A pioneer in obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) who strengthened women’s health education in Hawaiʻi is being honored with a new endowed professorship at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭ā苍辞补’s (JABSOM).
Established through a gift from 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 Professor of Law Emeritus Linda Krieger in honor of her father, John Krieger, the professorship recognizes his lasting impact on OBGYN training in the state in the 1960s.
John Krieger moved to Hawaiʻi in 1963, when the state faced a shortage of OBGYNs. Although already in practice, he returned to residency training to meet local licensing requirements.
“My father had been in practice for about six or seven years, but you couldn’t get a medical license here for a year if you moved here, so he went back to being a resident,” said Linda Krieger, a nationally respected law scholar and civil rights advocate. “That experience got him very interested in working on medical education, especially at the residency level.”
Krieger helped build OBGYN residency education at what was called The Queen’s Hospital at the time and later led residency training when JABSOM expanded to a four-year program.
“This was their whole life,” Linda said of her parents’ connection to Hawaiʻi. “My father really loved the multiculturalism here and the diversity of people and cultures. He felt very committed to that kind of community.”
First recipient carries legacy forward
The inaugural John A. Krieger Endowed Professorship was awarded to Lynne Saito-Tom, professor in the Department of OBGYN and Women’s Health at JABSOM. To Saito-Tom, the honor reflects her family’s deep commitment to education.
Her grandparents were unable to attend school beyond elementary level but believed strongly in higher education, ensuring their children went to college. Growing up in Wahiawā, her parents sacrificed daily—waking before sunrise and commuting long hours—so she could pursue her goals.
“Thanks to their sacrifices, I was able to pursue my educational goals of becoming a physician, the first in my family,” Saito-Tom said.
She added, “Dr. John Krieger, the first resident program director of our department, developed a strong curriculum for residency training, and I plan to utilize this endowment to advance medical education, including creating innovative curriculum, supporting trainees and enhancing faculty development.”
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