Every step of Ashley Mainani Lee’s medical school journey at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) has been toward one goal—restoring the health of Native Hawaiians. Her dedication and achievements have earned her the U.S. Public Health Service Physician Professional Advisory Committee Excellence in Public Health Award.
“When Captain Cook came over, his sailors wrote in their journals that Native Hawaiians were above middle-sized, strong, and well-made. And today, sadly, it’s not what people think of Native Hawaiians and their health status,” said Lee, a third-year medical student.
As a future Native Hawaiian physician, Lee recognizes the responsibility it carries within the community.
“It’s really important to me, and I think it goes back to cultural sensitivity, resilience and historical trauma,” she said. “It’s recalling everything that happened and why Native Hawaiians are in the health state they are today. For me, it’s trying to restore them to their original state of health through traditional Hawaiian diet, bringing them back to our culture, through ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, and figuring out how we can incorporate those things into medical education and practice.”
Inspiration and identity
Her inspiration stems from her Keʻanae, Maui roots, where her tutuman (grandpa) Enos Akina was both a lāʻau lapaʻau (Native Hawaiian medicinal) practitioner and Kalo farmer, understanding the importance of Hawaiian identity in health.
Lee was the president of JABSOM‘s Ka Lama Kukui Indigenous Health Interest Group and focused her research on incorporating ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi into medical education. She chaired hula events on campus and mentored Native Hawaiian pre-medical students through the Pū Paʻakai tiered mentoring program. She shared her love of Native Hawaiian culture and health at conferences worldwide, such as PRIDOC, the Pacific Regions Indigenous Doctors Congress.
When wildfires engulfed Lahaina and other areas on Maui, Lee was among the first medical responders. Partnering with Maui Medic Healers Hui, she provided care within the community, creating a culturally sensitive space where residents were more open to addressing their trauma.
“My class of about 80 people only has eight Native Hawaiians,” Lee said. “To be nominated for this prestigious award means a lot, especially to be recognized for my work in the Native Hawaiian community. It’s reassuring to know that that kind of work is important at JABSOM.”
