2009 - 2010 Mentors

Choose a mentor here

Omar Ahmed, MSI

My name is Omar Ahmed. I grew up in small-town Canton, OH before moving out to the best coast to attend the University of Southern California where I earned my B.A. in Neuroscience in 2008. I took a year off between college and medical school to help manage a newly erected ER medical scribe program in inner-city hospitals in Las Vegas as well as serve as a psychosocial rehabilitation provider for disadvantaged youth. I have been privileged to have an array of research, work, and volunteer experiences that have culminated in a passion to help the underserved domestically and abroad. A few interests and hobbies aside from medicine include politics, business, international healthcare, USC football, exercising, playing sports, learning to play the piano, movies, and exotic cuisines. I also enjoy meeting new people and trying new things. I really look forward to helping you any way I can!

Nancy Anaya-Navarro, MSII, PRIME-LC

I was born in Mexico City and immigrated to the US at a young age. I grew up in Riverside, CA and went to UCSD as a Bio major and Healthcare-Social Issue minor. I then attended USC and received a master’s in Global Public Health. As a result of many incidents of discrimination and social injustices against my family’s immigrant status, I became committed to my education and became the first in my family to pursue higher education and attend medical school. I believe that many individuals on my long path to medicine, as well as historical figures like Cesar Chavez and Martin Luther King Jr., helped open doors of opportunity for me. It is of the utmost importance, that I don't close the door behind me. As a result, I have dedicated myself to help people who are unfairly limited, like I was growing up, by eliminating barriers to education and health care through advocacy, community involvement, and mentoring.

Justin Bennink, MSI

My path to getting into medical school was a little bumpy. I was born and raised in San Diego, although I would be hard pressed to name a specific area. I have lived all over in SD. I knew I wanted to be a doctor at a young age—mostly a result of my coming to idolize the ER doctors that were always stitching me up or putting a cast on me (I was an accident-prone child). I did what I could to prepare in high school: volunteering at a hospital and studying my youth away. And it all paid off when I got into UCSD as Biology major in the fall of 1999! Or so I thought before I dropped out, six months later. It is sort of funny for me to look back on now, but in all seriousness, I can relate to the stress that comes with being pre-med, especially at a school like UCI or UCSD. While there were other factors that led to my quitting school, pressure from classes and classmates was a major impetus. After leaving school I worked for a few years, mostly in construction, before deciding that real life was hard and that I still wanted to be in the medical field. I decided I wanted to be a paramedic and began taking night classes to become an EMT (the first step towards becoming a medic). For about two years, I continued working as an EMT while taking fire-science classes and trying to get picked up onto a fire department. Through my interactions with both doctors and paramedics I eventually decided that I wanted to be a doctor after all and began taking the necessary steps to get back onto that path. I returned to UCSD as an undergrad and graduated in the fall of 2008 with a B.S. in Biochemistry. After graduating, I worked for a pharmaceutical development company before starting at UCI SOM in 2009. Someday, as a doctor, I know that I will be able to draw on my life successes and struggles to better serve my patients. But for now, I would love to help ensure that the future doctor reading this makes it down their road with as few bumps as possible.

Stephanie Bravo, MSI, PRIME-LC

Getting to medical school has been a dream come true, although it came with its challenges. I was born and raised in an apartment surrounded by family in downtown San Jose, CA—a large, urban community. Growing up with my immediate and extended family members provided me with a wonderful support network that helped me to become the first in my family to graduate with a B.A. in Psychology from San Jose State University in Spring 2009. As a first-generation college student among the many pre-meds at SJSU, I seemed to get lost in the crowd and did not know how to navigate through the pre-medical pathway. But, by jumping into the pre-med deep end, I learned to be proactive—taking full advantage of the minimal resources available at my school and in the greater Bay Area. One of my most important experiences as a pre-med was getting paired up with an amazing Stanford medical student through Stanford University’s Mentorship Program (which is just like LMSA’s Mentorship Program). My experiences through the mentorship program have provided me with valuable insight into the mentor-mentee bond and have fueled my passion to become a mentor. I would like to be an LMSA mentor because I’m incredibly passionate about increasing the amount of minorities in medicine to more accurately reflect and better serve the diverse patient population. My background also gives me keen insight into students who have limited resources but do not lack the will to succeed. I would like to help you seek out your own resources and keep you motivated throughout this long and difficult process. It would give me the greatest satisfaction to make your dreams of becoming a physician a reality.

