(Honolulu, Hawai‘i, April 25, 2019) – In an effort to continue to address Hawai‘i’s growing physician shortage, one of the state’s largest health care systems today announced the launch of the Hawai‘i Pacific Health Medical Student Scholarship Fund. The announcement was made jointly today by Raymond P. Vara, president and chief executive officer of Hawai‘i Pacific Health (HPH), and Jerris Hedges, dean of the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM).
This nearly $750,000 commitment to fund the tuition for five incoming JABSOM freshmen follows Hawai‘i Pacific Health’s $750,000 commitment last year to fund five incoming JABSOM freshmen as part of a collaborative scholarship program that included local philanthropists Barry and Virginia Weinman and other community donors.
In total so far, HPH has contributed $1.5 million to fund the tuition for 10 future Hawai‘i physicians.
“When JABSOM medical students graduate, their average educational debt is $169,000. This debt represents a barrier to practicing medicine in Hawai‘i where physician reimbursement is lower than many parts of the nation and practice expenses and the cost of living are higher. Through these partnerships supporting the medical education of our students, we can keep more of our best and brightest students at home while serving a real community need,” Vara said. “Hawai‘i’s physician shortage is very real and only through the mutual collaboration and teamwork with our partners can we truly create a healthier Hawai‘i.”
Dean Hedges notes that “Nearly 80% of the students in every medical school class at JABSOM are from Hawaiʻi and they represent the best means of addressing our physician workforce shortage. Allowing these students to graduate with minimal debt enhances their ability to stay and practice here, including on the neighbor islands.”
Primary criteria for the HPH Medical Student Scholarship Program include:
- Full-time medical students pursing an MD degree at JABSOM and a commitment to practice medicine in Hawai‘i;
- Meets Hawai‘i resident requirements;
- Exhibits strong merit as part of the JABSOM application process.
Additionally, preference will be given to qualified candidates who have participated in the Hawai‘i Pacific Health Summer Student Research Program, an intensive eight-week summer program offered annually by HPH to college undergraduates interested in pursuing a career in medicine. The program provides students with hands-on experience in a medical setting and the opportunity to work on a clinical research project with a physician mentor.
The incoming JABSOM class of 2023 begins its orientation on July 15, 2019.
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Hawai‘i Pacific Health is a not-for-profit health care system with over 70 locations statewide including medical centers, clinics, physicians and other caregivers serving Hawai‘i and the Pacific Region with high quality, compassionate care. Its four medical centers – Kapi‘olani, Pali Momi, Straub and Wilcox – specialize in innovative programs in women’s health, pediatric care, cardiovascular services, cancer care, bone and joint services and more. Hawai‘i Pacific Health is recognized nationally for its excellence in patient care and the use of electronic health records to improve quality and patient safety. Learn more at HawaiiPacificHealth.org.
The University of Hawai‘i Foundation, a nonprofit organization, raises private funds to support the University of Hawai‘i System. The mission of the University of Hawai‘i Foundation is to unite donors’ passions with the University of Hawai‘i’s aspirations by raising philanthropic support and managing private investments to benefit UH, the people of Hawai‘i and our future generations. www.uhfoundation.org
