Dear Prospective Intern,
Aloha! We are thrilled to extend our warmest invitation to you to join the Kaiser Permanente Hawaii Internal Medicine Residency Program (KPHI IMRP). Our mission is to provide a comprehensive range of educational experiences that will equip you for diverse careers in medicine, with a particular focus on ambulatory primary care training. We are aligned with Kaiser Permanente Hawaii's institutional mission of caring for the people of Hawaii, under the Quadruple Aim of care delivery: Quality Outcomes, Quality Patient Care Experience, Value, and Improved Clinician Experience. Everyone deserves the chance to live a healthy life. That’s why our members can find high-quality, affordable care and coverage with in one place.They are at the center of everything we do.
What set our program apart is our core principles and points of distinction. We prioritize quality medical education, recognizing its importance beyond mere workforce solutions. And as a smaller program, we provide a personalized approach to ensure that you receive individual attention and ample opportunities for peer-to-peer and Resident-to-Faculty connections. Being part of Kaiser Permanente grants us access to a wealth of research, expertise, and resources, further enhancing your learning experience. Moreover, we offer practical insights on practicing medicine within the unique island context and within the Hawaii Permanente Medical Group (HPMG). Our program seamlessly integrates hospital and outpatient care to provide you with a balanced and comprehensive medical education. Our graduates practice in a variety of settings including Primary Care, Hospital Medicine, and Subspecialty Care (see our Alumni List).
At KPHI IMRP, our program leadership is committed to supporting residents in their individual career goals and setting them up for success. We understand that each resident has unique aspirations, and our mission is to nurture highly competent, people-oriented physicians who serve the community. Whether you are interested in working with us here at Kaiser Permanente upon graduation, seek opportunities for fellowship/subspecialty training, or find that your career journey leads elsewhere, you will receive personalized training that will serve you well in meeting your career goals.
We are deeply committed to service and making a positive impact in our communities. Our program's Annual Day of Service, hosted by HPMG, is a significant highlight. This special event provides hands-on service opportunities, fostering community bonds and improving the health of Hawaii's people. It is a longstanding volunteer tradition that brings together the people of KP Hawaii to restore ahupua'a,enhance cultural health, and enrich our communities.
As the Clinical Director for Health Promotion with Special Olympics Hawaii, I am also proud to share our involvement in the Special Olympics Hawaii Summer Games. Our health promotion activities focus on prevention and nutrition for individuals with intellectual disabilities. We recognize that many members of this population face barriers to accessing routine medical care, so our involvement in the Special Olympics helps bridge that gap to build a healthier and more inclusive community.
In addition, we offer innovative community experiences such as the Native Hawaiian Health Elective, Care Pathways Center Elective, John A. Burns School of Medicine H.O.M.E. Project Elective, and Neighbor Island Electives.
Our Native Hawaiian Health elective is designed to take a multi-pronged approach to introducing residents to the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion through the lens of Native Hawaiian Health. These four prongs include research and data analysis, didactics, community engagement, and clinical practice.
Our Care Pathway Center elective provides residents a focused outpatient experience in the principles and practice of HIV biomedical prevention, HIV medical management, and gender-affirming care for transgender and gender-diverse patients. This elective emphasizes the unique healthcare needs of the LGBTQIA+ population and the importance of equitable, multidisciplinary care delivery that is evidence-based, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive.
Via our H.O.M.E. Project elective, residents actively engage in addressing health disparities by providing free medical care to the houseless on Oahu. This experience deepens their understanding of health disparities, houselessness, and the complexities of providing care while fostering collaboration and learning with medical students.
Our Neighbor Island elective offers a transformative experience where residents have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the health and well-being of rural communities.
Our program values not only the growth of our residents, but also the greater medical community as well; as such, we actively invest in the education of our faculty and other medical educators across the state of Hawaii. We are 1 of 17 sites around the world offering the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Hub Course, which helps Hawaii's educators stay on top of innovations within medical education, specifically around developing faculty competencies in assessment and feedback. Our residents participate in this course.
We are excited about the possibility of having you join our program and contribute to our learning community. Although we regret that you cannot visit us in person at this time, we encourage you to explore our program further through our website. Should you have any additional inquiries, please feel free to reach out to us at KPHIResidency@kp.org.
Thank you for considering the Kaiser Permanente Hawaii Internal Medicine Residency Program. We eagerly anticipate reviewing your application through ERAS and getting to know you better during the interview season.
Me Ke Aloha Pumehana (with warm regards),
Jennifer Katada, MD, FACP
Program Director, Kaiser Permanente Hawaii Internal Medicine Residency Program
Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine
Clinical Director of Health Promotion, Special Olympics Hawaii