UH Med Now

Staying true to the campaign’s name “Starting From the Inside Out,” the faculty and staff of the University of Hawaiʻi (UH) medical school truly outdid themselves in the 2021 John A. Burns School of  Medicine (JABSOM) Internal Giving Campaign (IGC).

In an effort to match the previous year’s results, co-chairs Dr. Lawrence Burgess, director of student affairs, and Dr. John Chen, director of biostatistics core facility, rallied together many donors in order to reach a total $563,001 in gifts, a 12% increase from the year before. While just shy of meeting their goal of 422 donors to surpass last 2020’s 421 participants, Dr. Chen stated that this year’s campaign still resulted in being the second-best in JABSOM history.

Dr. Burgess recalled his concerns to continue with the campaign, uncertain what effects of the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic would have on the campaign and its donors. In the end, the co-chairs decided to continue with the cause with the encouragement of two simple words from Dean Jerris Hedges, MD, “Just participate.”

With that notion, donors were encouraged to participate in any capacity they were able to, which ultimately resulted in the biggest turnout the campaign has seen. Dr. Burgess acknowledged the enduring efforts of the JABSOM faculty and staff for the success of this year’s campaign. “Two years in a row, in the middle of a pandemic, the JABSOM ʻohana stepped forward and showed their resiliency…That’s what I’m most proud of.”

Since its start fourteen years ago, the Internal Giving Campaign has raised over $6 million to invest back into the medical school’s projects and programs. This year’s incredible contributions will benefit 114 different funds at JABSOM.

By Janell Agcaoili, JABSOM Communications

Student callers at the Thankathon 2021. TC Vegas photo.