UH Med Now

MD students in the University of Hawaiʻi (UH) medical school Class of 2021 spent part of this busy day meeting representatives of community organizations who are interested in partnering with students or just wanted to introduce themselves the new class. The students began a week of orientation at the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) campus this week.

Our new MD Class of 74 members includes seven neighbor islanders, we are told, including three from Maui and one from Hawaiʻi Island. Hawaiʻi Island native Russell Kackley posed with the #uhmed #MD2021 Instagram Photo Frame. He graduated from Kamehameha Schools-Hawaiʻi Island, where he also played basketball, football and baseball in addition to obviously acing science courses.

Hawaiʻi island MD student Russell Kackley.

Korea native Chase Hwang, a graduate of the John A. Burns School of Medicine ʻImi Hoʻōla Post-Baccalaureate Program, struck a pose as well.

Chase Hwang says hello from the MD Class of 2021.

New MD 2021 class member Bolin Chang is familiar already to some of the faculty at the University of Hawai’i medical school. The ʻIolani Schools graduate was part of the Hawai’i Pacific Health Student Summer Research Program.

Bolin Chang of the MD Class of 2021.

We got some hellos, too, from some of our community members! The U.S. Air Force was represented by Col. Stan Sato, while the U.S. Navy’s Lt. Kelsey Nakanelua represented the forces protecting America’s coasts.

USN Lt. Kelsey Nakanelua with USAF Col. Stan Sato.

The Hawai’i Medical Association was in the house, too, with President Dr. Chris Flanders and Yvonne.

Dr. Chris Flanders of HMA with Yvonne.

The members of the MD Class of 2021 will receive their White Coats in a ceremony this Friday, July 14, marking their official welcome into the study of medicine. They will recite the Hippocratic Oath and be cloaked with waist-length lab coats by JABSOM alumni during the ceremony at McKinley High School’s auditorium. Follow our MD students on social media including Instagram, Facebook, and Flickr.