AKIMOTO MATCHES CEDARS-SINAI FOR RESIDENCY

By Patrick Lujan

Former GSPN reporter Kai Salas Akimoto has been putting in the grind through medical school for the past few years with the finish line in sight, albeit, three more years.

Akimoto, a Father Duenas graduate from 2018 and two-time All-Island football fullback, recently was matched to continue the next stage of training in Internal Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, one of the best hospitals in the nation.

This after four years at Macalester College, where he Majored in Biology and Minored in Chemistry while playing football for the DIII team.

The Tamuning resident started medical school in 2022 at the University of Minnesota Medical School. He was interviewed by 25 different residency programs before being matched for Internal Medicine at the prestigious hospital.

After four years of college and another four years of medical school with three years of residency to go, Akimoto reflects on his journey towards being a doctor

“The biggest message I want to convey: At every stage of this journey, there have been some tough challenges. What kept me going was the motivation to prove to other local kids that our island has the passion and the work ethic to take them wherever they want to go, so long as they keep our people in their heart and are willing to work towards giving back when they are called to do so.”

With 2029 the target to complete his residency, Kai says he’s ‘trying to get back to Guam as quickly as possible, but make the most impact in the ways I am able to.’

He is the oldest son of Dr. Vince and Melissa Akimoto. His brothers Nick and Daniel have also been part of the GSPN team as sports reporters.