AoA Inductees

Maddie earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Philosophy at Syracuse University with a double Minor in Biology and Family and Child Development. At Syracuse, Maddie volunteered as an EMT and dispatcher for Syracuse University Ambulance. She also helped start the Syracuse University Chapter of Camp Kesem: a week-long, free summer camp and year-round support system for children experiencing a parent’s cancer. Since graduating, Maddie has continued volunteering with Camp Kesem in several alumni roles, including as a Camp Advisor between the first and second summers of medical school. In starting medical school, Maddie set a goal to learn about the community around her and the needs of that population, becoming engaged with the YWCA of West Michigan as a Sexual Assault Advocate and volunteer at the domestic abuse safe house. She also served as an MSU CHM representative for the Kent County STI Alliance and as a volunteer for Michigan’s Reproductive Freedom for All campaign. As a medical student advocate with the Michigan Section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, she was able to advocate for Michigan patients with legislators during the national Advocacy days in 2021 and 2022 to remove the sales tax on feminine hygiene products, extend Medicaid post-partum leave, and expand individualized prenatal care. Maddie proudly volunteers with Diagnosis: Queer as an editor and advocate, helping to amplify LGBTQIA+ voices and education within medicine in Michigan and beyond.

For research, Maddie is working on lactation amenorrhea and post-partum contraceptive projects. She is also part of a team researching rural social determinants of health impacting the rural population in the Thumb of Michigan and is learning about rural health policy by helping write new EHR and rural OBGYN policy with the National Rural Health Association as a junior delegate. Within CHM, Maddie has served as a representative for the Health and Wellness committee, helping to pilot to a student run wellness program, and as a representative or the College Advisory Council. Additionally, she has valued the opportunity to serve peers as a tutor and big sibling mentor, as she received so much support from her big sibling and from tutors throughout medical school. She is completing her third and fourth years on the Midland Campus and in her rural site in the Thumb, with all new communities to learn and engage with. Maddie is currently completing third year clerkships, and greatly looking forward to her OBGYN rotation.

Tiffie is a proud first generation and non-traditional student originally from Dededo, Guam, and her observations there have dramatically shaped her path within medicine. Observations include: high rates of cardiovascular disease and diabetes compared to the continental US; lack of specialty providers leading to expensive travel to Hawaii for care; and high poverty rates along with high cost-of-living contributing to poor access to healthcare.

Tiffie earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology from
UCLA in 2013. She attended Tulane University from 2016-2017 and received her Master of Science degree in Cell & Molecular Biology. The rest of her gap years were spent working two jobs simultaneously while exploring different healthcare environments in Los Angeles. She has worked in private practice, at a surgery center, in the ER, and in a breast cancer research lab, to name a few, and has published manuscripts prior to medical school. Through these experiences, she found her passions in serving marginalized communities and in health disparities work.

At CHM, she has been a member of the Dean’s Student Advisory Committee since Fall 2020.
During her second year, Tiffie also served as co-President of AMA, co-Public Relations Chair of SNMA, and co-Vice President of APAMSA. Through these roles, she planned events highlighting diversity, culture, health policy, and advocacy. She has also been a part of Uloma Immigrants’ House (UIH), a CHM student-run non-profit organization based in Flint, since Fall 2020. Tiffie has been an integral part of applying for grants, growing relationships with other community organizations, and developing an ESL/health literacy program to address the low rates of adult literacy in Flint. Prior to medical school, Tiffie received little mentorship and she hopes to help other pre-medical students navigate the challenging application process. She mentors a pre-medical student from Guam through the Health Opportunities and Medical Exposure (HOME) Program based in Guam. In research, Tiffie has presented at local and national conferences in projects relating to cannabis toxicity.

As her leadership roles at MSU came to an end, Tiffie became involved on a national level within AMA on the Minority Issues Committee and within APAMSA on the Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Committee. Within the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), she serves on the Medical Student Component (MSC) DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) Working Group. Tiffie was also elected to a national position within the ASA MSC Governing Council as Membership Outreach Coordinator. At MSU, Tiffie is part of the Leadership in Medicine for the Underserved (LMU) Program and the Research to Reduce Disparities in Disease (R2D2) NIH-funded research program. Her R2D2 project examines the impact of militarization and colonization on the health of Guam’s indigenous peoples. All of Tiffie’s medical school activities are a testament to her desire to treat diverse patient populations, to address health disparities, and to promote health equity. She hopes to find a niche for these passions within the field of Anesthesiology.

Aldana Julia Garcia is a third-year medical student at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine who has a commitment for increasing the diversity in medicine, mentoring underrepresented students in medicine, and using her bilingual and bicultural upbringing to provide culturally and linguistically competent healthcare to Latino communities. Aldana was born and raised in Rosario, Argentina, and relocated to California with her family at the age of 9. Ms. Garcia is a first-generation student who received a full-ride scholarship to attend UCLA, where she completed her undergraduate studies. In 2016, she earned her bachelor’s of science in Psychobiology from UCLA. Her personal experiences with healthcare and drive to uplift Latino communities were the catalyst to her pursue of medicine.

In 2020, she matriculated into MSU CHM and has since served as the East Lansing Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) chapter president, executive board member of the Student National Medical Association, Reach out to Youth planning committee member, CHM admissions interviewer, medical health record grader, and academic tutor. She is currently the Chief Development Officer for the LMSA Midwest regional chapter, Chief Mentoring Officer for MiMentor, and a peer mentor for Pre-Health Dreamers (PHD) and the UCLA Latino Alumni Association. Throughout her medical education thus far, she has received the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, LMSA national, A. Gordon Adams, Jr. CHM endowed, LMSA Midwest region, LMSA and PHD, and the League of United Latin American citizens scholarships.

Ms. Garcia’s drive to help increase the cultural and linguistic competency to increase the quality of care for monolingual-Spanish speaking patients motivated her to start the Medical Spanish elective at CHM. Alongside her colleague, she developed a case-based medical Spanish curriculum, where she had the opportunity to collect data to evaluate the effectiveness, relevance, and applicability of the innovative curriculum. She is continuously working with CHM faculty to develop an institutionalized medical Spanish course. Aldana is also actively participating in epistemic injustice research which examines how a community of student-faculty interactions supports diverse students in medical school. She is the co-author of Chapter 5, Part 2: Identity and Experiences of the book “Promoting Meaningful Student-Faculty Experiences in Graduate Education,” which is currently under review. She has presented her research projects at both regional and national conferences and has been invited as a guest speaker at over 11 conferences and events. Ms. Garcia is committed to continue working on increasing the diversity in medicine and help provide culturally and linguistically competent healthcare to the most vulnerable populations, specially to monolingual Spanish-speaking patients.

