Opening Doors: PLU Partnership with PNWU creates new opportunities for PLU pre-health sciences graduates

“This partnership between PNWU and PLU focuses on uplifting our shared commitments to service, leadership, and care for the community, making this an ideal partnership and opportunity for our students,” said PLU Dean of Natural Sciences Ann Auman.

Located in Yakima, PNWU educates and trains health care professionals emphasizing service among rural and medically underserved communities throughout the Northwest. PNWU ranks in the top 10 in the nation for revolutionizing community health. U.S. News and World Report’s Best Grad Schools release ranked PNWU fifth for graduates practicing in medically underserved areas, sixth for graduates practicing in primary care specialties, and tenth for graduates practicing in rural areas.

PNWU’s MAMS program provides a year of intensive skill-building and health career exploration for students who intend to apply to medical school or other health care professional schools. Approximately 92% of PNWU MAMS graduates go on to health professional school programs (i.e., osteopathic or allopathic medicine (DO or MD), physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT), physician assistant program (PA), pharmacy (PharmD), dentistry (DDS or DMD), optometry (OD), or podiatry (DPM).

“PNWU knows that PLU students are well prepared for success, and we know PNWU offers high-quality programs where our students thrive,” continued Auman. “In addition, this partnership will allow us to recruit more pre-health sciences students, increasing our role in training the future health care providers required to meet our area’s continuing needs.”

The MAMS program begins in the fall and runs for one year. PLU graduates must complete the medical school prerequisites, have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher, and an MCAT score of 492 or higher. MAMS seats for PLU graduates will remain open until filled or until July 1 of the application cycle. Over the last 11 years, six PLU graduates completed the MAMS program and then went on to the DO Program at PNWU.

This new partnership is exciting as PNWU expands its healthcare professional programs. In addition to offering the MAMS program and a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), PNWU now also offers a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT, launched in fall 2022) and a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT, launching in fall 2023). PNWU is also on track to offer a Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) beginning in fall 2025. As a result, PLU anticipates a growing alliance with PNWU that will increase opportunities for PLU graduates in all of these programs in the years to come.