University of Hawaiʻi John A. Burns School of Medicine awarded $1.1M from American Medical Association

University of Hawaiʻi John A. Burns School of Medicine was selected as one of 11 teams to receive funding from American Medical Association’s Transforming Lifelong Learning Through Precision Education Grant Program.

The total $12 million American Medical Association investment aims to advance physician training through personalized learning and advanced technology.

John A. Burns School of Medicine will receive $1.1 million throughout 4 years to fund its “Developing Culturally Responsive AI for Rural Health: Utilizing Precision Education and Precision Coaching to Strengthen Hawaii’s Rural Physician Workforce” project.

The University of Hawaiʻi medical school was selected from nearly 200 applicants, distinguishing itself as an innovator and leader in precision education, advancing efforts to strengthen the physician workforce and support high-quality patient care.

Precision education models use data and technology, including augmented intelligence, to tailor education to each learner’s needs.

These models help medical students and physicians focus on developing the skills and competencies that matter most in diagnosing, communicating and caring for patients.

“We’re developing profiles of successful rural physicians in Hawaiʻi, focusing on those who are practicing on our neighbor islands, especially those who have strong lasting connections to their communities, ” said John A. Burns School of Medicine research team leader Kelsea Kanoho Hosoda in a release about the grant award. “We want to understand what got them there, to the point where they are serving these rural communities, and how we can use that information to support the next generation of learners.”

American Medical Association’s investment across the 11 selected team projects will expand access to cutting-edge technology and systems that make learning more efficient, effective and focused on optimal patient care.

“Technology and [augmented intelligence] have the potential to reshape how physicians learn, practice, and care for their patients, and these grants will help bring that potential to life,” said American Medical Association Chief Executive Officer Dr. John Whyte in the release. “As new tools emerge, we have an opportunity to build learning environments that are more engaging, more adaptable and better aligned with the realities of practicing medicine.”

The Transforming Lifelong Learning Through Precision Education Grant Program was developed with national experts in augmented intelligence, assessment and medical education.

It follows more than a decade of American Medical Association leadership through its ChangeMedEd Initiative, which has invested nearly $50 million in reimagining medical education.

“Our goal is to ensure that innovation strengthens the physician experience and creates a future where every physician is fully equipped to meet the needs of patients,” Whyte added.