Lea Lacar, MD
Hometown: Aiea, Hawaii
Undergraduate School: University of Hawaii at Manoa
Medical School: University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine
Q & A
Why did you choose the University of Hawaii to do your training?
Growing up in Hawai’i and pursuing medicine, it’s been my goal to serve my community and be part of the solution to our physician shortage. My 3rd year clerkship with this program was such a special experience for me to discover I would ultimately best accomplish my goals as an OB/GYN. I’m currently interested in being a full scope generalist, ready to help women with anything in their health, and I’m confident that I will be after 4 years at UH with the robust training with day-one surgical experience, forceps deliveries, Ryan residency family planning, robotics, and so much more! Being able to take care of a diverse population was also a must for me. We have immigrants and a minority-majority which allows for ample opportunity to practice culturally competent care while also opening doors to research to optimize health outcomes for traditionally marginalized women. The people are also AMAZING— from the residents and staff to the patients. Our doctors are nationally renowned, compassionate advocates and teachers who establish a safe learning environment while still allowing learners their independence. Lastly, I’m not sure what I would do without beaches, mountains, and poke! I am forever grateful to live and train on land so rich in history, culture, and aloha. I look forward to giving back to my ‘ohana. It just made sense to train at UH for residency!
What are you most excited to try outside of work?
I’m most excited to get to know my co-residents and explore the islands (and, to be honest, all the food we can get!). I also like to free dive in my free time, and it’s on my bucket list to get SCUBA certified too!
What would you do if you weren’t an ob/gyn?
Practically speaking, I’d be a biomedical engineer. I think the technology in medicine is super cool with lots of room for advancement that makes a difference in helping others with their health. Passion-project wise: if not in medicine, I would love to fulfill my wanderlust and travel for work, perhaps fully investing into my photography as a creative director.