Chris Brown, MSIII

I am a 25-year-old recent graduate from USC, majoring in Biological Sciences. I was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley to an Ecuadorian mother and an Anglosaxon father. My hobbies include sports (mostly watching) and traveling (if I have the money!). In my first year at UCI-SOM, I was active in LMSA, UCI Student-Run Free Clinic, and a student-run initiative to raise money for the victims in the recent Peruvian earthquake. Unlike many students, I did not know that I wanted to go into Medicine right off the bat. You can say I was a little lost in my first 2 years at USC. After having family members suffer from various diseases and feeling frustrated about the care they received, I decided to see if the Health Field was for me. After a short time in clinics, ERs, and other medical settings I knew it was for me and I was right for Medicine. The feeling of being on the forefront of serving the community and the graciousness expressed by the people afflicted with illnesses is like no other.

Philip Bucur, MSI

My name is Philip Bucur and I was raised in San Dimas, CA. I went to UCI for undergraduate and I majored in Economics. At UCI, I participated in physiology research and volunteered my time at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana. After I finished undergraduate, I worked at Hoag Hospital for two years and it was there that I realized I would spend the rest of my life helping others. I am interested in surgery and emergency medicine and I like to play soccer and watch scary movies in my free time. I want to become a mentor so that I can pass off all the helpful advice that people gave to me when I was a pre-medical student.

Jeff Cashin, MSI

LMSA mentorship is a good fit for me for a few reasons. First, given my history of providing no-cost tutoring to high school students in Santa Ana, acting as a mentor to an undergraduate from an underserved background will be an awesome opportunity to continue trying to level the playing field for these students. Also, as LMSA Treasurer it's important that I set a positive example by doing everything possible to ensure that these kids get all of the help that they need to meet and exceed their goals. Going back to my tutoring experience, I feel that tutoring and mentoring are similar in many ways, and that I will be a stronger mentor given my experience.

Odette Chida, MSI (conditional)

Living in one of the poorest states in Mexico, Guerrero, I became aware of the lack of appropriate health access at a very early age. I moved to the United States after graduating from high school. As soon as I arrived, I was told by an academic adviser that learning English at my age, while trying to attend college, would not be realistic. I was advised to go back to Mexico if I wanted pursue my life’s dream: becoming a physician. It was exasperating and dispiriting. However, I enrolled at a junior college to continue my education. When I first started, I didn’t even know you had to transfer to a 4-year university. If there was someone who was totally naïve and clueless about the education system, it was me! Through hard work and determination, I was admitted to UCI and found myself being even more challenged, not only by learning difficult and complex material, but doing so in a language I was still trying to grasp. Adapting to the change, plus working and commuting, did not give me much time to join clubs and volunteer, hence my interest now. I graduated in 2004 with a B.S. in Biological Sciences, became a research associate at UCI Health Policy Research institute and was involved in several projects focusing on ethnic minorities. After many different and unexpected life experiences, I have come to realize that there is nothing like approaching challenges with a positive and energetic attitude.

Diana Cholakian, MSI

I just graduated from USC in May of 2009. I am 22 years old, a first-year medical student and from Glendale, California. I had majored in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, so much of my undergraduate work was focused on public health and the benefits of preventative medicine. I did some research but really enjoyed volunteering and leadership roles in college. In my free time, I love baking cookies, watching Grey's Anatomy and The Office. I would love being your mentor. I was the president of AED, a pre-med honor society so I know a lot of the good resources out there.

Sam Cohen, MSII

I am currently a second-year medical student at UC Irvine. Although I am originally from Southern California, I went to Washington University in St. Louis for my undergraduate studies and majored in biology with a minor in economics. My hobbies are basketball, running, and watching lots of TV. I am also a huge Lakers fan. I'm looking forward to being a mentor.

Annie Coleman, MSI

I am a 24-year-old first-year medical student. I was born and raised in Fresno (I prefer FresYES), California. I attended UC Davis with the intent of becoming a veterinarian. It wasn’t until volunteering at the UCD Medical Center operating room in my third year that I decided to shift my focus to people and pursue medicine. While attending UCD, I played club volleyball and was an active member of the Newman Catholic Student Community. I spent the first year after college researching autoimmune diseases and the second year substitute teaching and coaching high school volleyball. My interests outside of medicine are hanging out with my two-year-old nephew, trying new sports, watching TV and movies, and socializing with friends. I would love the opportunity to share my insight about medical school and the application process with you.

