MOSCOW, Idaho – Nov. 15, 2023
The University of Idaho WWAMI Medical Education Program is naming a research office for the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health (BCIF) to honor the nonprofit organization’s commitment and history of supporting Idaho WWAMI and other programs at the university.
The research office is now known as the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health Idaho Office of Underserved and Rural Medical Research (IOURMR). The University of Idaho will host a dedication ceremony Thursday, Nov. 16, at the Idaho WWAMI headquarters in Moscow, Idaho.
“The Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health is in Idaho for Idaho,” said BCIF Executive Director Kendra Witt-Doyle. “Idaho is facing a healthcare workforce shortage, and supporting Idaho WWAMI and ECHO Idaho will help increase the quality and quantity of healthcare that is available to Idahoans.”
Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health IOURMR provides a place for current medical students to conduct multifaceted research and study during their first two years of medical school. Additionally, IOURMR is a hub for service work to enhance healthcare access, quality and outcomes for individuals and families in Idaho’s underserved and rural communities.
“The naming partnership with the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health empowers IOURMR to amplify our impact on Idaho’s underserved communities,” said Russell Baker, IOURMR director of medical research. “We are poised to drive transformative change in healthcare access and quality, benefiting Idahoans for generations to come.”
BCIF has provided financial support to U of I and Idaho WWAMI for more than a decade.
“The Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health is a long-time and valued partner for Idaho WWAMI and the entire University of Idaho community,” said University of Idaho President Scott Green. “Their support for undergraduate and medical student scholarships, rural medical training and ongoing educational programming in behavior health is making a positive impact in communities large and small throughout the Gem State. It’s an honor to add the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health name to our Idaho Office of Underserved and Rural Medical Research.”
Idaho WWAMI is a partnership between the nationally ranked University of Washington School of Medicine and Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho (WWAMI). Since 1972, the University of Idaho has partnered with the UW School of Medicine to help educate and provide training for Idaho’s future physicians
