A donor put $50 million toward the education of medical laboratory science students – a critical program that the University of Washington has been hoping to expand.
SEATTLE — Seniors in the University of Washington’s Medical Laboratory Science Undergraduate Program learned Monday that their clinical rotation tuition would be fully covered through an anonymous donation expected to exceed $50 million over the next 50 years, university officials announced.
The transformative gift, from a Washington state resident, will provide annual disbursements to the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology Fund for Excellence. University administrators estimate the funding will cover in-state tuition for clinical rotations for all 35 program seniors for decades and enable the program to expand from 70 to 100 students over the next decade.
The donation addresses a critical financial burden for students at a particularly demanding stage of their education. During their senior year, medical laboratory science students complete clinical rotations at local hospitals and laboratories while also preparing for their national board exam, making it nearly impossible to maintain part-time employment.
“This donor’s selfless generosity will allow us to reduce the debt burden for our students and attract more young people to the field, ensuring that our region has the skilled laboratory workforce that is so critical to high-quality, timely patient care,” said Dr. Tim Dellit, CEO of UW Medicine and the Paul G. Ramsey Endowed Dean of the UW School of Medicine.
The gift comes as Washington state faces an urgent shortage of clinical laboratory professionals, driven by increasing demand for laboratory services and an aging workforce. As one of only two programs in the state offering baccalaureate-level education in medical laboratory sciences, UW’s program has been encouraged by accreditation reviewers to expand substantially.
“It has been a long-standing dream to provide more financial support to students during the professional phase of the UW-MLS Program, and we are deeply grateful to the donor whose transformative generosity is making this and our program’s growth possible,” said Dr. Geoff Baird, professor, chair and Paul E. Strandjord and Kathleen J. Clayson Endowed Chair of the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at UW Medicine in Seattle.
UW President Robert J. Jones emphasized the broader impact on healthcare access in the region.
“This extraordinary gift advances one of our highest priorities — making a UW education accessible and debt-free and enabling students who are passionate about healthcare to pursue their goals,” Jones said. “Its profound impact on student success will lead to more trained healthcare professionals and better health for all Washington residents.”