Manuel Cortes, MSI

Mexico Life

Born: Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico

High school: Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolas de Hidalgo, Bachillerato en Biologia

Grad School: Escuela de Medicina "Dr. Hignacio Chavez," Morelia, Mich.

US Life

College: Santa Ana College (transferred to UCI)

University: UC Irvine, BS Biology

Grad school: UC Irvine School of Medicine (MS1)

Hobbies: play soccer, watch sports (Lakers, Anaheim Angels, Dallas Cowboys)

Special interests: Family, helping the underserved

Warren Davis, MSIII

I did my undergraduate work at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, graduating in neuroscience in 2006 and then went on to pursue a master’s in Psychology. I think neuroscience is a fascinating field but I’m still not sure what I want to specialize in. Enough about that–I’d say I’m a pretty laid back guy, I try not to get too stressed about school. I really believe in working hard and playing hard. I’m originally from Bakersfield and love it here in Southern California. I’m currently trying to learn how to surf and although I thought I knew how to skateboard, I’ve acquired more injuries from that activity in the past three months than I did in the previous four years. I enjoy being active and all outdoor activities: soccer (our IM team is going all the way!), running, swimming, cycling, rock climbing, hiking… I’m super stoked to be in med school, especially here at UCI. I think the opportunities that we have to learn inside and outside of the classroom are really limitless.

Sharlee DeAngelo, MSI

As an undergraduate at UC Davis, I spent one year as the Pre-Med Advisor at our Health Sciences Advising Center, meeting with students one-on-one to discuss the requirements for medical school and how to apply. I also worked for Kaplan Test Preparation and Admissions as an MCAT instructor, teaching the material necessary to succeed on the MCAT while guiding my students through the MCAT and application process. I have a lot of experience advising students in preparation for medical school and thus know I would be great as one of your mentors.

Kareen Espino, MSIII, PRIME-LC

I was born in Guatemala City, Guatemala and came to the U.S. when I was 11 years old. I am an only child who grew up in a single parent home. Since coming to the U.S., I have lived in the San Fernando Valley. I graduated from UCLA in 2003 with a BA in History. I have experience in public policy through my work in Washington, DC and the Los Angeles area. I completed a post-baccalaureate program at UCI before enrolling in the PRIME-LC program. I love foreign films, rock en español and being outdoors!!!

Michael Fenlon, MSI

I’m a San Diegan, born and raised. From birth through undergrad, I lived there all but two years. I studied Human Biology at UCSD, where for my entire four years I had to fight through the pain of being a pre-med. And after two application cycles, I can thankfully say that it was all worth it. But the process of getting here was a lot more fulfilling than otherwise, as I’ve been throughout the world and gotten to participate in some extraordinary things. I have studied abroad, researched cancer, taught biology, built a turbocharged car and even ran with the bulls. Currently, I have no idea what kind of doctor I want to be. But this is actually a good thing, because there is so much to be excited about in medicine. Finally, I’m excited to lend my experiences and help another person navigate the difficult path to becoming a doctor.

Sergio Figueroa Aragon, MSI, PRIME-LC

I grew up in San Juan Capistrano, did my undergrad at UCI and graduated in '06. I worked as a tutor in Santa Ana School District and as a private tutor in south OC. After not getting into medical school the first time I applied, I decided to do a post-bacc. I did the Reapplicant Program at UCLA and reapplied to medical school. Now, I'm an MS1 at UCI and truly enjoying it.

Drew Fleck, MSI

I went to USC for college and started as a psych major with little experience in science, and no idea I’d end up one day applying to med school. I wasn’t very motivated, and my grades were horrible. When I realized I wanted to go into medicine, I had a lot of catch-up to do. I also had no knowledge of the process. I didn’t have any other pre-med friends, or family members in medicine–I was truly on my own. At the same time, I worked full-time throughout college to support myself financially. I wish I had had a mentor! So now I’m in, and I have all this useful information and nothing to do with it. It would be great to have the opportunity to share it with someone who could use it. I think I could be a big help to anyone who is serious about his or her future and who’d like some friendly pointers, maybe some help with orgo, or a pep talk from time to time. Pre-med life isn’t the greatest. I get it. It’s all worth it in the end, and I want to make sure my mentor doesn’t forget it.

