SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Sixty first-year medical students from the University of Washington will begin taking classes at Gonzaga University in Spokane this fall.

The two schools announced the partnership on Wednesday. The deal allows the University of Washington School of Medicine to maintain its medical education program in Spokane.

This agreement is separate from plans by Washington State University to establish a medical school at its branch campus in Spokane. WSU's new Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine is planning to enroll its first class of 60 medical students in fall 2017.

The UW School of Medicine for 40 years has provided medical education in Spokane and Eastern Washington, in partnership with Washington State University. But that partnership ended when WSU decided to pursue its own medical school.

More From News Talk KIT