In 2013 the Deans from the School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work, John A Burns School of Medicine, and the Director of the Office of Public Health Studies, activated the UH Manoa College of Health Sciences & Social Welfare (CHSSW). We are joined in this effort by the Dean of Hawai‘inuiakea School of Hawaiian Knowledge (our hanai sister). The mission of the College is to serve society by increasing, refining, disseminating, applying, and sharing knowledge, wisdom, and values relating to the health and social welfare concerns of the public with a deep appreciation for culture within the context of social and economic determinants that impact health. We recognize that improving health requires an interprofessional approach to advancing education, practice, research, and community service. Second, we must be responsive to the increasing cost of academia and the loan burden of our students. By leveraging existing assets and resources, we can expand our individual reach and steward precious human and fiscal resources. We consulted with our respective faculties and executed a formal Memorandum of Understanding whereby each school maintains its autonomy and governance. We meet regularly as a Council of Deans and have prioritized three areas for joint action based on state need: Native Hawaiian health; gerontology; and interprofessional education (IPE). To date, CHSSW has engaged faculty leaders to set the agenda for IPE; expanded interprofessional research; and share core services for biostatistics, grant development, and technology based learning. We have a clinical practice plan that includes both medicine and nursing (UCERA) and participate in a program to retain Hawai‘i primary care providers that includes loan repayment for physicians, physician's assistants and nurse practitioners. The kahua, the pillars that define our collective relationship, are our guide as we begin this journey.
Conflict of Interest
The author reports no conflict of interest.