Kalei Hosaka

Kalei is from Kaneohe, Hawaii. He graduated from Wheaton College (IL) with a degree in Anthropology and a certificate in Human Needs and Global Resources. Between 2015 and 2017, Kalei spent twelve months in Delhi, India, volunteering in a community HIV clinic, learning Hindi, and working on ethnographic research on stigma and mental wellbeing. Kalei returned home to the University of Hawaii for medical school, where he became involved with migrant health advocacy, scholarly work in Native Hawaiian health, and primary care in resource-limited settings. After completing the fall semester of his 4th year of medical school, Kalei spent a year in Northern Tanzania (Duke University and Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre collaboration site) conducting research as a VECD NIH Fogarty Global Health fellow and learning Swahili. Working with youth living with HIV, Kalei’s research focused on stigma, peer education, theory-informed mental health interventions, and transition to adulthood for perinatally HIV-infected youth.

Kalei also completed a Certification of Professional Achievement in Narrative Medicine (2021-2023) through Columbia University. Kalei is a National Health Corps scholar, an inducted member of medical student honor societies, and a recipient of the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award (2022), the USPHS Excellence in Public Health Award (2020), and several research awards.

Kalei chose Med-Peds for its broad and in-depth clinical training across the life spectrum that he feels is applicable to work in population health and global health. With his interests in the clinical care of children and adults in underserved US and global contexts, Kalei sees Med-Peds as an excellent foundation for a lifelong career as a physician contributing to a more just world.

While he loved many programs that he interviewed with, Kalei chose to train at UCLA because he saw it as a place where he would develop into the physician he wants to become—someone who is excellent clinically, social-justice minded, and compassionate! Kalei was drawn to UCLA’s emphasis on resident wellbeing, scholarly support and opportunities (including in global health), primary care advocacy, network of incredible Med-Peds residents and graduates, and its closer location to home (Hawaii).

Kalei’s clinical interests include HIV care, primary care in underserved settings, geriatrics, palliative care, and transitions of care. In residency, Kalei’s loves finding opportunities to play music with his patients and support what matters most to them. Outside of clinical work, Kalei’s career interests include scholarly work in the social sciences and humanities, global HIV research, community-based advocacy, and collaborative global health initiatives. Kalei is also an aspiring writer; his writing themes include global health equity, structural violence, the process of medical training, theology, and finding meaning in illness and death.

At UCLA, Kalei is involved in mentored research and scholarly work, the global health pathway, and narrative medicine programming. In Los Angeles, Kalei enjoys playing sports (volleyball, basketball, and pickleball) and music (guitar, piano, and singing)! Kalei values time with his spouse (Leah), his church community, and his friendship with his Med-Peds co-residents.

Education:

Medical School - University of Hawaii
Undergrad - Wheaton College