{"id":156544,"date":"2022-03-15T20:37:52","date_gmt":"2022-03-16T06:37:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=156544"},"modified":"2022-10-14T11:26:57","modified_gmt":"2022-10-14T21:26:57","slug":"jabsom-10m-gift","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2022\/03\/15\/jabsom-10m-gift\/","title":{"rendered":"$10M gift helps address Kaua\u02bbi<\/span>\u2019s physician shortage"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 4<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

\"Two<\/p>\n

The University of Hawaiʻi<\/span> at Mānoa\u2019s John A. Burns School of Medicine<\/a> (JABSOM<\/abbr>) on March 16, announced a six-year, $10 million commitment from Dr. Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg. This gift will fund the new Kauaʻi<\/span> Medical Training Track, a multi-pronged program on Kauaʻi<\/span> to help address the physician shortage and improve access to healthcare services.<\/p>\n

ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ<\/abbr> President David Lassner<\/strong> said, “We are tremendously grateful to Dr. Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg for their generous gift and commitment to our island\u2019s community health. This gift will have a lasting ripple effect that will directly improve the health and wellness of Kauaʻi<\/span>\u2019s families today, and in the future.”<\/p>\n

According to ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ<\/abbr>\u2019s 2021 Annual Report for the State Legislature<\/a> (PDF<\/abbr><\/span>), Kauaʻi<\/span> needs more than 61 doctors to meet the local community\u2019s current healthcare needs. Kauaʻi<\/span> health indicators<\/a> also note that the Garden Island has more uninsured people, more strokes and hypertension, and more adults with cancer than the rest of Hawaiʻi.<\/span> The physician shortage, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, poses serious challenges for all residents—especially for those struggling with chronic illness and preventable diseases.<\/p>\n

\"Medical<\/p>\n

JABSOM<\/abbr> Dean Jerris Hedges<\/strong> said, “We know that doctors who train in rural areas, especially areas where they have family and community ties, are more likely to practice in a rural setting. To address Kauaʻi<\/span>\u2019s physician shortage, we need more medical students from Kauaʻi<\/span>, and we must expand medical training on Kauaʻi<\/span>.” Hedges continued, “JABSOM<\/abbr> selects 80% or more of its student population from the state of Hawaiʻi<\/span> and has one of the highest rates of graduate retention in the nation post training. This six-year initiative will help us grow medical student and resident trainee numbers on Kauaʻi<\/span> and help practicing doctors on Kauaʻi<\/span> benefit from the stimulating educational environment associated with training new doctors.”<\/p>\n

Dr. Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg said, “Expanding the medical community will help improve access to healthcare services for local residents—which is crucial to building a healthier community on Kauaʻi<\/span>. We\u2019re honored to support the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaiʻi<\/span> as they strive to address the physician shortage by creating a more robust pipeline of doctors.”<\/p>\n

Through the Kauaʻi<\/span> Medical Training Track, six JABSOM<\/abbr> medical students, with ties to Kauaʻi<\/span> or another neighbor island and\/or a strong interest in rural health, will be accepted into this program annually beginning July 2022. The program will fund tuition and fees for all four years, as well as transportation and lodging.<\/p>\n

The gift will also enable JABSOM<\/abbr> to:<\/strong><\/p>\n