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Eneka moved to the United States to pursue a Bachelor of Science from Duke University in a bespoke major called Global Perspectives of Maternal and Child Health. At Duke she was a member and captain of the Varsity Swimming & Diving Team. She then served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in rural Guyana for 3.5 years, before repatriating again to earn a Master of Science in Physiology from Georgetown University. Since matriculating to the College of Human Medicine, Eneka has joined several national and local organizations, holding leadership positions in many. She is the Policy Chair of the National Rural Health Association’s Student Constituency Group for the second year. Notably, the NRHA recently adopted a policy authored by Eneka and others entitled, Firearm Safety in Rural America. Additionally, Eneka is the co-President of Grand Rapids Street Medicine and is participating in CHM’s Leadership in Rural Medicine Certificate Program. She is also on the Executive Boards of Scrubs Against the Firearm Epidemic (SAFE) at CHM and Physicians for Social Awareness. Eneka is pursuing research interests related to vulnerable populations, obstetrics and gynecology, fetal development, oncology, and genetics. Through the past decade, Eneka has paved a path towards a career in medicine as a physician committed to serving marginalized and vulnerable communities.

Outside of medicine, Eneka thoroughly enjoys spending time outside hiking, swimming, camping and exploring. She jumps at ever opportunity to see her family and is delighted to say Michigan is beginning to feel like home.

As a first-generation college graduate, Jasman surpassed challenges and expectations by becoming the first in her family to gain acceptance to medical school. As the daughter of two immigrant parents who were granted political asylum, gained citizenship years later, and raised a family of five, she credits much of her success to her parents who work tirelessly to help make their dreams a reality.

Jasman earned her Bachelor of Science in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior at the University of California Davis in 2017. She began her research career at UC Davis Health as a Junior Specialist for the PRIME node of the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN). She was involved in patient recruitment, enrollment, and follow-up for several clinical trials. During her gap years, she continued to work within the Department of Emergency Medicine at UC Davis Health, where she pursued one of two research interests, women’s cardiovascular health. She studied the clinical significance of universal and sex-specific thresholds for high-sensitivity cardiac troponin and the rates of diagnostic reclassification of myocardial infarction when comparing high-sensitivity cardiac troponin to conventional cardiac troponin. Her and her research team’s findings are published in Annals of Emergency Medicine. She continues to work with her research mentor, Dr. Bryn Mumma, at UC Davis Health, where they are evaluating the incremental value of sex in addition to the HEART score in predicting 30-day and 1-year major adverse cardiac events. She presented her team’s findings at the Annual Conference for Emergency Physicians (ACEP) 2022 where their abstract earned distinction as a Prime-Time Practice Changer.

At Michigan State University College of Human Medicine (MSUCHM), she serves as co-founder of the Scrubs Addressing the Firearm Epidemic (SAFE) chapter. She, alongside her executive board members, led the efforts for the incorporation of firearm violence prevention and education (FVPE) into the college’s Shared Discovery Curriculum. Her passion for firearm injury prevention (FIP) and education led her to work with the college’s simulation team to help create a standardized patient encounter who presents with a firearm-related injury and allow all second-year medical students an opportunity to discuss FVPE prior to starting their two-week emergency medicine rotation. She continues her advocacy for FIP through her participation in the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Student Research Group at MSUCHM. She helped lead several projects that emphasize increasing FVPE-based training for resident physicians, including emergency medicine and pediatric residents. Her and her team’s research project titled, Changing Medical Education: Addressing Firearm Violence Prevention and Education in Pediatric and Emergency Medicine Residency Programs, was accepted for abstract presentation at the American Academy of Pediatrics Conference 2022. She is also a member of the EMIG chapter at MSUCHM and served as an executive board member during her second year of medical school. She was awarded the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Foundation Grant 2022. This grant funds one of research projects titled: “Stop the Bleed” Events: A Missed Opportunity for the Inclusion of Firearm Safety and Education in U.S. Medical Schools. She is looking forward to presenting her and her team’s research findings in the near future.

Jasman plans to pursue a career in Emergency Medicine, with a pediatric fellowship, and continue her advocacy for the prevention of firearm-related injuries and death. She hopes to become a physician who is with, by, and for the community that shaped her into who she is today. She is grateful to have mentors, faculty members, and professors who continue to support and guide her throughout her medical education.

Prior to medical school, Adam earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, a Master of Science in Engineering, and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Michigan. He worked as a civil engineering professor and a consulting civil engineer before deciding to pursue a career in medicine. Since beginning medical school, he has maintained his interest in education research and has also developed an interest in pediatric cardiology research. His education research focuses on undergraduate anatomy instruction and surgical resident training. He is also involved in research projects on congenital heart disease in patients with trisomy 21, surgical biventricular repair for patients with congenital heart disease on a single ventricle palliation pathway, and the evolution of surgical approaches to management of complex congenital heart disease. While at MSU CHM, Adam has coordinated a preclinical surgery elective with the surgery interest group, served as a Blue Coat for the ECE anatomy lab, and worked with Academic Achievement as a peer tutor and AQS leader. During this time, he also worked as an emergency department technician in response to staffing shortages associated with the pandemic. Adam plans to pursue a career in surgery.

Bridget Gongol graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with bachelor’s degrees in Spanish and History and minors in Russian, Economics, and International Affairs. She then earned a master's degree from Stanford University in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies. Prior to completing a post-baccalaureate certificate focused on biology and chemistry at Northwestern University, she worked as an interpreter at a pediatric clinic, taught adult English language learners, and worked in university grant administration. She also authored and illustrated All About Vaccines, a children’s book about immunization that was recognized by the CDC during National Infant Immunization Week and is listed as a learning resource by Immunize Canada.

