What's Being Discussed
The Hawaii Medical Education Council (HMEC) is meeting on Monday, October 26, 2026, from 7:30–9:00 a.m. The council's job is to assess Hawaii's healthcare workforce needs and evaluate medical training programs. Key topics include:

A recap of the October 2026 Statewide Medical Education Expansion Retreat, with a focus on rural healthcare priorities
Updates on the Rural Health Transformation Program and workforce development efforts
A report on physician recruitment across the state
Status of the Hawaii Healthcare Education Loan Program (HELP), which supports healthcare students
Updates on medical residency and fellowship programs
Preparing recommendations to the 2027 State Legislature, including a review of the past five years of recommendations
A review of HMEC membership, which may require a change in state law

Decisions Expected

Approval of previous meeting minutes
Finalizing the annual HMEC report draft to be submitted to the 2027 Hawaii State Legislature
Discussing potential legislative recommendations, including loan repayment funding, Medicaid financing for medical training, and affordable housing for medical trainees on neighbor islands

Who Should Pay Attention

Healthcare workers, doctors, and medical trainees in Hawaii, especially on neighbor islands
Medical students and residents affected by training programs and loan support
Rural community members concerned about access to healthcare providers
Anyone interested in state health policy and how Hawaii plans its medical workforce

Public comments are welcome in person or in writing. Written testimony can be emailed to costaca@hawaii.edu or faxed to (808) 692-1247.