David Flick, MSI

My name is David Flick, I am 25 years old, and am a first-year here at UCISOM. I was born and raised in Westchester, CA, which is near the LAX airport and about 10 minutes from the beach. In 2007, I graduated with a BS in Biology from Loyola Marymount University and promptly moved myself to Thailand. I wanted to experience something completely different from what I was used to, so I completed a certification course in teaching English as a second language and took off. Before arriving in Thailand, I spent the first 3 weeks assisting a dentist in rural Cambodia with a group of missionaries that run an orphanage out there. The group returned back to the US and I bought a one way ticket to Bangkok. Within a week, I found a great job up in the North as a "homestay parent" for the middle school boarding students at an American accredited international school. The school quickly took advantage of my flexible nature and I was soon teaching high school pre-calculus, business math, geometry, IT, 7th grade pre-algebra, and an SAT prep course for the seniors. While in Asia, I had the unique opportunity to do some volunteer work in India, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. After a year, I returned to the US to complete interviews, then took part in 2 more volunteer projects in Peru and Morocco before school started. So as you can see, my true passion lies in the learning, understanding, and experience of anything new (especially cultural) in order that I can one day serve the widest range of people. If there are any pre-meds out there interested in global medicine, send them my way!

Nicole Flores, MSI

My name is Nicole and I grew up in San Diego. I went to UC San Diego and graduated in 2008 with a major in Animal Physiology and Neuroscience and a minor in Art History and Criticism. As an undergraduate, I was involved in research for two-and-a-half years and participated in a summer research program at Harvard Medical School designed primarily for students from groups underrepresented in science. I also spent a lot of time working with the Preuss School, a charter school that provides rigorous college prep for low-income and underrepresented students who will be the first in their families to graduate from college. I was a tutor and mentor, and I absolutely loved the experience. I would love to be able to help anyone try to navigate the road to medical school. I know it can be incredibly challenging and I will do my best to provide as much advice, encouragement, and support as possible.

Alvaro Galvis, MSV, MD/PhD Candidate

Age: 30

Hometown: Daly City, CA (San Francisco Bay Area)

Undergrad: Santa Clara University (class 2002)

Major: Biology with emphases in Ecology (BSc) and Religious Studies (BA)

Medical Interests: Internal Medicine (either Infectious Diseases or Heme Oncology)

Non-medical interests: lifting weights, jogging, snowboarding, old school video games (NES), mentoring, helping the underserved

Organizations: American Red Cross (2003-2005), LMSA (2005-present), UCI Admissions Committee (2007-current)

I am currently in my fourth year of the MSTP (MD/PhD program) at UCI. There are many things that interest me: from the basic science research of HIV to figuring out how to increase the number of the underrepresented and socio-economic disadvantaged in the fields of medicine and science. My story is a bit crazy–back in undergrad I did not have a full idea of what type of work I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to change things for the better, I wanted to empower people that were trapped by the barriers imposed on them, but how I was not sure. I considered becoming a priest (hence religious studies at a Catholic institution), an ecologist with an emphasis on creating sustainable land use, and finally a doctor. However the road was tough, I first took the MCAT in August 2001 and applied, but that whole thing was a disaster. However, I did not give up and I set about a 3 year plan on how to get into medical school that started with my admissions to SFSU as a masters student. There, I appreciated more of why I wanted to become a doctor and gained a need to also pursue basic research.

So why a doctor? Because you can be in the trenches and be an advocate for those who have none. Then why a PhD? To gain the ability to direct research not just to the general problem of a disease, but towards the populations that are being ignored. For example: the vast majority of HIV research today focuses only subtype B which is one of the least infectious and only found in the industrialized world. What about Latin America, Africa, India? The virus could be quite different and, hence, treatments developed here may not be suitable for the rest of the world. This is where I want to jump in and bring about some change.

How can I help the mentee? Well, I am currently on the Admissions Committee, so I have an idea of the competion–what the numbers look like and what type of people are getting into medical school. I also bring in my experience as an applicant and how I battled my way into medical school from my first application in 2001 to my acceptance to the MD program on July 21, 2005 and finally to the MSTP on June 4, 2006.

Yasser Giron, MSIII, PRIME-LC

I was born in Guatemala and immigrated to the United States when I was 5 years old. I grew up in South Los Angeles where I attended South Gate High School. After H.S., I enrolled at East Los Angeles Community College (ELAC) where I did my general education and then transferred to UCLA as a Physiological Sciences major. After graduating in 2003, I took several years off to work as an academic counselor at ELAC and also as an organizer in the immigrant rights movement. Before starting medical school, I did a postbac at UC Irvine to strengthen my application. I am currently a 3rd-year medical student in the PRIME-LC program and a member of LMSA. Some of my interests are: Single-Payer Universal Health Care, International Politics, Family Medicine, and Community Empowerment.

