The University of Hawaiʻi John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) has been awarded $1.1 million from the American Medical Association’s (AMA) Transforming Lifelong Learning Through Precision Education Grant Program, part of a $12 million national initiative to advance physician training through personalized learning and advanced technology.
JABSOM’s project, “Developing Culturally Responsive AI for Rural Health: Utilizing Precision Education and Precision Coaching to Strengthen Hawaiʻi’s Rural Physician Workforce,” will use augmented intelligence (AI)—a human-centered form of AI designed to support, not replace, human judgment—to personalize medical education, enhance decision-making in patient care, and prepare the next generation of physicians for service in rural communities.
Technology and AI have the potential to reshape how physicians learn, practice, and care for their patients…
—John Whyte, AMA CEO
Chosen from nearly 200 applicants, JABSOM was recognized for its innovation and leadership in precision education, a model that leverages technology, including AI, to focus on the skills and competencies that matter most in diagnosing, communicating, and caring for patients.
“We’re developing profiles of successful rural physicians in Hawaiʻi, focusing on those who are practicing on our neighbor islands, especially those who have strong lasting connections to their communities,” said Kelsea Kanoho Hosoda, JABSOM’s Native Hawaiian Center of Excellence director. “We want to understand what got them there, to the point where they are serving these rural communities, and how we can use that information to support the next generation of learners.”
“Technology and AI have the potential to reshape how physicians learn, practice, and care for their patients, and these grants will help bring that potential to life,” said AMA CEO John Whyte. “As new tools emerge, we have an opportunity to build learning environments that are more engaging, more adaptable, and better aligned with the realities of practicing medicine. Our goal is to ensure that innovation strengthens the physician experience and creates a future where every physician is fully equipped to meet the needs of patients.”
The AMA grant builds on more than a decade of leadership in medical education, supporting learning environments that are both innovative and focused on optimal patient care.
