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Program Director:
Dr. Gerard Akaka
Medical Director Interim VP and Chief Medical Officer
Queen's Medical Center
Medical Affairs, Native Hawaiian Health Program
1301 Punchbowl Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
808/547-4420
gakaka@queens.org
The links below describe the outcomes and challenges this grantee experienced and what resources they are willing to share.
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The Ulu Kukui Project at The Queen's Medical Center (QMC) derives its goals from the two Hawaiian words: (1) Ulu meaning to grow, increase, spread, to protect and (2) Kukui referring to the State of Hawai'i candlenut tree that provided multiple uses in traditional Hawai'i. The kukui kernels were used as lights and torches. Figuratively, the kukui is a reference to a guide or leader. The Ulu Kukui Project will contribute to the health sciences/ health careers pipeline by addressing three primary avenues of science learning through middle school students, middle school science teachers, and families of middle school students with special recognition of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPI).
NHPIs are grossly underrepresented in the medical and health profession in Hawai`i and the United States. A student's interest in a health career must be founded by a strong science curriculum that often begins during adolescence. The Ulu Kukui Project will partner with the Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School (Stevenson) located 0.8 miles from QMC. This middle school services the Hawaiian homestead community of Papakolea and Kalawahine as well as a district highly populated with immigrants from Micronesia and other Pacific Islands. Stevenson students will have the opportunity to interact with and be mentored by biomedical professionals from QMC including a pen-pal program, receive support for their annual science fair, and potentially travel to a local/national science event.
Supporting the student's science endeavors are qualified science teachers who challenge them and reinforce positive experiences. Faculty development for the Stevenson science department will include a three-day in-service provided by the University of Hawai`i, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Office of Medical Education in problem-based learning (PBL). PBL encourages student participation and engages the learner in the art of discovery. Faculty of Stevenson will participate in a Summer Explorations in Biomedical Sciences to view the potential health careers at QMC, attend medical seminars, and link to peers currently in the health field. Science education stipends, including travel and professional memberships, will support science teachers in their own development in their field.
Finally, Hawai`i's multi-generational families offer a breadth of support for students. However, not all families are aware of opportunities in health careers. The family and community have significant influence over student's choices to venture in a biomedical science field. Providing family health science evenings will demonstrate to the family and community the opportunities in biomedical science programs and the necessary curriculum towards obtaining that goal. Reducing barriers to having family members attend include providing child care at the family events, providing a healthy dinner, and linking to community and recreational centers in the vicinity.
The evaluation design is guided by six key evaluation questions. Student's grades in a science curriculum, science coursework, and interest in science will be evaluated. Faculty will be evaluated as to the relevance of faculty support translating to student outcomes, and families will be evaluated as to their attitudes towards health literacy and interest in supporting their children in a biomedical career.
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