Fall-Winter 1998

The Native Hawaiian Center of Excellence (NHCOE) at the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) began in 1991 funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The creation of the NHCOE allowed the consolidation of over 25 years of program efforts for minorities in medicine into a coordinated, comprehensive effort to increase the number of Native Hawaiians in medicine.

 
WELCOME TO NEW STAFF MEMBERS
Please join the NHCOE in welcoming two new staff members: Martha Ah Yee and Shannon Hirose-Wong.

Martha, who joined the staff in February, is the new Assistant Program Coordinator. She will be working in Hilo along with Kaloa Robinson. She has a Master's in Public Health from the University of Hawai`i at Manoa specializing in Maternal and Child Health.

Shannon is the newest member hired in April. She recently graduated from UCLA with her Ph.D. in Higher Education. Shannon will be serving as an Educational Specialist in research.

We are looking forward to working with both Shannon and Martha!

 
A FOND FAREWELL TO THE SPEBE MEDICAL SCIENCE PROGRAM
After seven successful years, the 1998 SPEBE (Summer Program for the Enhancement of Basic Education) Medical Science program will be the last. Because of the economic situation in Hawai`i, the Department of Education (DOE) has cut funding for all SPEBE programs. The other programs include: Earth and Space Exploration, Marine Sciences, Theater and Drama, and Modern Media.

Each of the SPEBE programs is funded by the Department of Education and implemented by a department at the University of Hawai`i. Since the Medical Science program's inception in 1992, the John A. Burns School of Medicine has hosted 150 high school students from 30 public high schools in the state.

Though state funding has ceased, `Iwalani Else, director of SPEBE Medical Science, will direct a summer program next year for six Native Hawaiian students which will be funded by the Native Hawaiian Center of Excellence. This year, 24 students were selected of which 6 are Native Hawaiian. Happily, three tutors and one dorm counselor are Native Hawaiian.

 

FEATURE ON

`Iwalani Else, M.A.
Native Hawaiian `Iwalani Else has the greatest longevity of any of the NHCOE staff as she started in 1992 as a graduate assistant. Her hard work and dependability have been recognized, appreciated and rewarded. She is now Assistant Program Director and is responsible for recruitment activities on `Oahu, coordination of the SPEBE summer Program and the reading component of retention activities.

The NHCOE is very proud of `Iwalani's academic progress! She is currently a Ph.D. student in Medical Sociology. She was lead author of an article entitled "Where are our Native Hawaiian Physicians?" to be published in the September 1998 issue of the Pacific Health Dialogue. She also was chosen to present her paper "Native Hawaiian Suicide: A Contemporary Durkheimian Perspective" at the American Sociological Association's annual meeting this August in San Francisco.

`Iwalani offers an excellent example of how mentoring and support results in development of leadership skills in our Native Hawaiian students and staff.

 
NHCOE AT UH HILO MOVES TO UPPER CAMPUS
Kaloa Robinson and Martha Ah Yee have moved to the University of Hawai`i at Hilo's upper campus. Their attractive new offices are located at the Student Services Center. The NHCOE appreciates the help of Interim Dean Gail Makuakane-Lundin whose efforts helped to bring this about and who will serve as an on-site mentor. Both Kaloa and Martha will service UHH students interested in health careers. Kaloa will continue with his high school surveys and workshops. Martha will work with Na Pua No`eau health and the medical workshops.

 

HIGHLIGHTS

RECRUITMENT

Big Island
Kaloa made 20 recruitment trips to high schools on the Big Island and Maui. He is planning a May 9th Keala Lapa`au Workshop entitled "E ala o, E imi I ka na`auao," (rise and awaken, search for knowledge) and a summer enrichment program for Moloka`i High School students.

New staff member Martha Ah Yee is busy assisting UH Hilo's Career Center in its "Career Fair 98" and Na Pua No`eau's Summer Institute Program to be held at UH Hilo in June.

O'ahu
This past academic year was a busy one for recruitment. `Iwalani Else made 22 recruitment trips to high schools and community colleges on the island of O`ahu. Of special interest was the Problem-Based Learning demonstration held on December 22, 1997 for applicants and anyone interested in the unique curriculum at the School of Medicine attended by School of Medicine applicants, interested students and teachers. Mrs. Else is also directing the last SPEBE Medical Science program year and assisting Na Pua No`eau with their summer enrichment program in Honolulu this July.

 
STUDENT ENRICHMENT
The academic year 1997-1998 found Student Enrichment staff busy every day helping students study more efficiently, pass exams, read more rapidly, present rounds more expertly and write personal statements more effectively. Several "Preparing for Boards" sessions have been offered recently. Dr. Little has met with all Native Hawaiian first year students at least once (some on a weekly basis).

As for interaction with our HRSA (Health Resources Services Administration) partners, Dr. Little taught Speech 253, Argumentation and Debate, to the Imi Ho`ola students during Fall semester and gave a lecture on "Scheduling our Lives" to Ke Ola students and Kokua Kahili Valley staff on January 20, 1998. She will speak to all the Ke Ola students and staff at their Fall Orientation on August 22, 1998.

Both `Iwalani Else and Dr. Little serve as advisors to the PHPE summer enrichment program.

 
ADMINISTRATIVE NEWS
NHCOE staff submitted a progress report and grant renewal in January to HRSA. This year also brought $139,000 in one-time supplemental funds to hire Martha Ah Yee in Hilo and to recruit one additional faculty development fellow at 70% time.

 
FACULTY DEVELOPMENT
The recent seminars for the Faculty Development program have included stimulating research reports from our Native Hawaiian faculty including Drs. Marjorie Mau (diabetes research), Linda Nahulu, George Makini and Naleen Andrade. There is one more seminar scheduled by a Filipino researcher, Dr. Neal Palafox, on his work in the Pacific Basin.

The seminars are going well and the participants have joined in discussions on all topics presented. In previous seminars on curriculum development, each seminar participant developed a small group participative curriculum.

 
NATIVE HAWAIIAN HEALTH AND WELLNESS SUMMIT
March 7-8, 1998 at Kapi`olani Community College.

• `Iwalani Else and Dr. Neal Palafox, "Where are our Native Hawaiian Physicians?"
• Dr. Doric Little and Iwalani Else, presentation on NHCOE.

 
ARTICLES

1. Else, I., Palafox, N., and Little, D. "Where are our Native Hawaiian Physicians?", submitted to Pacific Health Dialog, September 1998 (accepted).
2. Little, D. and Takemoto-Gentile, C. "Addressing the Speech Barrier," submitted to Journal of Medical Education, (pending)
3. Robinson, K. and Little D. "The Big Island's Hawaiian Medical Pathway Program - Keala Lapa`au," submitted to Journal of Medical Education, (pending)

 
VISIT TO WASHINGTON, D.C.
NHCOE Director, Dr. Curtis Takemoto-Gentile, Associate Director, Dr. Doric Little and Imi Ho`ola Director, Dr. Nanette Judd, met with U.S. Senators Daniel Inouye, Daniel Akaka and Phil Gramm on an East Coast trip in February. All attended the H.R.S.A. Annual Directors meeting. En route, Dr. Little met with staff of the University of Washington Center of Excellence.

 
SURVEY OF PHYSICIANS IN THE STATE
The NHCOE staff is proud to support two first year medical students, Celeste Frietas and David Mattson, with their community medicine project.

Celeste and David are surveying all licensed physicians in the state of Hawai`i to determine ethnic background, primary practice location and specialty. Many thanks to those who have returned the surveys in order to support student research!