Thomas Hand, MSI, PRIME-LC

I am by no means a perfect student. I worked part-time jobs and did extracurricular stuff all up and down my undergrad career at Claremont McKenna College ('07). I've always looked at classes and grades as obstacles to a real education which occurs, in my opinion, outside of class. If I were in charge of medical school admissions, all your transcripts would be burned. As your mentor, I'll be more interested in the things you do outside of class, because these are the things that will ultimately make you a compassionate doctor and a decent human being. I will not tolerate a med school robot; nothing makes me yawn more than hearing about people's GPAs and MCATs. Tell me about your dreams! What are you passionate about? How will you change the world? I'll bounce this energy right back at you in the form of pep talks when you're worried about a piss-poor performance on a biochemistry test. You will get into medical school, no matter what, if you want it bad enough. As a reapplicant, I'm a testament to that.

Devin Harper, MSII

Hi, I'm a 25-year-old second-year medical student. I went to UC Davis and majored in Biology/Physiology. At UCD, I played volleyball for four years and also joined a fraternity. I wasn't sure about going into medicine until I had a great trip to Uganda in 2004. I got to work with an American doctor serving the Pygmies in a rural jungle area (not too far of a stretch from Sean Connery in Medicine Man). My current interests in medicine are emergency medicine and global health. Outside of class I do martial arts, read and watch the TV shows House & ER.

Craig Harrison, MSII, PRIME-LC

While growing up and learning the meaning of benevolence and service to others, I also developed a passion for work with the Latino Community in particular. Through my international public health work in Central & South America, I learned more about the reality of today’s health care needs, while also becoming enlightened to the growing gap in health care for the underserved here in my home state of CA. Medicine represents a significant career change for me, but as I prepared for the biggest shift of my life, UCI’s PRIME-LC stood out above and beyond everything else, as a clear home for me as I work to achieve my future aspirations. It quickly became clear that the incredible foresight which brought PRIME-LC to life, and the four generations of students who have matriculated through this program before me, would serve to further inspire and shape my ideas going forward. Honestly, Ive never been so excited about what my future holds. That being said, I also feel it’s immensely critical to help empower the next generation of medical school applicants with the knowledge it takes to be successful throughout what may appear to be a challenging process. After taking the MCAT twice, and applying a few times as a very non-traditional candidate, I certainly learned the meaning of persistence. Regardless, I want to help ensure that medical school does not seem like an impossible goal, and communicate what can be done for interested applicants of any background. I look forward to working with you!

Joanna Hernandez, MSI, PRIME-LC

My name is Joanna Hernandez, a first-year medical student. I attended UCLA and majored in History. I am from Chula Vista in San Diego County. Some of the things that I like to do for fun are going to concerts (I can count at least 30 concerts I have been to!), cooking, watching sports (I am a huge San Diego Chargers fan!), going to the beach, and being with my family. My path to getting into medical school was difficult because I had no one guiding me through it. After graduating, I did a post-baccalaureate program through UCLA/Charles Drew University where I took a lot of extra science classes and got help with studying for the MCAT and my medical school application. I hope to be able to share my experiences and all of the things that I have learned along the way!

Farah Karipineni, MSIII

Hi! I'm Farah and I'd love to be your mentor. I'm interested in global public health, business and politics. I finished a Masters in Public Health at USC, so if you have any questions about that process, hit me up. I've experienced international health issues like HIV/AIDS and rural health in India (where my family is from) and Ecuador (I speak Spanish). I studied comparative literature at Berkeley (focus on Hispanic lit.) before going back to school to do pre-med prerequisites, so for any of you non-traditional pre-med students out there, I have some experience with that, too. I've written and read LOTS of personal statements, taken the MCAT twice, and I know way too much about the entire application process, so I'm always happy to pass on that info to current/future applicants. Good luck everyone!

