A big step for any doctor is their first job after medical school, and for the 78 soon-to-be graduates of the University of Hawaiʻi's John A. Burns School of Medicine, that next chapter is quickly approaching.
The class celebrated Match Day earlier this month, where the students found out where they will practice for the next four years during their residency programs. With nearly 90% of every JABSOM class being from Hawaiʻi, finding out if they can stay home and serve their communities often holds a lot of weight.
Robert Bradley, a JABSOM student from Waimānalo on Oʻahu, will be staying home in the islands for his program in psychiatry.
“Training here and being familiar with the population, as well as what unique resources we can offer or challenges we have — that's really the goal,” Bradley said.
“Getting to know patients beyond just their medical conditions and being able to connect with them on a personal level is very important, especially in psychiatry. Where I'm from, not a lot of people are there to serve the mental health needs that there are in more rural communities, and that’s why I wanted to stay here.”
Hawaiʻi has a well-documented and ongoing physician shortage, with just over 3,000 full-time physicians working throughout the state – about 644 short of what is needed.
Lee Buenconsejo-Lum, the medical school’s associate dean for academic affairs, said keeping local doctors at home will always be a challenge, but she is proud of the progress so far.
About a third of this year’s class will be staying at JABSOM for their residency, which is down from last year’s 45%, but up by about 10% compared to a decade ago.
She attributed the overall increase in student retention to the school’s commitment to community engagement, cultural immersion, and financial aid.
“We have really ramped up our efforts to try to make sure all of the experiences guide them to stay home, if at all possible,” Buenconsejo-Lum said. “We know that if they come to medical school here and they do any part of their residency or training here, they’re much more likely to stay long term.”
But many local students, like Richard Gen, are off to a new state after they graduate. Gen will be practicing internal medicine and pediatrics at Hofstra University's Zucker School of Medicine in New York, but said he’s determined to come back to the islands after his residency.
“To leave is very bittersweet, but my experience has only made me want to return to Hawaiʻi even more so,” Gen said.
“It’s just so special here, and as cliché as it sounds, there’s a true sense of aloha spirit and care and community that you don’t find anywhere else. I want to be able to serve the people, because these are my people.”
