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Ahead of its 60th anniversary celebration in October, JABSOM is pleased to announce the inaugural recipients of the JABSOM Distinguished Alumni awards, Drs. Reni Soon (JABSOM MD 2001) and Neal Palafox (JABSOM MD 1980). These awards are given to two alumni for their years of exceptional service. Read more about the awardees and the significance of their respective awards. 
Dr. Reni Soon (JABSOM MD 2001) is the inaugural recipient of the Hōkūho‘okelewa‘a Distinguished Alumni Award!
This award is named after Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, and goes to an alumni who has served as a guiding star and beacon to keep our waʻa moving forward.
Only JABSOM MD alumni from the graduating class of 2000 through the most recent graduating class (2025) are eligible for this prestigious honor and Dr. Soon was chosen for her research and innovation in family planning, reproductive justice, Native Hawaiian health, the medical education and physician mentorship she’s shown to so many of our learners, her clinical excellence at Queen’s and her leadership in Hawai‘i’s health care community.
Meanwhile, Dr. Neal Palafox (JABSOM MD 1980) is the inaugural recipient of the Hie Distinguished Alumni Award! Hie means distinguished or noble and this award goes to an alumni who embodies a physician whose commitment to excellence in medicine continues to improve the health of communities in Hawaiʻi.
Only JABSOM MD alumni from first two-year matriculants to the graduating class of 1999 are eligible for this prestigious honor and Dr. Palafox was chosen for his research and innovation in improving health capacity and reducing health disparities in the Pacific region, the medical education and physician mentorship he’s shown to so many of our students, his clinical excellence at Hawaiʻi Pacific Health and his leadership in Hawai‘i’s health care community.
Join us at our 60th Anniversary Gala on October 11th where Drs. Soon and Palafox will be honored and presented with these special awards.