“For better or worse, there are few occupations of a more satisfying character than the practice of medicine, if a man can but once get oriented and bring to it the philosophy of honest work, the philosophy that insists that we are here, not to get all we can out of life about us, but to see how much we can add to it.”  ~ Sir William Osler

Getting Started in the Palouse

Housing in the Moscow/Pullman area is not too expensive or hard to find. There are plenty of options in both Moscow, ID and Pullman, WA. Here are a few tips compiled by previous classes to make the process easier.

Start early, if possible, and scope out the area to find the ambiance where you want to live.  Nice apartments and houses seem to get rented fairly quickly in the Palouse, especially as the end of the school year approaches.  But don’t worry; if you are not as picky, there are more than enough units available!

Plan on visiting Pullman/Moscow on a weekday.  Although you can often make appointments in advance to look at housing over the weekend, it is easier to visit on a weekday.  Many places have offices where you can walk in without an appointment and view the apartments, but they usually aren’t open on the weekends.  Remember, also, many of the best deals are  from individual postings on community and campus billboards.

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The towns are only eight miles apart, and transportation to class at the other campus is provided via the infamous WWAMI vans (student drivers).  There is also a great community bus system between the universities and for each town that is free for students.

In the past, 60-70% of the students have preferred to live in Moscow, but both towns have their selling points.  Here are some points that almost all students agree upon:   1. Moscow is the better town. 2. Pullman is more convenient for academic reasons. 3. The best reason for WA students to live in Pullman is for the gym. 

What is most important to you?  If you plan to use the gym often, we recommend living near your own school.  The membership fee for your university gym is obligatory and non-refundable.  It is possible to purchase an additional membership at the other school, but it will cost $100-$120 per semester. 

Here is a brief list of the advantages of living in one town over the other:

Pullman:  The town, like most college towns, seems dominated by the university and its undergraduates.  However, it is a bit more convenient for academic purposes.  Classes are held here three days a week (meaning less commute time). The anatomy lab is located here as well (allowing you to stay later or study more easily during weekends). Finally, most exams are given at WSU (so there is less commute during cramming).

Moscow:  Most students agree that Moscow has a more pleasant, community atmosphere (farmer’s market, independent shops, peace protests, cafes, co-op), is less dominated by students, and has more going on in terms of shopping, entertainment, night life, etc.  Among the cafes, parks, and a beautiful UI campus, there are plenty of places to study.  Rentals are comparably less expensive as well.

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Rent in the Palouse is reasonable, especially compared to Seattle!  Approximate price ranges for rentals in the area:   

Studio Apt.:  $250—$400 per month

1 Bedroom:  $350—$500 per month

2 Bedroom:  $400—$675 per month

3 Bedroom:  $600—$920 per month

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Rental Agencies:  Rental agencies can be helpful in finding houses, pet-friendly rentals, etc.  They are not especially helpful in finding an apartment, in which case you should contact the manager/apartment complex directly.

Pullman Moscow Associated Brokers, Inc. S. 405 Grand Ave. (509)334-0562                                    Latah Realty 128 E. 3rd (208)883-1525   DRA Rentals 330 Dr. N Grand (509) 334-7700                                   Palouse Properties 17 Kenworthy Plaza (208) 882-6280

Internet: You can get a rudimentary idea of what is available in the area over the internet, but you really need to visit the neighborhoods to find what you will like.  Here are a few select web sites that you may find helpful:

www.dnews.com - This is the web site for the Moscow-Pullman Daily News, which provides current rental listings in the classifieds.  Click on “INDEX” in the navigation menu to reach a link for the classifieds.

www.pullman-wa.com/housing/mapapts.htm - This web site is excellent, listing a number of apartments in Pullman and providing links that illustrate floor-plans, etc.

www.abrokers.com - This is a web site for Associated Brokers, a real estate company in Pullman with listings for rental houses in town.

www.asui.uidaho.edu/housing - This UI affiliated site lists off campus rentals in the Moscow area.

www.moscowrealty.com - Moscow Realty lists a few rental homes in the area.  Click on the “Property Rentals” to view current listings.

www.palouseproperties.com - A site listing current rentals in Moscow.

