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Each year, Washington State University’s (WSU) Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine honors faculty and staff who have gone above and beyond in preparing the next generation of physicians. These awards capture the multitude of areas in which these individuals epitomize excellence in pursuing the college’s mission, values, and impact. We are proud to announce that TriState Health’s Chief Medical Officer, and Family Medicine Physician, Carson D. Seeber, MD, received the 2024 WSU Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award for his outstanding preceptorship!

The Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award honors an individual or team that demonstrates excellence in clinical environments. Dr. Seeber was recognized for his role as a mentor who inspires and guides his students and trainees through independent, critical, and creative thinking, and employs an evidence-based and health justice-centered approach to precepting.

Dr. Seeber joined TriState Family Practice & Internal Medicine in August 2015. Since joining the TriState team, he not only has made an impact on his patients, but also on the medical students that he passionately teaches. “By teaching, I feel like I am part of the solution. There is an acute need for physicians nationwide. It is estimated that we will need an additional 180,400 physicians over the next decade for rural and underserved areas across the country,” explained Dr. Seeber. “I went into medicine to help satisfy that need. Unfortunately, that need is perpetual and expanding, so it takes practicing physicians to ensure others are prepared to follow.”

Clarkston native, fourth-year medical student, and recent WSU graduate, Pierce Claassen, MD, was the student who nominated Dr. Seeber for this award. Part of his nomination stated, “Despite managing a substantial patient panel as a family medicine physician and frequently deliberating happenings of the hospital as an executive, Dr. Seeber pours his heart and soul into teaching the future physicians of Washington,” exclaims Dr. Claassen. “Dr. Seeber is a wholesome and energetic care provider who truly blesses his rural community through his practice of medicine. He takes great care to ensure the medical students accompanying him are seen as valuable members of the healthcare team. He allows an appropriate level of autonomy in the realms of medical and procedural management of his patients, to empower fourth-year students as they prepare to transition into their medical residencies.”

“It’s always nice to be recognized, but I selfishly gain more than I give when teaching. When medical students spend time in our clinic, it helps keep academic medicine a priority. It makes me more aware of my clinical acumen and knowledge,” mentioned Dr. Seeber. “Honestly, I would take as much or more pride in one of our other physicians at TriState Health receiving this award. We have so many intelligent physicians at our organization. I would love to grow a culture of medical academia at TriState over time, which would be so much more rewarding to me.” 

TriState Family Practice & Internal Medicine began taking on fourth-year medical students from WSU in 2017. Since then, they have hosted medical students from the WWAMI Medical School at the University of Idaho, University of Washington (Eastern Washington and Gonzaga RUOP), and the Pacific Northwest School of Medicine. These medical students spend time on campus in various capacities. Students could job shadow a half day per week throughout the academic year, spend a whole month with a preceptor in a specific specialty, or share time between two or three different preceptors. The WWAMI Program sends a group of first year medical students to TriState for “Hospital Mornings,” where they spend a half day per week on an assigned patient. The students round on a patient and discuss the patient encounter with a preceptor.

TriState Health is proud to have Dr. Seeber as part of the TriState Family! He wears many hats and makes a positive impact on everyone around him. As a family practice physician, he is dedicated to the health and well-being of his patients, and as a Chief Medical Officer, he serves and supports his fellow TriState physicians. And, if that were not enough, as a clinical preceptor, Dr. Seeber is passionate about educating the next generation of physicians who will make a lasting impact on future healthcare.