At MSU CHM, Bridget serves as an admissions ambassador, on the executive board of the Radiology Interest Group, and as a member of the national medical student section of the American College of Radiology. Committed to continuing her work as an educator, she has also served as an anatomy lab blue coat assistant and as a peer tutor. In the community, she regularly volunteers at Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids and coaches a Girls on the Run team. Outside of medicine, Bridget enjoys painting, paddleboarding, playing hockey, learning violin, and spending time with family and friends, especially her husband, Dane Philipsen, and their two cats, Sophie and Katya.

Moustafa graduated from Vanderbilt University with a BA in Neuroscience and Medicine, Health, & Society (MHS). Soon after matriculating at the College of Human Medicine, he joined a number of student organizations wherein he held positions of leadership on executive boards, including the local AMA chapter, National Arab American Medical Association, and Neurosurgery Student Interest Group, as well as volunteered his time with Spartan Street Medicine and the CareFree Medical Clinic helmed by CHM Serve.

Healthcare policy and physician advocacy are two particular areas of interest that have long played critical roles in the management and development of medical education, and so he joined the Michigan State Medical Society House of Delegates (MSMS HoD) as a student delegate and representative of MSU CHM. In addition, he is a voluntary member of the MSMS Committee on Bioethics and Committee on State Legislation and Regulations and periodically contributes to the AMA-Medical Student Section Region 5 events and proceedings. His work on physician advocacy has taken him to the annual AMA Medical Student Advocacy Conference (MAC) in 2021 and 2022 to meet with members of Congress and their staff on issues pertaining to GME expansion, residency benefits/wages, projected CMS cuts, and physician unionization, as well as to the Capitol building in Lansing to meet with Michigan congressmen and women on the issues of improving maternal-fetal wellbeing, ensuring continued access to telehealth, and combatting scope-creep. Similarly, he is also a Vot-ER Team Leader aiding the Healthy Democracy Campaign in registering patients and residents in Southeast Michigan who may otherwise not have access to public resources nor the means to exercise their right to vote.

Moustafa’s current interests are in neurological surgery and related research. He has presented at both regional and international conferences, and was awarded the Keenan Joseph Marshall Endowed Research Fund and the MSUFCU Dean’s Choice Grant Award for Research in Neurology Scholarship, investigating radiographic markers of normal pressure hydrocephalus that may offer some prognostic utility in preoperatively discriminating shunt-responsive patients from nonresponsive patients.

Holliann earned a Bachelor of Science in Health Professions from Grand Valley State University. She then went on to complete law school at Western Michigan University on scholarship where she received the Leadership Achievement Award, Eugene Krasicky Law Review Award, and was designated Student of the year in 2015. Holliann subsequently practiced Health Law at a mid-size firm in Grand Rapids for three years prior to attending medical school. During this time Holliann also served on the American Cancer Society Young Professionals Committee, the Diversity and Inclusion Committee at her firm and the volunteered at the Van Andel Institute.  In medical school she served as an executive board member for the Surgery Interest Group teaching a for-credit suturing skills class for peers, holding suture clinics for undergraduate students, and volunteering in Covid relief efforts. In addition, Holliann quickly became involved in cardiothoracic clinical outcomes research and went on to present at both state and national society meetings, publish in several journals, and win first place in competitions for two of her abstracts. Some comments from Holliann’s clinical preceptors included “wonderful student, incredibly well read” and “top 10% of medical students I have worked with in the last two years.” She was described as “easy to work with and self-motivated,” “quick learner and exceptionally bright,” and an “ideal student who took interest and accountability for her patients.” Holliann is planning a career in Surgery. 

Neej is originally from Northville, Michigan and graduated with a double major in Public Health and Sociology from St. Louis University. While in St. Louis, Neej found a deep passion for helping underserved populations through his involvement in research of sociodemographic factors and clinical work. Before joining Michigan State, Neej traveled to Gujarat, India where he spent time teaching health and science in low-income communities. While in medical school, Neej has served as student representative to the Health & Wellness Committee, Academic Achievement Advisory team, and Flint Ambassadors. Through the pandemic, he found purpose as a co-lead to Medical Supply Drive Michigan helping to tackle PPE shortages and needs in his community. During his early years, Neej was drawn to anatomy and teaching, serving as a Blue Coat for both gross and neuroanatomy as well as working as a Peer Tutor. Neej completed his late clinical years in Flint where he continued his commitment to the underserved as a volunteer with Spartan Street Medicine and the Genesee County Free Clinic. He incorporated his love for art by creating the Art of Observation Workshop designed to engage his peers in recognizing personal biases and thinking contextually in patient care. Neej has also been involved in multiple research projects, poster, and podium presentations related to sociodemographic inequities in various surgical fields. He is a strong proponent of balance and enjoys his extracurricular involvement in the cultural dance circuit as a competition judge and advisor as well as an avid painter and traveler.

Throughout his clinical years, Neej has also received recognition as a member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society. Preceptors have commented that he “Stands out for his level of excellence. Exceptional in every aspect ‐ charismatic, professional, intelligent, hard worker, demonstrates empathy, true desire to help people.” “Great addition to the team; enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Took every learning opportunity and exceeded all expectations. Professional and compassionate.” “Neej was in the top 5% of students that I have worked with at multiple institutions.” “Self‐motivated, pro‐active, strong clinical acumen and great patient/staff rapport.” “Neej is the kind of student who makes teaching exciting. He had an excellent basic science background and was highly motivated to maximize each clinical experience. He can make meaningful connections with patients and parents. He speaks in a way that is both calming and confident. His ease with patient interaction demonstrates his true interest in the person as much as the illness. He reminded me of how exciting medicine can be.” Neej is pursuing a career in plastic surgery. His clinical interests include reconstructive surgery, population health, and sociodemographic disparities.

Charles is the second of 6 children born to Nigerian parents in Nnewi Nigeria. He moved to Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada at the age of 14 and earned his undergraduate degree in Nova Scotia, Canada. He graduated with first-class honors in Bachelor of Science, Nursing from St. Francis Xavier University.

During his undergraduate studies, his maternal grandmother passed away from a cardiac arrest in her sleep and that sparked his keen interest in cardiology. Along with his family, they created the Euniceakosafoundation- a non-profit organization with the aim of providing primary care in rural parts of Africa. He currently serves as the program coordinator and has been part of multiple mission trips to Nigeria with the organization providing primary care to locals. 

