Funding for Hilo Residency Program Signed into Law

Bill signing (from l to r)
Rep Clift Tsuji, Gary Yoshiyama, Lori Rogers, Acting Governor Shan Tsutsui, Boyd Murayama, Howard Ainsley, Kristine McCoy, Sen Gil Kahele and Rep Mark Nakashima







Honolulu, Hawaii -- Acting Governor Shan Tsutsui signes HB 417 appropriating $1.8 million for the Hilo Medical Residency Program.  The bill, which has had many champions and has been approved by the legislature in numerous forms over the past several years.  Unfortunately, for a host of reasons, the money never benefitted the program which seeks to provide the first permanent full time medical residency program on a neighbor island.

This program is seen as critical to attracting medical school graduates to begin their medical careers in the islands which greatly increases the odds that they will eventually open their practices on the neighbor islands as well.