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Kekoa Taparra, M.D. Ph.D., a  Master of Public Health student at Hawaiʻi Pacific University (ºÚÁÏÀÏ˾»ú), shares insights into his public health education, research at Stanford University, passion for helping his community, and future plans. Taparra’s unique journey reflects not only his commitment to academic excellence but also his deep-rooted passion for improving the health outcomes of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) communities.

In the vast landscape of public health, Kekoa Taparra, M.D. Ph.D., a Master of Public Health (MPH) student at Hawaiʻi Pacific University (ºÚÁÏÀÏ˾»ú), emerges as an inspiring leader. Born and raised in Mililani, Oʻahu, Taparra's journey began as a student at Kamehameha Schools where he swam competitively. His abilities in the water earned him a scholarship to Fairfield University in Connecticut where he began his college career as a computer science major.

Eventually, however, Taparra pivoted into the natural sciences, double majoring in biology and psychology with concentrations in cognitive and behavioral neuroscience as well as cellular and molecular biology. And if he wasn’t busy enough, he minored in Asian studies, mathematics, and philosophy.

“While my parents are my greatest teachers, I didn’t grow up with a ‘ohana that had a strong presence in medicine or academia, so my education was really influenced by some great mentors,” he explained.

Following the guidance of these mentors, he pursued a Ph.D. in cancer biology at Johns Hopkins University, where he explored sugar metabolism in the context of lung cancer. But his pivotal moment into medicine and healthcare came at the end of the program when his Ph.D. advisor, a physician-scientist Dr. Tran, introduced him to clinical practice.