After nearly three decades providing trauma care and shaping medical education in Hawaiʻi, Dr. Sue Steinemann is stepping away from her roles as Designated Institutional Official at the University of Hawaiʻi John A. Burns School of Medicine and surgeon at The Queen’s Medical Center.
Her retirement marks the end of a career defined by surgical excellence in some of the most high-pressure environments in medicine, while also reflecting her lasting influence on how physicians are trained to care for patients across Hawaiʻi.
Dr. Steinemann’s connection to Hawaiʻi began in 1988, when she first visited the islands as a medical student at UC San Diego. At the time, an academic career in Hawaiʻi was not part of her plan, but an early experience at The Queen’s Emergency Department changed that trajectory.
“It planted the seed that Hawaiʻi could be a great place to work,” she said, recalling the culture and collegiality that stood out to her. That early impression led her back in 1996 for a surgical critical care fellowship, and she ultimately built her career in Hawaiʻi, where she put down roots and cemented her legacy in both clinical care and medical education.
A trauma surgeon at Queen’s and professor of Surgery at JABSOM, Dr. Steinemann had a career that mirrors what most people see portrayed in movies and on television: a high-pressure environment where decisions are made rapidly, and lives are saved.
“ I can't deny that that was a real attraction for me. I'm a bit of an adrenaline junkie. As a kid, I watched M*A*S*H, and I was very intrigued by that,” Steinemann said. “Then, even as a medical student, my early experiences with trauma surgeons who were really some icons in the field. I was really fortunate to work with some folks who later became leaders across the country.”
Still, she says some of her most meaningful work happened outside the operating room while training the next generation of physicians.
“Teaching is very rewarding. It's one thing to practice, but the ability to teach and do research adds such an added dimension, and I think it's so much more fulfilling to be able to take a resident or take a student through thinking about a case or a procedure.”
Steinemann strived for an intentional, individualized teaching style. Early in training, she helped introduce students to simulated trauma scenarios designed to prepare them for real-world emergencies. The goal, she said, was both confidence and skill development.
“I aim to make them feel part of the team,” she said, describing how learners are gradually integrated into care environments under close supervision.
Over time, she said, that growth becomes visible, and the progression is clear.
“There’s that ‘aha’ moment when they push beyond their comfort zones,” she said. “Watching residents and medical students transform into capable professionals who think critically and handle challenges with confidence is incredibly rewarding.”
Beyond individual mentorship, Dr. Steinemann also played a leadership role in graduate medical education as JABSOM’s Designated Institutional Official, helping oversee residency and fellowship training programs across the state. In that role since 2023, she helped guide the systems that prepare physicians to practice in Hawaiʻi at a crucial time, as the state continues to face a significant physician shortage estimated at more than 800 doctors.
Reflecting on her time in leadership, she said the strength of the institution has always been its people.
“The welcoming culture at JABSOM encouraged my ideas and idiosyncrasies,” she said. “It values diversity of opinion.”
She said that culture has been essential not only to her own career, but also to the development of Hawaiʻi’s trauma system and academic medical environment.
As she prepares for retirement, Dr. Steinemann said the timing feels right.
“It feels like the natural time to pass the torch,” she said. “Fresh perspectives and diverse ideas are fundamental to maintaining JABSOM’s culture of welcoming new thoughts.”
She added that she looks forward to seeing the next generation of physicians step into leadership roles and continue advancing care across the islands.
What she will miss most, she said, is the people and the shared mission of caring for patients, teaching learners, and working alongside colleagues committed to improving health in Hawaiʻi.
“The camaraderie and mission-aligned spirit of the team stand out,” Steinemann said. “The privilege of patient interaction and learning from peers is unmatched. The state has given me, and JABSOM in particular, has given me much more than I will ever give back.”
In retirement, Steinemann plans to spend more time surfing and traveling, while remaining connected to education and research projects.
A photo of Dr. Steinemann catching waves in Honolulu“There is that benefit of being able then to time the surf sessions around the conditions rather than around my work schedule,” she said. “I’ll still be available to work with research projects, particularly with people who are interested in educational research, which is kind of a niche, but something that goes across different programs.”
Dr. Holly Olson will serve as interim Designated Institutional Official beginning July 1.
