{"id":220424,"date":"2025-08-19T14:41:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-20T00:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=220424"},"modified":"2025-08-19T14:41:00","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T00:41:00","slug":"jabsom-imi-hoola-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/08\/19\/jabsom-imi-hoola-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"\u02bbImi Ho\u02bbola: Training tomorrow\u2019s doctors for Hawai\u02bbi"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"imi
ʻImi<\/span> Hoʻōla<\/span>‘s 2025 cohort.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Twelve students have joined this year\u2019s ʻImi<\/span> Hoʻōla<\/span> Post-Baccalaureate Program<\/a> at the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa\u2019s John A. Burns School of Medicine<\/a>, a program that for more than 50 years has prepared future physicians to serve Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> and the Pacific.<\/p>\n

Since its founding, ʻImi<\/span> Hoʻōla<\/span> has prepared more than 280 students for medical school, many of whom now practice in Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>\u2019s rural and underserved areas.<\/p>\n

Among this year\u2019s class are Tyler Chock and Nanea Delostrico, each bringing a story that reflects ʻImi<\/span> Hoʻōla\u2019s<\/span> mission.<\/p>\n

Inspired by local role models<\/h2>\n

Born and raised in Honolulu, Chock is a Roosevelt High School graduate whose interest in science was sparked by the school\u2019s STEM<\/abbr> curriculum. He later earned a degree in biochemistry from UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa and worked as a ward clerk at Straub.<\/p>\n

…this is one of the most amazing curricula for becoming the best version of yourself, and also a physician uniquely qualified to care for Â鶹´«Ã½.<\/span>
—Tyler Chock<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“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 curricula for becoming the best version of yourself, and also a physician uniquely qualified to care for Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>. What drew me to ʻImi<\/span> wasn’t just the academics, it was the intentionality.”<\/p>\n

Delostrico, a graduate of Kamehameha Schools Keaʻau<\/span>, first learned about the program during a Health Occupations Students of America competition.<\/p>\n

“We got to meet some of the ʻImi<\/span> students and one of them was a graduate of my school, so it was very personal,” Delostrico said. “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.”<\/p>\n

Delostrico went on to study at Grand Canyon University, graduating in 2023, then worked at a dermatology clinic in Hilo.<\/p>\n

“Having their mentorship was super helpful for me, too, in getting to where I am now,” she said.<\/p>\n

Strength in community<\/h2>\n

Since starting ʻImi<\/span>, Delostrico has found strength in her cohort.<\/p>\n

“At first, I didn’t understand the purpose of it,” she said of the program\u2019s initial focus on self-reflection and study skills. “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.”<\/p>\n

Both students know the year will be rigorous, but they\u2019re motivated.<\/p>\n

“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.<\/p>\n

“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.<\/p>\n

Read more at JABSOM<\/abbr>.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Twelve students join ʻImi<\/span> Hoʻōla<\/span> to train as future physicians for Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> and the Pacific.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[165,31,1466,313,9],"class_list":["post-220424","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-health","tag-john-a-burns-school-of-medicine","tag-manoa-enhancing-student-success","tag-stem","tag-uh-manoa","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t