Didi Mwengela, MSII

Hello, I'm Didi. I'm from the Bay Area (San Jose) and graduated from Stanford University in 2006. There, I studied Biological Sciences and Spanish and was heavily involved in community service and health promotion. After I graduated, I worked as a Research Assistant at New Generation Health Center, a UCSF clinic that provided reproductive health care to high-risk youth in San Francisco. Last year, I did the post-baccalaureate program here at UCI, so I've become familiar with UCI classes and undergraduate life. Some of my interests within medicine are working to promote health in underserved communities and preventive medicine. Over the years, I've learned a lot about applying to medical school and preparing for medical school that I would love to share with up-and-coming pre-med students. If you think I can help you out, please let me know. I look forward to working with you!

Jerry Ngo, MSIV

My name is Jerry Ngo, a 25-year-old fourth-year medical student who has lived in a bunch of places that include New York, Ohio, Sacramento, Santa Ana, and Irvine. I went to UCI and studied biology, although I took quite a few classes in chemistry. My hobbies/interests include singing, dancing (hip-hop stuff), Rubik’s cube, and tennis. I am currently involved in LMSA and was helping to coordinate the food for the LMSA conference.

Marcos Peña, MSI (conditional)

I am a transfer student from Oxnard Community College and a 1st-generation college student. I am grateful for the simple things in life–like waking up early to enjoy a good breakfast with my mother and brother. I am also a health enthusiast and I am always looking for ways to efficiently improve health in myself and learn from others. I enjoy bringing out the best in others. Before beginning the conditional program at the School of Medicine at UC Irvine, I obtained my Bachelors at UCI in Biomedical Engineering and was amazed with the exposure I received in biomedical devices and research. I was also involved in clinical community projects that led me to serve and represent a community I am a part of. A positive mentality and support is important in anyone's life, and this is something I am willing to assist anyone with.

Tania Portillo, MSII

I am a 26-year-old Salvatrucha, born and raised in La Puente, California. I graduated from UCLA in 2006 with a major in Psychobiology and minor in Public Health. During my year off, I did research at the National Institutes of Health, in Bethesda, Maryland. The most fun I had as a pre-med was traveling to places like Chicago, New York, Boston, DC, Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Europe. Lastly, my motivations to become a physician are fueled by the memory of my late father’s struggle with health, and others like him.

Sarom Pyun, MSI

My name is Sarom Pyun and I am a first-year med student. I graduated from Pomona College in 2003 as a non-pre-med Bio major and Psych minor. The majority of my "education" in college revolved around an increase in my social awareness, specifically as it related to social justice issues both on and off campus. I started with an interest in the power dynamics of race, which quickly moved into an examination of the dynamics of class. Eventually, I became very focused on inequitable access to education, which led me to a two-year teaching program through Teach For America in Huntington Park. I taught 7th grade Life Science and Health, then moved into adult ESL education for a bit, and finally decided to leave teaching altogether in order to venture into the world of healthcare. I have explored the many different faces of healthcare (so if any of you are thinking about non-MD healthcare, I can help you out), but FINALLY decided on medicine :). With medicine, my main interest is culturally contextualized and community-based preventive care for underserved urban communities. Quite a mouthful, yes. What this looks like exactly, I'm still trying to figure out. Haha. I am also interested in Public/Community Health and am considering getting an MPH sometime during all of this. On a separate (non-med) note, I love TV (mostly comedies and the trashy stuff) and I love good food. So if you become my mentee, let's eat and watch TV together (while talking about medicine, of course). Looking forward to meeting you!

Carlos Rodriguez, MSIII

I'm a 27-year-old Latino from the Inglewood/Hawthorne area in Southern Cal. I graduated from UCLA in 2005 majoring in Psychobiology and a minor in Chicana/o Studies. I was involved with several projects at UCLA that tried to improve underserved communities through health and outreach. I was on the board of UCLA CCM for two years and I was Co-director of the Latino Student Health Project for one year where I helped organize various health fairs in communities where they were needed the most. I enjoy hanging out with friends, meeting people, playing sports, and medicine (I am a nerd). I'm interested in primary care focusing on what going on in the Latino community.

Maria Robles-Rosales, MSIII

I am a non-traditional student. In 2001, I returned to school to fulfill my lifelong dream of becoming a physician. I grew up in East Los Angeles and have lived in the San Francisco Bay area. In 2005, I graduated from UC Irvine with a B.S. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and a minor in Chicano/Latino Studies. During 2006-07, I completed a post-baccalaureate program at UC Irvine. I have been married for 9 years, no children. My interests include: women's health; diabetes care and prevention; issues surrounding HIV/AIDS care, treatment and prevention; and increasing/improving access and delivery of healthcare to the Latino community. My hobbies include: dancing salsa, reading (anything when I have the time), and spending time with my family and my many pets. Also, I am a fluent in Spanish. Throughout my journey to medical school, I was fortunate enough to have had mentors who provided the best guidance and encouragement, it is my goal to help other students along their journey to becoming physicians. Lastly, I am a very positive and upbeat person—this attitude will rub of on you (just a warning)!

