Na Lei Wili Area Health Education Center Inc

Na lei wili ahec provides the community of students in grades k-20 with health education resources, awareness, exposure, and exploration activities; health careers resources and training opportunities; and rural rotation experiences for strengthening the pipeline of health professionals on the island. Collaborative partnerships include k-12 schools, kauai community college, several nurse-aide training programs, john a burns school of medicine (jabsom), and private-sector vendors and community groups and organizations. Annual teen health camps and periodic workshops led by jabsom medical students and other health professionals, provide skills-building in casting, suturing, vital sign assessment, infectious disease/hand-washing, problem-based learning, venipuncture, and virtual reality career exploration (emt/rn/surgtech), mental health awareness, injury prevention in sports and physical fitness, forensics exploration, mobile clinic visit. High school students also participated in the hosa state and international conferences and competitions (total 150 high school students in 6 activities - by 1 ahec director, plus 5 pre-health career corps trainers paid with other funding; state conference attendance/competition travel costs for 80 high school students & 2 hosa advisors & 2 chaperones for 12,370; 12 ahec scholars completed clinical rotations/year-long training in rural areas: dpt (7); md-gy4 (1); md-gy3 (1); d-aprn (1); md resident-1 (peds); md resident-1 (ophth) and all received 500 stipends each, 6,000); total costs 18,370.

The hawai'i health workforce summit (held 9/9/23) is a free one-day conference open to all healthcare professionals in and associated with hawai'i. The 2023 annual event, hosted by the hawaii/pacific basin ahec center, was held at the hilton hawaiian village hotel coral ballroom with a total of 607 registered participants, including physicians, physician assistants, aprns, community health workers, medical directors, office managers, allied health professionals, physician recruiters, as well as other health professionals, and the industry sponsors and exhibitors. Track-topics included geriatrics, rural health, behavioral health, and healthcare provider happiness. Cme credits were awarded by the hawaii medical board. Attendees got connected to those in the industry (sponsors, exhibitors, other attendees), met the next generation of healthcare professionals during the high school and undergraduate poster competitions, and stayed to enjoy prize drawings made possible by the generous industry and community partners. Other attendees include 33 volunteers (students in the pre-health career corps); 12 ahec staff - paid from other funding.