UW’s med school to accept deferred-action students

SEATTLE — The University of Washington’s medical school will now accept students enrolled in the federal program that allows youth brought to the United States illegally as children protection from deportation.

The change in admissions policy was announced last week, opening the door to the most prominent medical school in the northwest to the immigrants under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

In a letter, vice dean Ellen Cosgrove and professor Leo Morales say that there are “no significant barriers” that prevents DACA graduates from obtaining residencies and licensure to practice medicine in the state.

The University of Washington provides regional medical education for the states of Washington, Alaska, Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. In the Pacific Northwest, only Oregon has its own medical school.