Team of Future Healthcare Professionals Ran Bloomsday

Student Running Group encourages habits to make healthier, happier healthcare workers

Spokane, Wash. – Nearly 40 members of a student-formed and led Running Club of future health care workers ran Bloomsday last month. Twenty-five students attending the University of Washington School of Medicine (UWSOM) and 12 students from Gonzaga University’s health sciences programs represented the University of Washington-Gonzaga University Health Partnership in the annual 10k run.

In the summer of 2022, a group of UWSOM students formed the Running Club to encourage habits to make healthier, happier healthcare workers. They had shirts made with the phrase “Exercise is Medicine,” referencing the cardiovascular benefits of exercise.

Running Club leader and medical student Freddy Pan said the group is inclusive and has invited other medical and nursing students in the region to join them. He added that they often end training runs at locations where they can support local businesses, including ice cream shops and breweries. The Health Partnership Running Club is aiming to expand the group to partake in all types of outdoor activities like hiking, climbing, and skiing.