Learning to Care, Inspired to Stay
Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific Foundation
For students preparing for careers in nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and rehabilitation care, some of the most meaningful learning happens alongside experienced professionals and patients. REHAB’s Preceptorship Program gives students that opportunity, pairing classroom learning with hands-on clinical experience, mentorship, and exposure to the teamwork at the heart of restorative care. With support from the Takitani Foundation, the program is helping strengthen pathways into healthcare careers while building Hawaiʻi’s future rehabilitation workforce. During this reporting period alone, students completed more than 4,700 hours of clinical learning across multiple disciplines.
For some students, the experience does more than prepare them for a profession—it helps them discover where they hope to build their career. One former student, now pursuing occupational therapy, reflected, “Seeing patients regain their independence is truly rewarding, but it’s the collaborative teamwork and incredible mentorship that make this place special.” Her experience at REHAB ultimately inspired her to begin her own career there. Stories like hers show the lasting value of learning in community: students gain skills and confidence while forming relationships that can encourage them to remain in Hawaiʻi and care for the communities that helped shape them.
As Hawaiʻi’s only inpatient rehabilitation facility, REHAB is seeing growing demand from schools seeking clinical placements for their students. By welcoming the next generation of healthcare professionals into its clinical environment, REHAB is expanding educational opportunity while nurturing a workforce prepared to provide compassionate, high-quality rehabilitation care across the islands.
