Student Life
IN THE NEWS
UH Manoa
The University of Hawaiʻi John A. Burns School of Medicine held its annual MD Convocation Ceremony on May 17, 2026 at the UH Mānoa Kennedy Theatre. A total of 79 locally-taught physicians graduated from JABSOM. As Hawaiʻi continues to grapple with a physician shortage, more than half of the 2026 graduates are entering much-needed primary care specialties of Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Pediatrics, and OB-Gyn.
Dr. Joseph Li will be staying in Hawaiʻi and is eager to practice the skills he learned at the Kakaʻako campus.
"To just be able to serve the community that I grew up in, so many people pouring in to me and my family, helping to support me to get where I am today. Couldn’t have done it without any of them, so to be able to stay in Hawaiʻi, and support the people of Hawaiʻi, is just an incredible honor and I feel so grateful to have this opportunity," said Dr. Li.
"Hawaiʻi is my second home. I was born and raised in Busan, South Korea, came here for high school and ever since then it became my home," Dr. Chong said. "This is just the perfect environment for me because I was able to start my family, have a child, and with the ʻohana and aloha and all the love that I may not be able to have outside of Hawaiʻi, so I’m so happy to share my experience with the soon-to-be-mothers who may be very nervous for upcoming life-changing events."
Thirty-three percent of JABSOM MD Class of 2026 will continue training in Hawaiʻi.
Check out our Flickr Album below:
