Medical students discuss health issues and careers at high schools

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Contact:
Tina M Shelton, (808) 692-0897
Communications Director, Office of Dean of Medicine
Posted: Jan 22, 2014

Waipahu High School students with MD student counselors and staff
Waipahu High School students with MD student counselors and staff
UH medical student Nina Ho discusses health issues with high school students.
UH medical student Nina Ho discusses health issues with high school students.

Public school students are connecting with John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) students again this year, through the “School Health Education Program.” The program brings high schoolers to the University of Hawai`i at Mānoa medical school, and takes medical schools to high school campuses.

Among those heading back into the world of high school is Kaiser graduate and current MD student Nina Ho. “I’m interested in the School Health Education Program because I never really had an opportunity like this in high school,” said Ho. “I was interested in medicine in high school, but I never really had the opportunity to interact with medical students or see what they did. I think that letting high school students get a taste of what it is like to be in medical school will help them choose a career, or at least what to do after high school,” she said.

The medical students are liaisons with the Department of Education schools, serving as active role models, mentoring and inspiring the young people with tales about their personal journeys to medical school, their knowledge of health topics and information about careers and issues involving Native Hawaiian Health. This year they are scheduled to meet with students from McKinley, Kailua, Kalaheo, Kalani, King Kekaulike (Maui), Kahuku, Farrington, Waipahu, Moanalua and Mililani High Schools.

During visits to JABSOM, activities include mini-PBL sessions, anatomy demonstrations, clinical skills teaching, SimTiki experiences, and just “talking story.”

“I’ve had many great moments in the School Health Education Program,” said Ho. “It’s nice to be able to answer the many questions that the students have about college and graduate school.”

The support team consists of JABSOM faculty including members of the Office of Medical Education, Anatomy, SimTiki, and the Department of Native Hawaiian Health.

For more information, please contact Dr. Ivy Nip Asano (inip@hawaii.edu) or Dr. Kenton Kramer (kramer@hawaii.edu).

 

 

For more information, visit: http://jabsom.hawaii.edu