{"id":173404,"date":"2023-03-01T13:27:38","date_gmt":"2023-03-01T23:27:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=173404"},"modified":"2023-03-02T10:30:24","modified_gmt":"2023-03-02T20:30:24","slug":"aloha-jabsom-dean-jerris-hedges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2023\/03\/01\/aloha-jabsom-dean-jerris-hedges\/","title":{"rendered":"Aloha \u02bbOe to JABSOM<\/abbr> Dean Jerris Hedges"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

\"hedges<\/p>\n

The University of Hawaiʻi<\/span> at M\u0101noa John A. Burns School of Medicine<\/a>\u2019s (JABSOM<\/abbr>) reputation has grown over the last 15 years, especially in primary care education and its connection with the community. Much of the credit goes to Dean Jerris R. Hedges<\/strong>, who retired on March 1.<\/p>\n

Under Hedges\u2019 leadership, JABSOM<\/abbr> grew class sizes, offered robust scholarships, and expanded its reach beyond Oʻahu<\/span>, while uniting the school with residents it serves.<\/p>\n

The beginning<\/h2>\n
\"jerris
Hedges with Gov. Josh Green<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hedges came to JABSOM<\/abbr> from the Oregon Health and Science University, where he served as department chair, hospital medical staff chair and vice dean, and arrived at a tenuous time. JABSOM<\/abbr> needed to get fully-accredited and Hedges had less than a year to get it done. Without the Liaison Committee on Medical Education\u2019s accreditation, students wouldn\u2019t be allowed to take national board exams or apply for residencies. <\/p>\n

“We had to be organized. We had to show how our programs were meeting the needs of Hawaiʻi<\/span> and we had to show how we were meeting the educational standards for the rest of the nation,” Hedges said. <\/p>\n

Nine months after Hedges arrived, JABSOM<\/abbr> successfully defended its primary accreditation and received a maximum of eight years of reaccreditation. The administrative and educational team continued to function at a high-level and received another eight years of reaccreditation in 2017. <\/p>\n

Tremendous growth<\/h2>\n

Always humble, Hedges acknowledged JABSOM<\/abbr>\u2019s success was made possible by a dedicated team he assembled from within the JABSOM<\/abbr> ranks, as well as afar.<\/p>\n

Under the dean\u2019s leadership, JABSOM<\/abbr> made many contributions to Hawaiʻi<\/span>, including efforts to address the state\u2019s physician shortage, provisions of graduate medical education, research innovations and aiding the state\u2019s economy.<\/p>\n

I find great satisfaction seeing the progress that\u2019s being made. I hope to be able to contribute to the school and the community going forward.
—Jerris Hedges<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The medical school quickly established itself as a national leader in National Institutes of Health grant acquisition for public, community-based medical schools. <\/p>\n

“For a state supported school that has no university hospital, we are probably the No. 1 in generating research dollars and innovative research in the country,” Hedges said.<\/p>\n

JABSOM<\/abbr> earned top quartile rankings in the US<\/abbr> News & World Report<\/em> survey, despite its faculty and student size, putting JABSOM<\/abbr> in the lower quartile of all U.S.<\/abbr> medical schools. Prior to Hedges\u2019 arrival, the class size was 62. Today, 77 students enter each year. <\/p>\n

A key factor in the JABSOM<\/abbr> success under Hedges has been philanthropic efforts led by its hard-working development officers. JABSOM<\/abbr> has seen the creation of a successful internal giving campaign which engages faculty, staff and leadership to invest in the school. JABSOM<\/abbr> is in the top echelon of U.S.<\/abbr> medical schools for proportion of students graduating without educational debt, despite JABSOM<\/abbr> students having one of the lowest family median income levels nationally. <\/p>\n

The physician shortage in Hawaiʻi<\/span> was a priority when Hedges arrived in 2008, and in 2023, JABSOM<\/abbr> continues to play a role in the multi-pronged approach in contributing to finding the solution. <\/p>\n

Aloha ʻOe<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"jerris<\/p>\n

Hedges knows he has helped position JABSOM<\/abbr> well for the future. <\/p>\n

Lee Buenconsejo-Lum<\/a><\/strong>, former associate dean for academic affairs, designated institutional official, and graduate medical education director, will serve as interim dean effective March 1 to December 31, 2023.<\/p>\n

“I find great satisfaction seeing the progress that\u2019s being made. I hope to be able to contribute to the school and the community going forward,” Hedges said. “Hawaiʻi<\/span> is my home. I don\u2019t want to take on another role nationally because we have enough to do here to make things better and make life not only rewarding but healthy in Hawaiʻi<\/span>.”<\/p>\n

For more go to the JABSOM<\/abbr> website.<\/a><\/p>\n