A medical school-based program to encourage native Hawaiians to choose medical careers.

Native Hawaiians are highly underrepresented in the field of medicine, both nationally and in Hawaii. Since 1991, the Native Hawaiian Center of Excellence (funded by the Bureau of Health Professions) at the John A. Burns School of Medicine in Honolulu has developed programs to encourage Native Hawaiians to enter and complete medical school. In this article, the authors focus on a revised version of a six-week summer enrichment program for high school students developed by the Center in 1995 and funded by the Hawaii State Department of Education and the federal government. The authors trace the difficulties in attracting Native Hawaiian students and how these difficulties were overcome. They show that once Native Hawaiians have entered the academically rigorous, culturally rich program, their academic and career ambitions have been kindled, and some are planning careers in medicine. The history of the program illustrates that a committed medical school and dedicated individuals in the community, with the support of the federal and state governments, can increase interest among underrepresented students in medical and other health professions careers. Eventually, when such students graduate, there is a likelihood that some of them will go back to serve the health needs of their communities.