Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 24, Number 12, 1 Kekemapa 2007 — Dr. Benjamin B.C. Young [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Dr. Benjamin B.C. Young

Dr. Benjamin B.C. Young, who would eventually heeome the first psychiatrist of Native Hawaiian ancestry, was eompleting his medical residency at the University of Hawai'i back in 1973,

when he received an interesting request from thenUH medical school dean Dr. Terrance Rogers: Train more Native Hawaiian physicians; There were only nine licensed to practice at the time. Youns hesan

to tailor special pre-med science classes for this purpose. He also needed to name the new program. So he turned to his colleague and noted Hawaiian scholar Mary Kawena Pukui for help. She reflected on the aims of the program and eame back to him with 'hni Ho'ōla: it means "those who seek to heal." An apt name it turned out to be, said Young, who nurtured Imi Ho'ola's growth at UH where he has been Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Medical Students - in addition to practicing psychiatry in Honolulu. "You have to know the culture of the people you treat in order to contribute to their well-being," Young explained, adding that culture, spirit and heahh are "all linked together." Young reels off an "honor roll" of illustrious loeal MDs who are 'hni Ho'ōla alumni. This leads him to tell a story about a vacuum cleaner salesman who eame knocking at his door in 1973, just as 'hni Ho'ōla was getting off the ground: "When I told him what I did for a living, he said, 'I think my daughter would like to study medicine.' Young offered to help. The salesman's daughter turned out to be Chiyome Leina'ala Fukino. The Kamehameha grad attended the 'hni Ho'ōla program, graduated from UH medical school and established a busy practice as a Honolulu pediatrician before taking up her current post as the Director for the Hawai'i State Department of Heahh - the frrst woman and Native Hawaiian to be appointed to the position. Young recently decided to search for the identity of the first-ever Native Hawaiian physieian. This led him to Hastings, England, and the records of Dr. Matthew Manuia Makalua, who obtained a medical degree from Hastings College in 1882 at the behest of King David Kalākaua. Young says Makalua was never able to return home because of the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, but he distinguished himself in England where he assisted the founder of some modern surgical methods - Sir Ioseph Lister. This is a story that Young will share in a book he is currently writing on the history of Native Hawaiians in medicine. Of course, he will devote a chapter to 'hni Ho'ōla. "This program has made a significant change in heahh care for Native Hawaiians," he said. I