Endowed Professorship Honors OBGYN Pioneer John Krieger at UH Mānoa

The **University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa's John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM)** has established the **John A. Krieger Endowed Professorship** to honor **Dr. John Krieger**, a pioneer in obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) who significantly strengthened women's health education in Hawaiʻi. The professorship was funded by a gift from his daughter, **UH Mānoa Professor of Law Emeritus Linda Krieger**. Dr. Krieger's dedication to medical education, particularly at the residency level, began after he moved to Hawaiʻi in **1963** to address a shortage of OBGYNs. The inaugural professorship has been awarded to **Dr. Lynne Saito-Tom**, a professor in the Department of OBGYN and Women’s Health at JABSOM, who plans to use the endowment to advance medical education through curriculum innovation, trainee support, and faculty development. This initiative underscores a deep-seated family commitment to education and community well-being in Hawaiʻi.

• A new endowed professorship honoring OBGYN pioneer Dr. John Krieger has been established at UH Mānoa's JABSOM.
• The professorship was funded by a gift from Dr. Krieger's daughter, Linda Krieger, a law professor emeritus.
• Dr. Krieger was instrumental in building OBGYN residency training in Hawaiʻi starting in the 1960s.
• Dr. Lynne Saito-Tom is the inaugural holder of the professorship and plans to enhance medical education.
• The endowment aims to strengthen women's health education and training in the state.

The establishment of the John A. Krieger Endowed Professorship at **UH Mānoa's JABSOM** is a direct result of a philanthropic gift from **Linda Krieger**. The professorship aims to honor her father's contributions to OBGYN residency training in Hawaiʻi, which began in the **1960s** during a period of physician shortages. **Dr. Lynne Saito-Tom** has been named the first recipient, with stated intentions to utilize the endowment for educational advancements within the OBGYN department. The exact financial value of the endowment and its specific programmatic impact will unfold over time.

This endowed professorship represents a significant investment in the future of women's health education at **JABSOM**. The **$1 million gift** from Linda Krieger ensures that Dr. John Krieger's legacy of dedication to medical training will continue to inspire and support future generations of OBGYNs. The appointment of **Dr. Lynne Saito-Tom** as the inaugural holder promises innovative curriculum development and enhanced support for trainees, potentially elevating the standard of care and research in Hawaiʻi's women's health sector for decades to come.

While the establishment of an endowed professorship is commendable, the true impact hinges on sustained funding and effective utilization of resources. The article does not specify the exact endowment amount, leaving questions about the scale of its potential influence. Furthermore, the success of **Dr. Saito-Tom's** plans to 'advance medical education' will depend on institutional support beyond the endowment and the ability to adapt to evolving healthcare landscapes, particularly in addressing persistent disparities in women's health outcomes across Hawaiʻi.

Originally reported by University of Hawaii System