John A. Burns School of Medicine second-year medical student Brandyn Dunn was awarded the 2014 Excellence in Public Health Award.
Dunn was recognized for his commitment to public health as the volunteer coordinator of Hui Ola Pono, a public health student organization. He also co-founded Teen Health Camp Hawaiʻi, a program that has helped more than 500 disadvantaged high school students overcome academic struggles and seek mentors in higher education in public health and medicine, and consider health-focused careers.
“Along with Teresa Schiff and Eduardo Duquez, I established Teen Health Camp Hawaiʻi in 2009 to inspire local students to enter the field of healthcare and hopefully help combat our state’s terrifying shortage in healthcare workers,” said Dunn. “This program is designed to attract minority students to healthcare careers through fun and interactive workshops in healthcare training, while also teaching students about opportunities and options in higher education,” said Dunn.
The award recognizes medical students who show their dedication to public health by making exceptional contributions to the community through U.S. health initiatives, including Healthy People 2020 and the National Prevention Strategy.The award was created by the the United States Public Health Service to inspire medical students to commit themselves to public health and to become leaders in the field.
More about Dunn
Dunn, who is the MD Class of 2016 president, earned his master’s in public health in epidemiology at the UH Mānoa in 2011, and was inducted into the Hawaiʻi Delta Omega Society that same year.
Dunn was honored with the Koseki Award for Excellence in Community Service during his MPH studies and the 2013 American Heart Association Student Scholarship in Cardiovascular Disease for his research efforts at the medical school.
Dunn counts among his mentors Professor Alan Katz, whom he worked closely with during his MPH studies.
Read the full John A. Burns School of Medicine story.
—By Tina Shelton