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Moscow:

The WWAMI House (708 E. 6th Street):  This is a four bedroom house located in Moscow that has been rented to WWAMI female students for quite some time.  It is large, spacious, has a great backyard, and the landlords are prompt and `attentive.  Pets are not allowed. 

The New (1995) WWAMI Co-ed House (498 Paradise Drive): This 5-bedroom, 3-bathroom house is a great pad with heaps of storage space, walking distance to UI campus, two refrigerators, washer & dryer, 2-car garage, and great landlords.  Rent ranges from $325-400/mo.  If interested, call Dr. Renata Moon (208-765-5543 or 509-842-4988).

Both WWAMI houses are great places for get-togethers!

Moscow Hotel Apartments (313 S Main St): These apartments are located in a historical building with high ceilings in the middle of town.  It is quiet and well managed with a preference for graduate students or mature non-students.  The rent is very reasonable, but parking must be on side streets or purchased from the city.

Otto Hill Apartments (Moscow and Pullman):  There areseveral apartment complexes owned by Otto Hill Properties, which can be previewed at www.hillapts.com.  These apartments are nice and have free Ethernet.  They are very close to the bus lines.

231 Lauder Avenue:  Several E04 students lived in these apartments and recommend them to future students.

824/827 S. Jefferson: This landlady prefers to rent to the WWAMI students, though recently no one has lived there.  It offers a quiet one bedroom basement apartment.  Close walk to UI campus, and downtown.  Washer and dryer, access to deck.  We pay water and sewage.  Non-smokers, no pets.  References required.  Available August 1.  $375/month.  $150 damage deposit.  Call (208) 882-1842.”

Pullman:

Campus View Apartments: Clean, new apartment complex located close to the Palouse mall, University Theaters, and Starbucks. 

Wil-Ru Apartments (SE 1615 Bleasner Drive):  These apartments are located in Pullman, are right next to the Chipman Trail (the bike trail between Moscow and Pullman), and allow pets!  The student who lived here said the landlords were great and that the apartments were quiet, inexpensive, close to campus, etc.

Aspen Village Apartments (1620 NE Northwood Dr.):  Aspen Village is a brand new apartment complex, owned by the same people who manage the Providence Court apartments.  Both can be viewed at www.aspenvillage-apts.com and www.providencecourt-apts.com.  I would recommend Aspen Village over Providence Court because it is brand new and quieter.  Come early to rent from these apartments.  The better ones get taken quickly.  (If you want to be close to the gym, there are numerous housing complexes in this area).

The Coffee Shop Apartments (1000 NE Latah Street):  These are close to campus and, as the name implies, Starbucks.  The apartments come with all the amenities including W/D. 

Quiet & sunny apartment for rent: 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom, garage, fireplace, washer/dryer hook–ups.  Very tranquil place.  Highly recommended. Call Matthew at (509) 338-9872.

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The best way to find a place is to just to drive/walk around and get a feel for the area.  Maps of Moscow and Pullman, as well as the two campuses, can be obtained at the WSU Visitor’s Center (call 509-335-8633 for directions). Maps should also be mailed to you along with your WWAMI packet.  It may be worth staying a few days in a hotel to find a suitable apartment for your first year of medical school.

Did we mention to come on a weekday?

If finding a place close to campus is important to you, then you would probably like to know that class is held in Morrill Hall at WSU and in the Engineering and Physics building at UI.  However, public transportation is excellent and most places are within reasonable walking distance to campus.

FYI:  If you are interested in getting cable and/or internet installed, call early!  August is Adelphia’s busiest time of year and September can be a bit of a scheduling nightmare once you are in class all day.  Several of us ended up waiting over a month to get cable installed when we waited to order until mid to late August. Also, if you have pets, apartments are more difficult to find.

And, as one E05 student noted, “Don’t live with three drunken WSU undergraduates.”