For the Health of a People: The Recruitment and Retention of Native Hawaiian Medical Students at the University of Hawaiʻi's John A. Burns School of Medicine

Abstract

Considering that Native Hawaiians make up approximately 20 percent of Hawai'i's population, but Native Hawaiians make up only 5 percent of Hawai'i's physicians, it is obvious that there is a deficiency within Hawai'i's medical education system. This paper explores the issue of culturally competent physician workforce development and the current recruitment and retention techniques used by the John A. Burns School of Medicine. In order to discover the true nature and identity of these barriers, twelve Native Hawaiian doctors, medical students, and pre-medical students were interviewed. The narratives of the doctors and students interviewed will be the major method of information presentation. After an analysis of the interview data, solutions such as a formal mentoring program for pre-medical students within the current infrastructure of the medical school to foster the academic, cultural, and professional development of Native Hawaiian medical and pre-medical students will be suggested.