At the University of Â鶹´«Ã½, Giving Day is a 24-hour fundraising event to support our UH students and embrace the rich diversity and expansive reach of our university system.
At the (JABSOM), where more than 90% of students are awarded some form of scholarship, donors make a great impact in their journeys in medicine. For first-year medical student Emma Pinnow, that journey started with the ʻImi Hoʻ¨la Post Baccalaureate Program.
Ahead of a Giving Day appearance on Â鶹´«Ã½ News Now, JABSOM sat down with Pinnow.
Q: How did ʻImi Hoʻ¨la put you on a path to medicine?
I come from a family deeply rooted in Â鶹´«Ã½¡¯s public school system, so while education was always the priority, medicine was a brand-new endeavor for me. My dream was always to stay home, to be near family and learn to provide care specifically tailored to our people here in Â鶹´«Ã½. ʻImi Hoʻ¨la, which means “those who seek to heal” in ʻ?lelo Â鶹´«Ã½, was the bridge to that dream. It¡¯s a rigorous 12-month journey, and completing it provided me with automatic admission to JABSOM. But more than just a seat in the class, it gave me the foundational competence and the unshakeable support system I needed.
I didn¡¯t just gain knowledge, I gained a cohort, mentors and a community that believed in my potential when I was just starting out. What truly changed the trajectory for me was the generosity of our donors. I was fully prepared to take on a massive financial burden to pursue this path, but because of their support, my experience was tuition-free. This didn¡¯t just save money, it gave me the gift of time and focus. Instead of juggling my studies with a job, I can dedicate 100% of my energy to the rigors of medical school. It only takes one group of people to believe in you to open a door. For me, that door was ʻImi Hoʻ¨la. It allowed me to show my potential and has put me on a path to serve the community that raised me.
Q: What are your goals in medicine?
I¡¯m currently a little more than halfway through my first year, and honestly, it¡¯s been very exciting. Every week I¡¯m exposed to a new specialty or a different organ system, and I¡¯m making it my goal to learn as much as I can and to lean into every opportunity to the fullest extent. While I haven’t settled on a specific specialty yet, I have settled on the where and the who. No matter what field I choose, I am committed to serving the people of Â鶹´«Ã½. This is my home, and I truly can¡¯t imagine being anywhere else.
Being Native Hawaiian, I am especially aware of the health disparities our community faces, particularly with cardiometabolic disease. One of my primary goals in medicine is to directly address these inequities. I want to take the education we receive here at JABSOM, which emphasizes culturally-competent care, and apply it in a way that resonates with our local population. Ultimately, my goal is to bridge the gap between high-level medical science and the unique cultural needs of our islands. Giving back to the community that raised me is my way of honoring where I come from.
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