Seeing a Future in Healthcare

Chaminade University of Honolulu

For students preparing for careers in healthcare, the path from college to a professional program can be demanding—and sometimes difficult to imagine, especially when the next step may mean leaving Hawaiʻi for the first time. Chaminade University’s Pre-Health Program helps students navigate that journey through individualized advising, clinical and career exposure, test preparation, and opportunities to explore health professions programs both in Hawaiʻi and on the continent. With support from the Takitani Foundation, students are able to build the experience, preparation, and confidence they need to pursue highly competitive graduate programs in medicine and other health professions.

This year, students participated in targeted career exploration and test-preparation opportunities, including visits to Touro University and Samuel Merritt University in California. For some, simply setting foot on another campus and seeing themselves in that environment can open up possibilities that once felt far away. As Chaminade shared, “the funding has really allowed students from Hawaiʻi to imagine themselves as a healthcare professional,” while providing the guidance and support to help them move toward that goal.

These experiences reach beyond an individual student’s educational journey. Many participants hope to return home and contribute their skills to Hawaiʻi’s healthcare workforce, where the need for trained professionals remains great. Through this partnership, the Takitani Foundation is helping students take meaningful steps toward careers of service—supporting their education today while nurturing the possibility that they will one day bring that knowledge and care back to communities across Hawaiʻi.