Native Hawaiian
Native Hawaiian Health
UH Manoa
Family Medicine
Every year, the UH Mānoa Awards recognizes UH Mānoa faculty, staff, and students who have dedicated themselves to advancing the University's mission of excellence.
This year, we proudly celebrate two JABSOM faculty members who have been honored for their exceptional contributions to educating current and future healthcare professionals and ensuring the delivery of high-quality care for the people of Hawaiʻi.
Dr. Martina Kamaka received the Regents' Medal for Excellence in Teaching, which is awarded by the Board of Regents for outstanding subject mastery and scholarship, teaching effectiveness and creativity, and personal values that benefit students.
Dr. Kamaka is an associate professor at JABSOM's Native Hawaiian Center of Excellence. Colleagues credit her with being at the forefront of training medical students in patient-centered care and cultural competency well before these were goals of health care. A colleague speaks of her "dreaming, developing and delivering culturally relevant and sensitive education" for 23 years. Dr. Kamaka recognizes learning as experiential and occurring in diverse settings and unexpected contexts. In her experience, learning is balanced between mind, body, and spirit at the micro level and between communities/families, environment, and spiritual sources of strength at the macro level. She expresses that the "most important point is for students who are future physicians to be able to communicate with patients with our hearts and our naʻau (intuition)." A student said Kamaka has been "a big part of my journey in influencing the way I see myself, my relationship to the community, and my profession."
"Dr. Kamaka has been The Champion in making cultural competency part of medical education and pushing for diversity, inclusion, and equity here at JABSOM for decades, so this recognition by UH and its Board of Regents is well-deserved and long overdue," said Dr. Keawe Kaholokula, Professor and Chair of the Department of Native Hawaiian Health.
Dr. Thomas Quattlebaum received the Presidential Citation for Meritorious Teaching. This award recognizes UH Mānoa faculty members who have significantly contributed to teaching and student learning.
As the Program Director for the Family Medicine Residency, Dr. Quattlebaum considers himself a teacher first and a physician second. He engages students and residents in continuous clinical teaching, emphasizing real-world applications. Dr. Quattlebaum is also an assistant professor of family medicine and community health at JABSOM. His collaborative approach resonates with his students in their Problem-Based Learning tutorial sessions, where learners are encouraged to ask questions and achieve their full potential. He recognizes the importance of role modeling in medicine training, embodying values such as humility, openness to learning, and cultural sensitivity. Fondly known as "Dr. Q," his colleagues credit him with creating a positive learning community, serving as a mentor and coach, and helping transform the educational environment into a nurturing space.
"Dr. Quattlebaum has the intellect of a broadly trained family physician, the ability to create safe environments for lifelong learning, and the personal characteristics to consistently deliver exemplary clinical teaching," said Dr. Allen Hixon, Chair of the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. "On behalf of the faculty of the UH DFMCH, we are very proud of Dr. Quattlebaum and this well-deserved recognition."