He worked as a Registered Nurse on a cardiovascular unit at Spectrum Health Meijer Heart Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan for just over 2 years prior to starting medical school at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. During his time in medical school, he served as the Health Policy Legislative Advocate for the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) chapter at MSUCHM. He also served on the national level of SNMA with the Finances and Grants committee helping to write grants for SNMA and coming up with fundraising ideas. He spent his clinical years of medical school in Flint Michigan where he published his first paper addressing noise induced hearing loss at the workplace and the importance of individualized fit testing for hearing protection devices. During his time at Flint, he also immersed himself into the vibrant city volunteering with spartan street medicine providing basic healthcare to the unhoused population at Flint.

Charles is passionate about cardiology and global medicine. He also enjoys playing and watching soccer, traveling and exploring new cultures, cooking, and dancing to afrobeats.

Tara Sebastian was born and raised in Saginaw, MI and graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Science in Biomolecular Science. She went on to earn a Master of Science in Biomedical Science from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai after defending a thesis on the discovery of small molecule modulators of apoptotic proteins for cancer therapy.

While at the College of Human Medicine, Tara has worked as an intern for Spectrum Health’s Clinical Standardization Program which aims to create decision making pathways to minimize clinical variation, reduce costs, and improve care outcomes. She has also been involved in leadership for the Internal Medicine Interest Group, worked at the Mel Trotter Community Partner’s free clinic, volunteered with FitKids on the Move, and assisted as an Admissions Ambassador for the College of Human Medicine. In addition to leadership and volunteering, Tara has worked on several research endeavors. She published two papers analyzing emerging data on the local hospital response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She additionally presented a continuing medical education session to clinicians in the Helen Devos Children’s Hospital pediatric hematology/oncology (PHO) department regarding the importance of mental health in PHO populations. She continues to study this intersection in her current research in which she is analyzing the effectiveness of mental health screening within the Helen Devos PHO department. The results of this work are being presented at the national American Academy of Pediatrics Conference, and a manuscript is in preparation.

Tara is pursuing a career in Internal Medicine with an interest in hematology/oncology. She plans to center her career in hospital leadership and management to enact system-wide change in the service of vulnerable populations.

Marc earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Human Biology and Bachelor of Arts degree in Finance from Michigan State University in 2019. During his preclinical years at MSU, he was actively involved in the local non-profit sector. He was a volunteer consultant for the local non-profits Helping Women Period and the Down Syndrome Association of Western Michigan. He also worked for the Michigan Center for Rural Health, a government-partnered non-profit organization. Inspired by these groups, he founded OptimizeMSU to help students create their own social innovation projects. Concurrently, he conducted research with Dr. Arjun Krishnan in the Department of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering, where he used artificial intelligence to analyze text descriptions of biologic samples. This work was presented at several national conferences and is now accepted for publication in Nature Communications.

During medical school, Marc volunteered locally with CHM Serve, Haven House, and served on Sparrow Hospital's Patient and Family Advisory Council. He is now researching the effects of COVID-19 on alcohol abuse and heart attack presentations locally. Outside of these experiences, he enjoys photography and traveling, especially at the same time. He is pursuing a career in Internal Medicine.

Darin Patmon earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Neuroscience and Behavior from Columbia University in the City of New York prior to attending his parents’ alma mater, Michigan State University, for medical school. Prior to matriculation in 2017, Darin completed the Advanced Baccalaureate Learning Experience under the leadership of Dr. Wanda Lipscomb. While originally part of the graduating class of 2021, Darin extended his graduation twice to obtain his MBA and pursue research in the field of plastic and reconstructive surgery. Darin’s current research interests include healthcare disparities in patients with craniofacial differences and he currently sits on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee for the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association. Darin will be pursing a career in plastic and reconstructive surgery with a preliminary interest in craniofacial and microsurgery.

Kyle Silva earned his Bachelor of Science in Human Biology from Michigan State University in 2019. Kyle was awarded a position at Sparrow Hospital as part of The Integrated Medical School and Family Medicine Residency Program (TIP) at Sparrow Hospital for the 2022-2023 year. During medical school, Kyle has served in several leadership positions, namely Secretary for the Gold Humanism Honor Society Chapter, Co-Chair of the Unconscious Bias elective, and E-Board member for CHM SERVE. As a volunteer, Kyle is passionate about serving the underserved, assisting the Pharmacy Assistance Program at CareFree Medical in Lansing to aid patients in receiving free or reduced cost medications. During his first year of medical school, Kyle was able to complete his research on Stereotype Threat in video games and how it affects personal perceptions of women in STEM fields and receive a publication. Kyle is currently working on a QI project exploring the effectiveness of PHQ-9 questionnaire in primary care settings. In his first year of medical school, he explored the number of undiagnosed mental health concerns when a PHQ-9 was not provided to all patients. Currently, he is exploring the validity of the questionnaire in the adolescent population when completed in the presence of a parent or guardian. Kyle received honors in Surgery II, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Pediatrics clerkships. Some comments from his preceptors include: "Kyle is a thoughtful self-motivated learner. He will go far in his professional and personal pursuits;” “Kyle has a good knowledge base, is inquisitive, and has a great rapport with patients. He takes initiative in accomplishing patient tasks and has a strong sense of self-direction;” "Good fund of knowledge. Demonstrated a very keen desire to learn and participate in various discussions. Excellent bedside manner and ability and make patients comfortable. A very helpful member of the team;” Kyle is pursuing a career in Family Medicine.

Olivia Everin received her Bachelor of Science degree with honors in Biological Sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2017. As a Division I student-athlete and member of the inaugural women’s soccer team, she earned the distinction of female academic athlete of the year for the 2015-2016 season. After graduating, she worked as an ophthalmic technician for Midwest Retina Consultants before entering MSU CHM in the fall of 2019.

Throughout medical school, Olivia has carried on her passion for teaching and mentorship by serving as an anatomy and neuroanatomy teaching assistant, peer tutor, and AQS leader. She has been involved in various research projects in bioinformatics, cardiology, surgical oncology, and interventional radiology, with her most recent publication featured in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Her current research project aims to explore clinical outcomes of uterine artery embolization for postpartum hemorrhage, with a focus on post-hysterectomy and fertility rates. Olivia has also enjoyed volunteering for Reach Out to Youth, Lids for Kids, and Care Free Medical’s Pharmacy Assist Program, where she helps underserved patients apply for assistance programs to obtain necessary medications for free. She would like to express her utmost gratitude to her family and friends for their unconditional love and support throughout her time at MSU. Olivia is pursuing a career in Interventional Radiology.

