-hospital based family medicine residency programs are located in Casper and Cheyenne. They enroll up to 42 residents (14 in each of three years). The two family medicine centers are among the most modern and comprehensively equipped facilities of their kind in the nation and maintain a 1:4 faculty to resident ratio. The program at Casper began in 1976 and is affiliated with Wyoming Medical Center. The program utilized the services and facilities provided by the Community Health Center of Central Wyoming. The Cheyenne program became active in 1980 and is affiliated with United Medical Center. The program utilizes the services and facilities provided by the Veterans Administration and the FE Warren AFB hospitals also located in Cheyenne. Both centers utilize modern design and include spacious examining rooms; treatment and casting rooms; x-ray facilities; offices for faculty, residents and staff; complete laboratories; multiphasic research areas; conference rooms; business offices and roomy waiting rooms with play areas in the clinical component. In the educational component, both include large auditoriums, several classrooms; audio visual production centers; medical libraries; learning resource centers and administrative offices. Particular emphasis in both centers is placed on preparing physicians for rural practice and other facets of medical practice that are unique to Wyoming. .