The Kauaʻi Medical Training Track at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa John A. Burns School of Medicine welcomed its fourth cohort of students into its program, which aims to improve healthcare in Kauaʻi's rural areas while also training future physicians.
When they applied for the program, each student agreed to practice in Kauaʻi as a physician for four years after they graduate.
Travis Hong, the director of rural training at JABSOM, said he sees this as a way to combat the persistent physician shortage in the state.
“It's geared specifically to address the physician shortage on Kauaʻi and it mitigates those challenges that are currently being faced by Kauaʻi’s patients,” he said. “We’re an island state, so those folks on Kaua’i don't have the ability to hop on a two-hour ambulance ride to a major hospital, so we need to strengthen what is there.”
The Hawaiʻi Physician Workforce Report said there is a statewide shortage estimate of 768 FTEs, or full-time equivalent workers. Individual counties like Hawaiʻi, Maui, and Kauaʻi, see a more severe shortage than Honolulu.
But Hong believes that KMTT not only provides physicians to fill these vacancies, but it provides dedicated workers who are familiar and comfortable with the field they are in.
“Because they have that time there, they really get to know their future colleagues who are teaching them currently, and they get to know their patients, the community, and the benefits of living on Kauaʻi. And frankly, they're excited to go back,” Hong said.
The six students in each cohort will alternate between the medical school on Oʻahu and various healthcare facilities on Kauaʻi throughout their four years of school. JABSOM describes the process as a "longitudinal" experience, where students increase the intensity and length of time on Kauaʻi as they progress through their education.
“They end up spending a total of 15 months on the island, which helps them acclimate to the environment and the people. We even have our students do outreach with Kauaʻi high schools where our medical students lead training and teaching sessions,” Hong said.
He added that students get generous scholarships to help them fund their way through the program, stating that many students graduate debt free, which is a huge help in making sure they can afford to stay and serve Hawaiʻi.
