University of Washington Program

Program Identity & Fit

The University of Washington OB/GYN residency is a large academic, multi-site program built around a distinctive spectrum of clinical environments - a level 1 trauma/county hospital (Harborview), a tertiary quaternary referral center (UWMC-Montlake), a VA, Seattle Children's, a community hospital (UW Northwest), and rural full-scope immersion at Yakima Memorial - producing both high-acuity subspecialty exposure and generalist rural practice experience. Research is deeply embedded: every resident completes a mentored scholarly project culminating in Research Day, and the department runs an NIH-funded R38 StARR pathway (adding 1-2 years) that funnels residents toward K38 awards and physician-scientist careers in infectious disease/immunology-linked reproductive health. The program also maintains a formalized Global Health Pathway with a Kenya-based clinical/teaching rotation, a health equity curriculum, and Ryan Program abortion/family planning training, reflecting an explicit institutional commitment to reproductive justice, underserved populations, and structural competency. Four in-house fellowships (Gyn Onc, MFM, CFP, REI) and a culture emphasizing intellectual curiosity, adaptability across sites, and self-directed scholarship suggest the program values residents who can thrive amid clinical complexity while contributing to research or advocacy-oriented missions.