Victoria Bright is originally from a small town in Northern California, Middletown. She received her Bachelor of Science in Psychobiology degree from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2019. She has completed research as a part of the Research to Reduce Disparities in Disease Program at CHM, and her research is primarily focused on substance use among rural pregnant women. Throughout her time at CHM, Victoria has worked as a peer tutor and has been actively involved in student organizations, including Dean’s Student Advisory Committee, American Medical Women’s Association, and Women’s Health Interest Group. She has participated in various community service projects, including vaccination clinics, COVID-19 outreach, and donation events. She also enjoys acting as a mentor and has mentored high school students, undergraduate students, and medical students at CHM and other institutions.

Victoria completed her LCE courses in Traverse and Alpena as a part of the Rural Community Health Program. Preceptors have described Victoria as providing “excellent patient care” and having “great rapport with patients.” She was also described as behaving “like a good junior resident, well above what would be expected for an M3.” Her involvement in R-CHP, as well as her rural upbringing, has motivated her career ambitions. She is pursuing Obstetrics and Gynecology postgraduate medical training and hopes to provide sound medical and surgical care while improving public health efforts in rural communities. As she pursues her career ambitions, Victoria also enjoys binge-reading, running, exploring Michigan with her husband, and playing with her cat!

Parin Kothari graduated with honors from Grand Valley State University where he received his bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences. Before medical school, he worked as an anatomy lab dissector at multiple academic institutions and eventually began teaching anatomy to medical students in Grand Rapids prior to his own matriculation. In medical school, he continued this passion for teaching by becoming a clinical science tutor and hosting a variety of introductory radiology electives which allowed him to give several lectures to first and second year students. In addition to his teaching experience, he is an active participant in clinical research at Orthopaedic Associates of Michigan. Parin has been a part of several projects which have been published and presented at both national and international conferences. His current research investigates the clinical and radiographic outcomes of tibial-stem ankle replacement surgery. He has also volunteered frequently throughout his medical school career, including with the Engaged Partners Project, where he helped a refugee family settle in West Michigan while helping them navigate the complex healthcare system.

In his free time, Parin enjoys golfing with friends, exercising, skiing out West in the winter, playing pond hockey, and hiking with his girlfriend and German Shepherd. 

Audrey Kerubo Ogendi was born in a small village in Kisii, Kenya, and came to the United States at the early age of six. She moved all around the United States during her formative years. She is hardworking, a trait that translated to her studies. Notably, she graduated from her high school at top of her class, thus earning the distinguished Gates Millennium Scholarship. This scholarship fully funded her studies at the University of Virginia where she earned a bachelor’s and master’s in public health. During her undergraduate and graduate studies, she successfully conducted global health research initiatives in Cameroon, South Africa, and St. Kitts and Nevis where she engaged and made lasting community health impacts. Prior to embarking on her medical career, Audrey worked for a small biotech company with the goal of advancing treatment for patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) treatments through clinical trials. She was able to successfully develop online learning tools to advise SLE patients and clinicians about current proof-of-concept clinical trials.

At the College of Human Medicine, she served as the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) Community Service Co-Chair where she acquired grants. These grants sponsored the creation of mentorship workshops geared towards the inspiration of the local community students to pursue a career in STEM fields. Through these efforts, she was awarded the 2020-2021 SNMA Region V Member of the Year. During her clinical years, she served as the College Advisory Council representative for Late Clinical Experience (LCE) students while continuing to excel in her studies.

She serves on the Grievance/Complaint Hearing Panel where she addresses complaints/ grievances brought up by students or faculty and helps with establishing refined procedures. Her compassionate nature secured her induction to the prestigious Gold Humanism Honor Society. Audrey hopes to pursue Emergency medicine residency where she can manage emergent and urgent medical conditions in disenfranchised populations. Post-residency, she hopes to further combine her passion for women’s health and global health.

Benjamin was born and raised in Grand Rapids Michigan and earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in General Business from Grand Valley State University in 2018. Prior to medical school Benjamin worked as an Office Coordinator at Cancer and Hematology Centers of Western Michigan and as a Certified Nursing Assistant at Allendale Nursing and Rehabilitation. Throughout medical school Benjamin has served as a leader in many community and student organizations. Last year he was appointed as a board member of the West Michigan community Council of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. In addition to this, throughout medical school Benjamin has worked as an Oncology Research assistant participating in many projects including evaluating the efficacy of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma.

Outside of medicine Benjamin enjoys biking and this past summer he biked 455 miles across the state of Iowa while fundraising for the Multiple Sclerosis Society. He also enjoys being outside and spending time with his family and friends. Throughout his clerkships Benjamin had many interests but always gravitated back towards internal medicine. Benjamin enjoyed his rotations on Medical, surgical oncology, and Medical Intensive Care. Benjamin is excited to pursue a residency in Internal Medicine!

Kelvin Lim was born in Seoul, Korea and immigrated to Los Angeles, CA, when he was 11 years old. He graduated with cum laude from the George Washington University in Washington, DC, where he obtained a B.S. in Biological Sciences in 2015. Prior to matriculation, Kelvin gained unique clinical experiences through clinical research, working as an EMT in Los Angeles County, and scribing for urologists.

At the College of Human Medicine, Kelvin was elected to serve as the student representative to the Health and Wellness committee. He co-founded Urology Interest Group and Wilderness Medicine Interest. Kelvin has been involved in various research projects in pediatric urology, surgical oncology, and colorectal surgery. To further cultivate his interest in research and gain exposure in the field of urology, Kelvin decided to take a year-long research fellowship, focusing on urologic oncology and health services research at the Methodist Hospital in Houston, TX, after his 3rd year. Kelvin has presented research abstracts in numerous regional and national conferences, and he has published multiple papers on prostate cancer, kidney cancer, and bladder cancer. Kelvin has enjoyed volunteering at Immanuel Lutheran Church and serving as a volunteer role model at Reach Out to Youth (ROTY) event, dedicated to demonstrating careers in STEM for the underserved students. Outside of medicine, Kelvin enjoys hiking, nature photography, cooking, listening to podcasts, and playing video games. Kelvin is applying Urology, and his interests are health services outcomes/translational research and minimally invasive procedures. 