Areo Saffarzadeh, MSI

Well, what can I say? My name is Areo and I try not to take life too seriously. You will find me smiling and saying stupid things randomly. ;) I was a screw up in high school (graduated at bottom ten percent of my class), but then I got myself together in college and was the top graduating senior at UCSB. I have a work hard/play hard mentality and it works well. (I liken it to the way they cast iron swords...heat it up then cool it down...do this over and over and you get a very strong piece of iron). I was the first person in my family to be born in the US, and I come from humble means. I graduated from UCSB with a double major in Biological Science and Business Economics and pursued research in public health. I took two years off from school. The first year, I worked as a full-time TA teaching Intro Physics. The second year, I became a professional musician. I play guitar, which is my primary instrument, as well as bass, mandolin, hand percussion, and classical Middle Eastern 72-stringed instruments (well, it's just one instrument—I don't know why I put the "s"). I have been very involved in my community (in Santa Barbara) helping young, mostly Latino, elementary school kids learn music while also helping them with homework tutoring. I started an afterschool youth mentoring program at a local school in Santa Barbara and I am in the process of doing something similar here. Who is my ideal mentee? Someone energetic, motivated, and who hopes to make a difference in this world. Someone not afraid to speak their mind and stand up for what they believe in. Do you have to play music? No. Do you have to be smart? No. Do you have to be willing to work your ass off to fulfill your dream? YES! Really, that's all it takes to make it in this world. And one other thing...in the words of Tupac, "You gotta keep ya head up."

Karina Salazar, MSI (conditional)

My name is Karina Salazar and I grew up in Norwalk, California with my parents and older brother and sister. I graduated in 2005 from Stanford University. I recently earned my Masters degree from UC Irvine in Environmental Toxicology. For the last few years, I conducted research on the health effects of air pollution and was heavily involved with the UC Irvine Outreach Clinics. Currently, I am a conditional medical student at UC Irvine. While my path to medical school has been long and winding, it has taught me important lessons which I would love to pass on to a mentee.

Ryan Serrano, MSI

I was born in San Jose, California but grew up most of my life in San Diego. Because most of my family was born/raised/still lives in the Bay Area, I have been a faithful San Francisco 49ers fan my entire life. I've always been active in sports—in high school I played basball, soccer, football, wrestling, lacrosse, I surfed, and more. I went to undergrad at Occidental College where I continued to play football and also played rugby for four years. I majored in Kinesiology and had two on campus jobs as an athletic trainer and an anatomy/physiology tutor. Naturally, my interest in medicine started with sports medicine and I'm still interested in it today. My other interets include complimentary and alternatve medicine and integrative medicine, as well as preventive medicine and using behavioral/lifestyle modifications to prevent and reverse chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, etc. Word on the street is that I'm kind of a cool guy, so you should pick me as your mentor! Also, I've been known to play some ping-pong, so if you enjoy that......two thumbs up.

Ann Shue, MSI

My name is Ann and I'm a first-year medical student. I'm from Santa Rosa, a medium-sized city in Northern California. I just graduated from Yale with a Biology degree. After thinking about pursuing other careers such as in research, environmental conservation, and music, I decided that medicine was the way I wanted to go. When I have free time, I like to play piano, hike, play tennis and ping-pong, and explore different restaurants and random places.

Brandon Sievers, MSI

I have a wealth of experience that I need to hand down to the next generation. It's recommended that a person should travel a path of least resistance in order to achieve one's dreams, but FORTUNATELY for my future mentee, I have traveled down a path of most resistance. I leaped over every hurdle and withstood a myriad of obstacles in order to accomplish a childhood dream of becoming a culturally-sensitive medical student and future physician. I'm crazy positive and you'll never find me in a bad mood. I attended Saddleback Community College, then transferred to UCI, completed my post-bacc at UCI, and now I'm a first-year medical student at UCI School of Medicine. I look forward to meeting individuals with similar passions and goals. Life is about being better every day. You can accomplish anything, JUST BELIEVE IN YOURSELF.

