A Real-World Community Classroom
When people arrive for appointments at the new clinic in Waipahu High School, it feels like any trusted neighborhood clinic. The difference is in the details.
Artwork by Waipahu students hang on the walls. Students also shadow Hawai‘i Pacific Health physicians, nurses and staff, learning how to care for patients.
Welcome to the Waipahu High School Academic Health Center, one of the first clinics of its kind in the nation. The 1,870-square-foot space has four exam rooms and a treatment room where primary care and OB-GYN physicians see patients. The clinic was designed both for high-quality care and education. Waipahu’s Academy of Health & Sciences students are immersed in day-to-day operations.
“Previously, our students would have to leave campus for those experiences,” said Zachary Sheets, Waipahu High principal. “Now, it’s here, so it makes it even more tangible for them. That’s why they are so engaged.”
Waipahu High, HPH and the state Department of Education established a strong partnership years ago while creating clinical training programs for high school students. As the idea of a community clinic at a high school grew, so did the number of donors — like D. Suehiro Electric, Inc. and VoLo Foundation — and supporters, including University of Hawai‘i at Manoa John A. Burns School of Medicine and Hawai‘i 3Rs.
Their shared commitment to invest in communities and health care professionals is apparent at the Health Center. Many of the clinic’s staff live in Waipahu, ‘Ewa and Kapolei. Some are Waipahu High graduates. All are dedicated to patients.
Family medicine physician Dr. Liana Kobayashi is one of them. The UH Mānoa graduate grew up on the Windward side. Now, she’s embracing the opportunity to build relationships with local families and mentor younger generations.
“I went into family medicine so I could care for my patients for years, to see them through the ups and downs, and truly be part of the community,” Dr. Kobayashi said. “This clinic is unique. The students ask great questions and are excited to be here, and the patients have been excited to be part of their education.”
“This is a huge step forward for health care in Hawai‘i,” said Dr. Leslie Chun, Hawai‘i Pacific Health Medical Group CEO. “We’re providing Waipahu residents with a new convenient option for care while more than 500 students experience firsthand how rewarding a health care career is while taking care of their own community.”
The clinic is open weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 808-835-6244 • Give2Straub.org