Stephanie Rasmussen received her Bachelor of Science degree in Movement Science from the University of Michigan in 2018. Stephanie began her research career at the University of Michigan studying the immunopathogenesis of rheumatic diseases and investigating novel immunotherapies for cancer. Stephanie has co-authored eight published papers. During her first year of medical school, she served on the planning committee for the 2020 Reach Out To Youth program and volunteered with FitKids360. Stephanie has also served as the Student National Medical Association co-treasurer, the Spartan Street Medicine physician recruitment coordinator/treasurer, and the Internal Medicine Interest Group community outreach chair. She also completed the 2021 Michigan Occupational and Environmental Medicine Association (MOEMA) Summer Internship Program. During her internship, Stephanie conducted a research project on occupational health providers’ awareness, use, and opinions of individual fit testing for hearing protection devices. Stephanie currently volunteers with Spartan Street Medicine, the Shiawassee Free Medical Clinic, and the Reach Out to Youth pipeline program. In her free time, Stephanie enjoys baking, painting, exercising, and traveling. She is interested in Internal Medicine.

Alessandra (she/her/hers) received both a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2014. After moving home to San Francisco, she volunteered at Women’s Community Clinic, a free and low-cost primary care and reproductive health clinic for cisgender women and the transgender community. For almost five years at the Clinic, Alessandra held various positions, including client access coordinator, medical assistant, abortion counselor, and, eventually, clinic manager.

In her first two years at the College of Human Medicine, Alessandra was involved in student groups that allowed her to continue to work directly with community members. This included CHM Serve, where she enrolled patients of Lansing’s Care Free Medical in prescription assistance programs. She was also co-president of the College’s Medical Student Pride Alliance and was an active member of the leadership team of Queering Medicine, a grassroots advocacy organization led by queer people dedicated to improving health outcomes for the LGBTQ+ community in the greater Lansing area.

During her clinical years in Flint, Alessandra has continued to participate in Spartan Street Medicine as a volunteer and has served as a harm reduction volunteer for Wellness Services, supporting the organization’s twice-weekly syringe exchanges. She and several peers have also conducted focus groups to better understand barriers and successes to the use of telemedicine in Flint during the pandemic.

She has also been involved in a research project in the Cunningham lab, with the aim to better understand the relationship between depressive symptoms and patient outcomes in youth with functional abdominal pain disorders.

Alessandra is applying to Internal Medicine residency programs and is excited to develop a career with both inpatient and outpatient experiences.  

Erica completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience from Michigan State University in 2018. She then went on to achieve a Master of Science degree in Physiology from the University of Michigan in 2019 before matriculation into medical school. During this time, she developed a passion for rural medicine while working as scribe in a remote emergency department. While completing her pre-clinical years, Erica led small groups of first year students through boad-prep tutoring sessions. She served as a member of the Surgery Interest Group executive board, organizing a suturing elective for classmates and volunteering at suture clinics put on for undergraduates at local universities. She was chosen to be a part of the Student Advisory Group on Education to provide student’s perspective to a committee of faculty with a focus on curriculum development. Erica committed to exploring rural medicine when she became a part of the Leadership in Rural Medicine certificate program upon entering medical school. She moved to the Marquette campus to complete her clinical years in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. While there, she engaged in a longitudinal wilderness elective, participating in interactive outdoor lectures and events, becoming Advanced Wilderness Life Support certified, and volunteering her time providing first aid at local races. She designed an elective to gain experience in prehospital care through time in the ambulance with local emergency medical services. She also successfully passed the Outdoor Emergency Care and Transportation classes to become an Alpine Ski Patroller at Marquette Mountain ski resort. Erica earned honors level grades in her Obstetrics and Gynecology, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Surgery I, and Psychiatry clerkships. She was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society during her third year of medical school. Erica is pursuing a career in emergency medicine with special interests in emergency medical services, critical care, and rural health.

Taylar Dickson is originally from Canton, MI and attended Grand Valley State University for her undergraduate education, studying Biomedical Sciences with a minor in Psychology. While enrolled, she served on the executive board for several student organizations, managed a coffee shop on campus, and volunteered as a mentor at a women’s center in Grand Rapids. She graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science and matriculated into the College of Human Medicine in 2019. She served on the executive board for the Student National Medical Association as the Health Policy and Legislative Advocate for both her local chapter and the national committee. Her other leadership positions include serving as a Student Council Representative, Student Ambassador for the Office of Admissions, and tutor at the Refugee Development Center, helping newcomers learn to read and write the English language.

Taylar was accepted into the Medical Partners in Public Health Certificate Program which gave her the opportunity to complete her final two years of medical school in Flint, Michigan. Through this certificate, Taylar has received special training in public health and policy, as well as work with local community partners in providing resources and support to vulnerable populations. She notably created an original, tailored educational pamphlet on the importance of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine for an organization in the community who supports citizens returning from incarceration and at-risk youth. Most recently, she has been volunteering her time with Shelter of Flint working with children, and at the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan helping with organizing food for distribution.

Throughout her undergraduate and graduate career, Taylar has had a strong interest in research and is involved in several innovative projects mainly focused on addressing healthcare disparities as well as vaccine hesitancy. One of her studies, focused on assessing the reasons for HPV Vaccine Hesitancy, was presented at both a symposium hosted by Harvard Medical School, as well as the Graduate Academic Conference, where she was awarded with “Best Poster Presentation”.

Taylar was recognized for her excellent clinical skills and compassionate patient care by her peers and was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society. She has a passion for working with underserved populations and hopes to continue her training in an Internal Medicine residency program. She is planning on one day serving her community as a Hematologist/Oncologist.

Jessyca Judge graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Science in Movement Science and a Minor in Writing. During medical school, she developed a strong passion for advocacy and public health through the Public Health Certificate Program. She has held leadership positions through the American Medical Association, American Medical Women’s Association, Women’s Health Interest Group, and Medical Students for Choice. Her advocacy work took her to conferences all across the country to fight for policy change and increased access to care. Through her time at MSUCHM she grew a passion for women’s health and reproductive justice through volunteering at the Family Planning Department of the Genesee County Health Department and Spartan Street Medicine. Her interest in advocacy and women’s health extended into her research endeavors; with a focus on Black maternal morbidity and the environmental impact on women’s health. She plans to continue advocating for underserved populations and women’s rights while pursuing residency in OBGYN.

