Hawaii Opens First High School Health Lab

Students at Wai'anae High School on Oahu now walk into classrooms that look like real hospitals, complete with simulated care bays, phlebotomy stations, and clinic exam rooms.

Governor Josh Green, himself a physician, toured the groundbreaking 3,195-square-foot health learning lab that transforms how Hawaii trains its future healthcare workforce. Two ordinary classrooms became a modern training ground where high schoolers practice the same skills they'll use in actual hospitals and clinics.

Junior Jyzamee Sablan, who dreams of becoming a nurse, says the lab changed everything. "Before having this new facility, it was hard for us to fully imagine what working in this kind of environment would look like," she shared. "The lab changed how I see my future in the medical field and it motivates me to work harder."

The timing couldn't be more critical. Hawaii faces a healthcare workforce crisis, with nearly 4,700 job openings including over 1,700 entry-level positions that don't require years of college. Many rural and underserved communities struggle to find enough nurses, medical assistants, and patient care staff.

Students in the Patient Service Representative program train for four in-demand roles right in their high school. They learn to draw blood, assist doctors, care for patients, and manage front desk operations in settings that mirror real healthcare facilities. Upon graduation, they're ready to step directly into jobs their communities need filled.

The Ripple Effect

Wai'anae is just the beginning. The lab is the first site in the 'Aulama I Ke Ola initiative, a multi-year effort to build health learning labs throughout Hawaii's public high schools, focusing on underrepresented communities.

Eighteen public high schools already participate in Healthcare Association of Hawaii workforce programs, creating a direct pathway from classroom to career. The initiative combines facility upgrades, industry certifications, and personalized student support to ensure students don't just learn, they succeed.

"We're not just thinking about the next year or even the next five years," said Healthcare Association of Hawaii CEO Hilton Raethel. "We're building a local, sustainable pipeline of healthcare professionals for decades to come."

State Superintendent Keith Hayashi sees potential far beyond healthcare. The model could work for other industries facing workforce shortages, keeping young talent in Hawaii instead of losing them to mainland opportunities.

The lab came to life through collaboration between Hawaii's legislature, Department of Education, and partners including First Hawaiian Bank Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, and healthcare organizations committed to investing in local talent.

These students aren't just preparing for careers, they're solving a crisis that affects their own families and neighbors.