Chloe Delos Santos, Building Pacific Islander Presence in the Medical Field

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TELL US ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND AND WHERE YOU GREW UP.

My name is Chloe Delos Santos and I grew up on the Big Island of Hawaii in the small town of beautiful Waimea. With that said I would also like to note how the first couple years of my life I spent being raised in the old town of Hilo.

Having a military father who served time in the Iraq War meant that alongside my mother, I was also raised by my grandmothers in addition to my aunties and uncles.

Waimea is where I say that I am from, but Hilo will always have a special place in my heart. My primary family consists of my wonderful parents and younger sister.

I would say I grew up in a pretty structured household, thanks to my military father, which probably gives rise to my character.

Coming from a variety of ethnic backgrounds (Hawaiian, Filipino, Portuguese, Spanish, etc.) is something that I am quite proud of. Living and learning the ways of my culture through language, food, or even dance is something that'll always ground who I am.

Tell us about your educational experience.

I was very fortunate to get an education through Hawaii Preparatory Academy starting from kindergarten all the way through high school. My educational experience had many highs and lows as any student would have. However, I think what set me apart in my educational experience is my resilience.

To be quite honest, there were a couple of times in my years of education when I felt like I hit rock bottom. Whether it be because of challenging classes or surrounding myself with the wrong crowd, I overcame those obstacles with resilience.

I think that many forget that resilience is a choice. If there is one main takeaway I would take from my overall educational experience is that resilience is a choice.

When there is an obstacle, I have the choice to either make the best or worst of it. I am pleased with the opportunities I have come across through HPA and I believed that my education has genuinely prepared me for college.

How have you navigated college so far?

I believe it was my second year of high school when I realized that I wanted my future profession to be somewhere in the medical field. Medical professions are always something that is needed, and I knew that it is specifically a profession my island (the Big Island) needs more than ever.

In middle school, I enjoyed my time volunteering at a care home in Waimea. Furthermore, during the summer of my junior year of high school, I worked at a care home in Kohala as a nurse's aide where I learned how to check vitals and assist each resident depending on their care needs.

In my senior year of high school, I took an anatomy and physiology class that I absolutely fell in love with and wanted to learn more. I believe this exposure to assisting those in need of care and diving into the understanding of human anatomy led me to want to have a future profession in the medical field.

I did research on the vast amount of jobs and specialties within the medical field and took a particular interest in the PA (physician assistant) profession.

With that said, I discussed this with my college advisor who guided me to a couple of universities that would get me on that path. I currently attend Colorado State University with a declared major in Biomedical Sciences with a concentration in Anatomy and Physiology.

What are your thoughts on Pasifika Representation?

I would say that there is a small representation of Pacific Islanders at Colorado State University. While I was fortunate to find a handful of friends from the islands, it doesn't nearly compare to CSU's student population.

Notably, however, the majority of my Pacific Islander friends at CSU are taking up a science major hoping to go into the medical field in the future.

At CSU there is an Asian Pacific American Cultural Center, but from what I've seen there's a lack of Pacific Islander representation there in that community.

ANY achievements you would like to share?

Hawaii District History Day Fair Certificate of Achievement (February 29th, 2020): I was one of the few winners of the Big Island. I intended to compete further at the state level in Oahu but was unable to due to Covid-19.

Dean's List (2018-2022): I achieved making the Dean's List for all four years of high school at HPA. The minimum requirement for this is a GPA of 3.8 or above.

ANY TIPS FOR students applying to college?

I would say that the beauty behind the medical field is that it'll always be needed. Additionally, there are so many different specialties within the overall medical profession that can appeal to any individual and their strong suits.

It is also important to be passionate about what you do! If something sounds like a burden or just something you can get money out of, don't waste your time and energy.

Any last words to students?

I would like to say a special thank you to my family who continuously supports me and who taught me that hard work pays off!