Christine Dharshika Knight earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology and Sociology from Central Michigan University before pursuing the MD/PhD at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She earned her PhD in Genetics and Environmental Toxicology by studying host-environment interactions in enteric glia. Through her PhD she gained proficiency in computational skills through bioinformatics with genetics data and imaging skills through fluorescence microscopy. Christine is currently a fourth year medical student and her goal is to use the expertise attained at MSU to improve the use of imaging in recognizing and ultimately treating human disease. She plans to do this as a diagnostic radiologist who researches computational assets to help better identify disease processes in medical imaging.

Outside scholastic work Christine enjoys hiking with her husband and two dogs in addition to sketching and creative writing. She would like to acknowledge the love and support from her family in addition to guidance and encouragement from her professional mentors that made all her achievements possible.

Zach received a dual Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and Biomedical Sciences from Grand Valley State University in 2018. During his first and second years of medical school, Zach spent time volunteering at a local homeless shelter offering basic medical services, and outreach along with a team of students and other healthcare providers. He spent time conducting interviews for prospective students of MSUCHM, working to help applicants get an inside look into life as a medical student. He was involved as a board member with the anesthesiology student interest group during his second year, with the goal of helping others explore the field. He spent time conducting research on multiple fronts, including medical education, anesthesiology, and critical care medicine. His main focus now has been a long-term project looking at factors to improve the longevity of arterial lines in critically ill patients. Later this year, he will present at the national conference for the American Society of Anesthesiology. In his spare time, Zach enjoys hiking, and traveling with his wife, Christina and their dog Milo. Zach is planning on a career in Anesthesiology, with long-term interests in Critical care medicine and Cardiothoracic anesthesia. 

Jenna Luth is a first generation college student who earned her Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology from the University of Michigan in 2018. After completing her undergraduate degree, she spent a year doing research in Pulmonary and Critical Care investigating lung microbiota and organ transplant rejection before matriculating into medical school in 2019. She continues to actively participate in research in medical school with ongoing projects in both public health and emergency medicine. Throughout medical school, Jenna has served as a peer mentor, community advocate, and volunteer. Jenna served as an executive board member of the American Medical Women’s Association and the Family Medicine Interest Group. Jenna’s interest in global medicine led her to volunteer internationally in undergraduate and medical school. In college, she traveled to Latin America for two consecutive summers to repair local primary schools and teach students about public health and how to stop the spread of infectious diseases that have devastating effects on their communities. In medical school, she participated in Spartan’s Abroad and joined a group of her colleagues on a trip to Costa Rica to volunteer with a local nonprofit that provided legal and medical resources to individuals suffering from chronic diseases. She has a special interest in serving underserved communities and is an active member of Spartan Street Medicine providing medical care and supplies to individuals experiencing homelessness. Jenna continued to serve as a community advocate through the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic by volunteering with local vaccination clinics and Lansing’s Tri County Office on Aging to provide companionship, food, and personal care supplies to individuals directly and indirectly affected by the pandemic. Jenna would like to thank her family whose continuous love, support, and countless sacrifices have made all of this possible.

Alex received her Bachelor of Arts from Kalamazoo College in 2018 with honors in chemistry where she received the Kalamazoo College Senior Leadership Award. Alex was involved in P450 drug metabolism research with Dr. Laura Furge that was published in the Journal of Drug Metabolism and Disposition. Her volunteer work includes companionship and respite care for hospice patients and the MSU Health Care Covid-19 Triage Line. Alex’s work experiences have included working for a family physician as a medical scribe and being a health record grader for CHM. She is a part of the Rural Community Health Program at CHM and served as vice president of the Rural Health Interest Group as well as a member of the Deans Student Advisory Council. Alex is pursuing a career in Emergency Medicine and in her spare time she loves cycling, playing beach volleyball, and spending time with friends and family.

Monica Vandenbil received her bachelor of science degree in biomedical sciences from Grand Valley State University in 2018. Prior to matriculation into the College of Human Medicine, she worked as a nursing assistant at Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital. Her achievements during her pre-clinical years include serving as the event and community outreach coordinator for the Rural Health Interest Group, and working as a blue coat in the anatomy lab. Monica has spent her clinical years in Traverse City and Ludington as part of the Leadership in Rural Medicine program. Currently she is a student ambassador for the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians. She is also a peer tutor and AQS and MCE Question Slam Leader through Academic Achievement. Monica is passionate about serving her community, and is interested in the role family medicine physicians play in creating healthy communities. She is applying to family medicine programs and hopes to ultimately practice in West Michigan. Outside of academics and her career, Monica enjoys weight lifting, running, disc golfing, playing ukulele, and spending time with family and friends.

Mohammed Naji grew up in East Lansing and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Michigan State University in 2019. As a member of Dr. Mukkamala’s research lab during his undergraduate years, Mohammed contributed to the development of a smartphone-based blood pressure monitor. Upon graduation, he earned the MSU Board of Trustees Award. As a medical student, Mohammed has been involved in numerous research projects within the field of cardiology. He is currently investigating the delays in care for patients who suffered myocardial infarctions during the pandemic. As a volunteer and former board member with CHM Serve, Mohammed has spent many hours obtaining medications for underserved patients at the Care Free clinic in Lansing. Mohammed is also passionate about mentorship and teaching. He has served as a peer tutor and AQS leader during his LCE years. He has also mentored many pre-medical students as a board member of CHM’s AMSA. Outside of medical school, Mohammed is an avid fan of basketball and enjoys spending time with family and friends. Mohammed is pursuing a residency in internal medicine with an interest in cardiology.

