Student Life
For more than 50 years, JABSOM's ʻImi Hoʻōla Program has played a major role in accomplishing JABSOM’s mission to improve health care in Hawaiʻi. The program's name means "those who seek to heal," and it prepares students with ties to Hawaiʻi and the Pacific who have overcome challenges, possess strong motivation, and a commitment to serve their communities, for entry into medical school. This year, among the 12 students selected for this rigorous program journey are Tyler Chock and Nanea Delostrico. Each enters with a story that speaks to ʻImi Hoʻōla's mission of training "those who seek to heal."
Born and raised in Honolulu, Tyler Chock is a graduate of Roosevelt High School, where the school's STEM curriculum first sparked his interest in science and medicine. Chock was introduced to ʻImi Hoʻōla during a high school tour, but it was after he earned his degree in biochemistry from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and worked as a ward clerk at Straub that he was encouraged and inspired to apply.
" I've known many doctors who've gone through this program, and I have a lot of friends who graduated as well," Chock said. "I just know that this is one of the most amazing curriculums for becoming the best version of yourself and also a physician uniquely qualified to care for Hawaiʻi. What drew me to ʻImi wasn't just the academics, it was the intentionality. This is a program that builds physicians specifically for Hawaiʻi."
Fellow ʻImi student Nanea Delostrico's first experience with the program was also during a high school tour. The Kamehameha Schools Keaʻau graduate was visiting during a Health Occupations Students of America competition.
"We got to meet some of the ʻImi students and one of them was a graduate of my school, so it was very personal," Delostrico remembers. "She was in the program and so she was also pretty passionate about being able to share her experience and was super encouraging to help us get there."
That encounter planted a seed of possibility.
"I knew medicine was the goal, but I didn't know the route," Delostrico said. "When I revisited ʻImi Hoʻōla, everything clicked. Their mission to develop physicians who will serve and understand local communities was exactly what I was looking for."
Even though she knew she wanted ʻImi Hoʻōla to put her on a path to medicine, the road wasn't simple. Delostrico went on to attend Grand Canyon University in Phoenix. She graduated in 2023 and moved back home, where she began working at a dermatology clinic in Hilo.
It was there, under the mentorship of her supportive clinic team, that Delostrico found the guidance and confidence to pursue her dream. With no family members in medicine, her mentors were instrumental in helping her navigate the application process, even giving her time off to study for the MCAT.
"Having their mentorship was super helpful for me, too, in getting to where I am now," she said.
Since starting the program, Delostrico has found strength in the shared experiences of her cohort. The program begins with a month focused on self-reflection, study skills, and group dynamics, which was eye-opening.
"At first, I didn't understand the purpose of it," Delostrico said. "I just wanted to dive into studying. But through it, I learned so much about how I function best, how to build healthy habits, and how important our support systems are. I've never connected with a group of people this fast."
Delostrico is also aware of the challenge ahead. At the start of each academic year, the program holds an open house for students and their family and friends to learn more about the program and how they can best support the students during this rigorous journey. During the open house, ʻImi Hoʻōla graduates from the previous year take questions from the audience. One shared ʻImi was more intense than the first year of medical school. It was an eye-opening comparison, but one both Delostrico and Chock are ready to tackle.
"From the first day I started working at Straub, I knew with certainty that being in the hospital is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," Chock said. "I want to be a cardiothoracic surgeon, not just to perform interventions, but to educate and advocate for our communities, especially around cardiovascular disease, which affects Native Hawaiians at some of the highest rates. Being surrounded by people who believe in me, family, teachers, and mentors, helped me realize that I had the potential to make a difference."
"What's getting me through is my classmates. We're all in this together, and I truly believe we're going to lift each other up through every phase," Delostrico said.