Janet Solis, MSI (conditional)

Hi everyone. It is so wonderful that you are all pursuing a career in medicine given the great need for doctors in underserved areas. I myself am interested in practicing family medicine, preventive medicine, and public/mental health in South LA where I grew up. I've had a lot of experience working with patients in US and Central American clinics and working with K-12 students as a tutor and college prep advisor. I was also involved in CCM at UCLA where I studied psychobiology. I did not have a mentor, however, and that is something that I feel I really missed out on because it was hard figuring things out on my own. So, I would love to be a mentor for you guys. I've struggled at times along the way, so if any of you are also having a hard time with your pre-med classes or need advice on the application/reapplication process or post-bacc programs, I would be very happy to help you. Already by being involved in CCM, you guys are on the right path to accomplishing you goals!

Brenda Campos-Spitze, MSI, PRIME-LC

My name is Brenda Campos-Spitze. I am a first-year medical student and the daughter of El Salvadoran immigrants. My parents moved to California during El Salvador's civil war back in 1980 and raised our family in a small town in the desert called Rosamond, California (near Palmdale). I graduated from UC Davis in 2007, where I majored in Biological Sciences and minored in Chicana/o Studies. I then got married and moved to Philadelphia where I worked as a Medical Assistant in an inner-city clinic for 2 years before coming to Irvine. My passion is bringing quality preventative and comprehensive care to the underserved whether they be in Santa Ana or Kenya. My hobbies/interests are reading, watching movies and the Foodnetwork, trying out new foods, and working out.

Bryce Spitze, MSI, PRIME-LC

At UC Davis, I studied Spanish and International Relations and regularly had the opportunity to take my education outside of the traditional classroom experience. As I did this, I realized that the path I was taking was actually leading me away from where I wanted to be. My intention behind leaving my previous field of study and taking up medicine rests on my belief that I will make an immediate, tangible impact only by being directly involved in people’s lives. At the same time, I do not want this impact to stop at the personal or familial level; I hope to change a community or even a region. It follows naturally that I should combine my knowledge of Spanish and love of Latino culture with this desire, and that I should empower the Latino community to take ownership of their own health.

Jeremy Truntzer, MSI

Family: Only child

Father: Born in France, Engineer

Mother: Psychologist

High School: Palo Alto High School (1997-2001), played varsity soccer & tennis, involved with Interact Club (Rotary Club for students)

College: Harvard University (2001-2005), Biology & Anthropology majors, varsity soccer (4 yrs), summer research in orthopedics & endocrinology, mentor in Best Buddies program

Post College: Worked 4 years at biotech start-up, volunteered at community clinic that served Hispanic community, research in orthopedics at Stanford

Interests: Sports (playing & watching), national health care reform, local community health reform, sports medicine

Ignacio "Nacho" Velazquez, MSI, PRIME-LC

I am the oldest child in a family of five children. I was born in Woodland, California but grew up in Grimes, a small rural town, where I attended Pierce High School. I attended the University of California, Berkeley for my undergraduate work where I graduated with a B.A. in Psychology in 2008. I am currently a 1st-year medical student in the PRIME-LC program and a member of the Latino Medical Student Association.

Tatianne Velo, MSIII, PRIME-LC

It is very important to me to increase the number of underrepresented groups in medicine. I am Latina, Suramericana, was raised locally in Santa Ana, and did not really take advantage of counselors/mentors. I was always surrounded by driven pre-meds who helped one another and I know that made a huge difference in helping me navigate through the process and keep my sanity, most of the time. I started at Santa Ana College, transferred to a Cal State Fullerton as a Biology major, and then decided to pursue medicine after trying research at UCSF while in a post-bac at SF State. I have volunteered in student-run and private community clinics, worked in medical settings, and done scientific research abroad in England. I chose UCI specifically for PRIME, and because my family was close. I've been involved with and will be working on the UCI student-run free clinic, LMSA, conferences, mentoring, health fairs, advocacy, PRIME, and healthcare reform. I've had crappy mentors myself who were too busy and I'd like to offer whatever help you need, whether it's with class schedules, where to volunteer, applications, secondaries, and general advice. I'm a big promoter of getting involved in school and outside of it, and believe it helps you become a well-rounded person, BUT, I also believe you need to excel in school, and everything has to take a backseat to that. I don't pretend to have all the answers, but I'll find them!!! Thanks!!

For more information about our mentorship program, email a Mentorship Co-Chair

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