Caitlin earned a Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience from the University of Michigan in 2019. Caitlin is passionate about serving underserved populations and is a certificate candidate with the Medical Partners in Public Health Program. During all four years of medical school, she volunteered as a medical advocate for survivors of sexual assault and as a crisis hotline volunteer. She served as the Volunteer Coordinator for Spartan Street Medicine in Lansing and Chief Coordinator for Spartan Street Medicine in Flint. In these positions, she helped start telemedicine in homeless shelters in Lansing during the COVID-19 pandemic and expand street medicine services in Flint. Caitlin serves as a peer mentor, tutor, and health record grader. Caitlin’s research interests include the role of food insecurity in the development of gestational diabetes, the role of telemedicine in homeless shelters, and new mothers’ thoughts on COVID-19 vaccination. She was selected to be a research fellow with the Research to Reduce Disparities in Disease Program and developed a project to investigate barriers to mental healthcare access among LGBTQ+ individuals. Caitlin is planning a career in Obstetrics and Gynecology. She hopes to be involved in medical education and advocate for expanding education in trauma-informed care.

Kristen Mikhail received her Bachelor of Science degree with honors in Neuroscience from the University of Michigan in 2017. Before applying to medical school, she wanted to explore the business and research sides of medicine and spent time working for a start-up pharmaceutical company in Bethesda, focusing on biotechnology in non-human primate research. She then went on to receive a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Boston University in 2019. Since enrolling in medical school, she served in leadership roles as an elected representative of the Dean’s Student Advisory Committee and an executive board member of the Internal Medicine Interest Group. During her clinical years, she became involved in pediatric research in the Department of Genetics and Genomics at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, writing and submitting a report on an infant with a novel genetic mutation that led to a mild phenotype of Osteogenesis Imperfecta Type VIII. Kristen enjoys teaching and worked as a peer tutor throughout her third and fourth years in addition to volunteering at Catherine’s Health Center Walking Program, Fit Kids, and Crisis Text Line. In her free time, she loves spending time with her younger siblings, reading Reece’s book club novels, and going to yoga! She wishes to pursue a future career in pediatrics.

Sejal Mehta is a fourth-year medical student from Clarkston, Michigan. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Evolutionary Anthropology from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. At the University of Michigan, she researched health disparities faced by marginalized communities, including immigrants and patients experiencing incarceration. Sejal has mentored Detroit high-school students since 2017 and continued to mentor the same cohort through medical school. After graduating, she worked in an emergency department in Pontiac, MI serving medically underserved patients.

At Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, Sejal helped design a research project investigating the effects of movement on learning anatomy, with the results published in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. In addition, she presented research on air chlorine byproduct exposure on lung function at the Michigan AAP conference. During her first year of medical school, she served patients with substance use disorders, leading her to research health disparities faced by incarcerated patients experiencing addiction. As a result, she was selected to complete a highly competitive addiction medicine immersion program at Hazelden Betty Ford. In addition, she has served as the Vice President of the Pediatrics Interest Group, volunteered for the COVID-19 call center, and led an elective course on unconscious bias. Sejal is pursuing a career in Pediatrics and hopes to be a source of support for underserved communities.

Lauren earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Allied Health Sciences from Azusa Pacific University in 2017. Prior to medical school, Lauren spent time working as a camp counselor, tutor, ballet instructor, and a medical assistant/scribe/casting technician at an orthopedic office. She matriculated into MSU CHM in 2019 as part of the Rural Community Health Program. Throughout her clerkships, she has solidified her passion of being in the operating suite, and plans on applying to orthopedic surgery residency programs this fall. Outside of her required course work, she has enjoyed volunteering at Safe Harbor of Grand Traverse, a local homeless shelter, providing care to underserved populations through street medicine, and she has conducted research in orthopedics and rural medicine including a food as medicine nutrition project for pregnant women at risk for food insecurity, obesity or substance use disorder. She has also worked closely with Student Council, the Orthopedic Surgery Student Interest Group, and FitKids360 at MSU CHM. When not at the hospital, you will probably find Lauren at the golf course or spending time with her family at the lake.

Chris Keyes received his bachelor of arts degree in chemistry and his bachelor of science degree in human biology from Michigan State University in 2019. During his undergraduate experience, Chris spent time working as a home health aide and was a supervisor for the facility operations team at the Breslin Student Events Center. He also spent time volunteering in the outpatient surgery department at Sparrow hospital in Lansing. In addition to this, Chris spent his time working with kids at the Center for Language Teaching Advancement Summer Spanish Camp held at Michigan State University and at the Boys and Girls’ Club of Lansing.

During his time in medical school, Chris founded and served as the president for the Radiology Interest Group in East Lansing. As part of his role, he organized events and created radiology teaching content which is now being incorporated into the curriculum as a learning supplement at MSU. He also served as the vice president of the Internal Medicine Interest Group where he helped coordinate events.

Chris spent time serving as an admissions committee member in 2021 and also tutored through the Office of Academic Achievement. In addition to this, he helped organize and run blood drives through the American Red Cross and worked with ski patrol at Boyne Highlands.

Some of the research that Chris has been involved in during medical school include studies on the learning trajectories on subject performance related to students’ performance on the USMLE Step 1 exam, the impact of clerkships on the growth of clinical knowledge, and the psychosocial impact of SARS-CoV-2 on Michigan’s rural communities. He also conducted clinical research assessing the angle of knee flexion in lateral knee x-rays which he plans to present in Fall 2022.

During his free time, Chris enjoys playing and watching sports, playing video games, drone photography, and spending time with his wife, dog, and free-roam rabbit. Chris is planning a career in diagnostic radiology.

Aleena is originally from the small town of Otisville, MI and earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Biomedical Sciences from Oakland University in 2017.  She is a fourth-year medical student at the College of Human Medicine Flint Campus where she is also completing a certificate in Public Health. She recently completed a yearlong pediatric dermatology research fellowship at Northwestern University where she was involved in a dozen studies investigating atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, alopecia, and more. Through her time in medical school, she has served on the curriculum committee making tough decisions as COVID began, was a lead admissions ambassador for which she conducted interviews and scheduled all tours, as well as involved in volunteering in the community through outreach programs, COVID vaccination clinics, and more. During her time in Flint, MI, she was especially interested in the effects of the water crisis on dermatologic conditions and has since presented multiple posters throughout the nation on the topic. Mentoring is another area Aleena is passionate about. With a group of other students, she created a guide for students interested in dermatology that do not have a home program. This has been shared on the national Dermatology Interest Group Association’s website. Lastly, she has a love for reading, averaging 50 novels a year, which she transformed into creating a literacy and pen pal program for the Boys & Girls Club of Flint. Aleena hopes to peruse a career in dermatology.