After 39 years working as a obstetrician-gynecologist, Dr. John Uohara has retired from patient care as of Aug. 31.
Dr. Uohara, a Waimanalo native, moved to Hilo from Oahu at 16 and graduated from Hilo High School.
He left the islands briefly to attend undergraduate school at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon, then came back to Oahu for medical school, where he was part of the first University of Hawaii’s John A. Burns School of Medicine graduating class.
He completed his residency at Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women &Children before finally moving back home to Hilo. Since that time, Dr. Uohara has cared for local residents and delivered thousands of babies including some of the JABSOM faculty.
“I am deeply grateful and honored to have been allowed to be a part of so many lives. I have seen my “babies” in preschool, plays, soccer and basketball games, high school and college graduations. I have even witnessed some of my babies return to Hilo as young professionals” he said.
Dr. Uohara will continue on with University Health Partners of Hawaii and JABSOM as assistant professor Hilo generalist division chief.
In this capacity, Uohara will lead the charge to advance the clinical learning environment for Hilo medical students and OB/GYN residents as well as address local community needs for general OB/GYN and specialized care on the Big Island.
Dr. Emilie Stickley, a physician with UHP and a JABSOM faculty member, will take over patient care at the faculty practice clinic starting this month. She is an accomplished OB/GYN with over nine years of patient care experience.
She is looking forward to serving the Hilo community, providing the full range of obstetrics and gynecological services and developing her recently purchased farm with her husband and four children.