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The Freeman Foundation was established in 1993 through the bequest and in memory of businessman and benefactor Mansfield Freeman, who worked for the company that would later be known as the American International Group (AIG).
While Mansfield Freeman was from Vermont, he spent many years in China. He wanted to create a foundation that would facilitate the development of mutual understanding among Americans and East Asians.
In 1993, the Freeman Foundation was created. Keeping in line with Mr. Freeman’s vision, over the last three years, residents and fellows at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa John A. Burns School of Medicine have received very generous donations.
The physician shortage in Hawaiʻi remains a significant issue for our residents, and The Freeman Foundation’s contributions go a long way in keeping doctors in Hawaiʻi.
The Freeman Foundation rewards three committed JABSOM graduates with a one-time $40,000 award to offset qualified educational student loans. Graduate Medical Education plays a big role too as awardees agree to practice medicine in Hawai‘i for two years following residency or fellowship training in exchange for student loan relief.
2022 marked the third year that JABSOM graduates have been honored with relief funds. The 2022 recipients are Gerri Sylvester, MD, Alison Goo, MD, and Britney "Kanoe" Quibelan, MD.
Dr. Allison Goo
Dr. Alison Goo is a 2020 JABSOM graduate who chose to stay in Hawaiʻi for her Internal Medicine residency. It’s a choice that allowed her to care for patients from all over the Pacific, including one near to her heart. In Dr. Goo’s first year of residency, her grandmother became ill. Being in Hawaiʻi allowed Dr. Goo to spend time with her grandmother in the last few weeks of her life.
After her residency, Dr. Goo wants to work in academic primary care with a special interest in the geriatric population.
“Caring for complex patients and their families longitudinally has always been a passion of mine,” she said. The ability to practice in Hawaiʻi will be a dream come true, and Dr. Goo hopes she will be able to inspire others to take the same path. “This represents caring for and serving the community I grew up in. Working with medical students and residents allows me to give back to JABSOM and the UH system that trained me. I hope to inspire other trainees and learners to pursue a career in primary care and being an active participant in building the future of primary care in Hawaiʻi.”
Dr. Britney "Kanoe" Quibelan
While the physician shortage affects all Hawaiian Islands, the neighbor islands have the most pressing need, and 2020 JABSOM graduate Dr. Britney Quibelan wants to help.
Dr. Quibelan was born and raised in Hawaiʻi and wants to give back to the people and areas who need it the most. “Hawaiʻi is my home. I chose to train here to begin building my professional network of community and medical providers that will serve as resources for my future patients,” the Family Medicine resident said.
Dr. Quibelan, who is Native Hawaiian, wants to serve her community, and she wants to do it on a neighbor island.
“I intend to serve as a hospitalist with eventual plans to move to a neighbor island to provide much needed medical care. Ideally, I’d like to do a mix of inpatient and outpatient medicine,” she said.
Additionally, Dr. Quibelan looks to give back by serving as a clinical preceptor and working as faculty at one of the Family Medicine residency programs.
