By Kaimookalani Muhlestein, OHA Beneficiary Services Agent
Serving one’s community is a Hawaiian traditional practice that is evident in our next generation of upcoming doctors. Pilina mālama kaiāulu, the commitment to serving others as demonstrated by our Native Hawaiian medical doctors is significant and inspirational. Dr. Andie Conching is one such doctor, rooted in her community, who is preparing to care for our community.
Conching is a 2025 graduate of the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM), who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in neuroscience from Dartmouth College in New Hampshire before returning home to pursue her medical degree.
This summer, she took a historic step forward in her medical career when she began a neurosurgery residency at UC Davis in Sacramento.
Conching is the first Native Hawaiian female physician to enter a neurosurgery residency program. This achievement reflects years of intense dedication, academic excellence, and deep cultural grounding. Her fascination with the brain grew over years of study and training, but she credits her upbringing and her education at Kamehameha Schools for nurturing her passion and commitment to serving others – pilina mālama kaiāulu.
As she begins the first year of her residency, Conching says that despite being far from home, her motivation remains rooted in her cultural identity and community.
“Giving back to Hawaiʻi is a kuleana,” she shared. “I look forward to coming back and improving neurosurgical care in my home community. It is a kuleana to be entrusted with that responsibility.”
Conching’s journey marks a significant milestone for ʻŌiwi – and wahine – representation in medicine and will serve as inspiration for future generations of Native Hawaiian students pursuing careers in highly specialized fields.
