University of Hawai'i at Manoa John A. Burns

The School opened in 1965 as a two-year program of basic medical sciences, and became a four-year degree granting program in 1973.

The Hawai‘i State Legislature’s commitment to a medical school for the people of Hawai’i was strengthened when lawmakers approved use of tobacco “Master Settlement Agreement” funds to build and help operate the Kaka‘ako oceanfront campus of the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM). The campus, a site chosen by Governor Ben Cayetano, opened in 2005. We proudly educate our students and the people of Hawai‘i about the dangers of smoking and we treat those suffering from tobacco-related disease.

Many prestigious private foundations as well as the U.S. and foreign governments have provided generous grants and funding over the years. This distinguished list includes the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Commonwealth Fund, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Pew Memorial Trust, and the Queen Emma Foundation, just to name a few.