The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa John A. Burns School of Medicine’s (JABSOM) reputation has grown over the last 15 years, especially in primary care education and its connection with the community. Much of the credit goes to Dean Jerris R. Hedges, who retired on March 1.
Under Hedges’ leadership, JABSOM grew class sizes, offered robust scholarships, and expanded its reach beyond Oʻahu, while uniting the school with residents it serves.
The beginning
Hedges came to JABSOM from the Oregon Health and Science University, where he served as department chair, hospital medical staff chair and vice dean, and arrived at a tenuous time. JABSOM needed to get fully-accredited and Hedges had less than a year to get it done. Without the Liaison Committee on Medical Education’s accreditation, students wouldn’t be allowed to take national board exams or apply for residencies.
“We had to be organized. We had to show how our programs were meeting the needs of Hawaiʻi and we had to show how we were meeting the educational standards for the rest of the nation,” Hedges said.
Nine months after Hedges arrived, JABSOM successfully defended its primary accreditation and received a maximum of eight years of reaccreditation. The administrative and educational team continued to function at a high-level and received another eight years of reaccreditation in 2017.
Tremendous growth
Always humble, Hedges acknowledged JABSOM’s success was made possible by a dedicated team he assembled from within the JABSOM ranks, as well as afar.
Under the dean’s leadership, JABSOM made many contributions to Hawaiʻi, including efforts to address the state’s physician shortage, provisions of graduate medical education, research innovations and aiding the state’s economy.
I find great satisfaction seeing the progress that’s being made. I hope to be able to contribute to the school and the community going forward.
—Jerris Hedges
The medical school quickly established itself as a national leader in National Institutes of Health grant acquisition for public, community-based medical schools.
“For a state supported school that has no university hospital, we are probably the No. 1 in generating research dollars and innovative research in the country,” Hedges said.
JABSOM earned top quartile rankings in the US News & World Report survey, despite its faculty and student size, putting JABSOM in the lower quartile of all U.S. medical schools. Prior to Hedges’ arrival, the class size was 62. Today, 77 students enter each year.
A key factor in the JABSOM success under Hedges has been philanthropic efforts led by its hard-working development officers. JABSOM has seen the creation of a successful internal giving campaign which engages faculty, staff and leadership to invest in the school. JABSOM is in the top echelon of U.S. medical schools for proportion of students graduating without educational debt, despite JABSOM students having one of the lowest family median income levels nationally.
The physician shortage in Hawaiʻi was a priority when Hedges arrived in 2008, and in 2023, JABSOM continues to play a role in the multi-pronged approach in contributing to finding the solution.
Aloha ʻOe
Hedges knows he has helped position JABSOM well for the future.
Lee Buenconsejo-Lum, former associate dean for academic affairs, designated institutional official, and graduate medical education director, will serve as interim dean effective March 1 to December 31, 2023.
“I find great satisfaction seeing the progress that’s being made. I hope to be able to contribute to the school and the community going forward,” Hedges said. “Hawaiʻi is my home. I don’t want to take on another role nationally because we have enough to do here to make things better and make life not only rewarding but healthy in Hawaiʻi.”
For more go to the JABSOM website.
Video tribute of Jerris Hedges produced by longtime friend of JABSOM, Emme Tomimbang.
