Interns
The following interns, along with fellows, were selected for the program in Fall 2011.
Note: Records are presented in alphabetical order.
Tamara Banda
University of California, Davis
Tamara Banda was born and raised in Zambia by a single mother. She moved to California in 2005 and studies biotechnology at UC Davis, she hopes to apply to medical school in 2012. Tamara currently lives and works in Berkeley. She works part time as a research assistant at UC Berkeley and part time as a personal assistant. Although raised from a poor background and confronted with many educational and other obstacles, she calls her deceased mother’s admonition to “remember that our purpose in life is greater than our circumstances.”
It has been Tamara’s life goal to pursue a career in medicine because she cannot imagine living her life working in an environment that didn’t involve service to other people. In her free time, Tamara enjoys baking, doing yoga and spending time involved in many community activities and meeting people. She is also known for her very contagious laughter.
Hans Boggs graduated with honors from UCLA in the summer of 2011, receiving a B.S in Neuroscience and a B.A. in English Literature. During his time as an undergraduate, he worked with Dr. Liana Apostolova at the Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research where he completed an honors project focused on the production and use of 3-dimensional cortical models for neurological disease analysis. He also was extensively involved with Bruin student affairs, working as a Resident Assistant within the UCLA Office of Residential Life for three years.
Currently, Hans is preparing to take the MCAT and to apply to medical schools at the start of the 2012 cycle. He is very excited to have the opportunity to be involved in the current program and to gain experience in a clinical setting.
Besides his passion for human physiology, Hans is an avid reader, runner, and musician.
Gurpreet Bola
University of California, Davis
Gurpreet was born in Punjab, India, and spent most of her childhood with her mom and brother. When she came to the US in 1998, it was a beginning of a new life in a culture known to be full of opportunities for success. At a young age, she had decided to become a doctor, because there is no other field that is exciting as medicine in saving lives.
Just recently Gurpreet graduated from UC Davis with a B.S. in Biology, with an emphasis on Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior. She is hoping to take this pre-med surgical internship to be confident about applying to medical school in the fall of 2012, while hoping to become a general physician to serve the low-income, uninsured community.
Along with this internship, she is also studying for MAT and helping out with family business. To get away from the stress that comes in life, she often goes for a run or plays tennis/badminton with her friends.
Michael Davitt
Pepperdine University
Michael Davitt grew up in Placerville, a small town at the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas in Northern California. His family owned a ranch populated at various times by chickens, ducks, horses, burros, dogs, cats, sheep, and goats. When it was time for college, he decided to add some diversity to his rural experiences. After spending 4 wonderful years attending Pepperdine University in the Southern California town of Malibu, he graduated in April of 2011 with a B.A. in psychology, making him the first college graduate in his family.
While attending Pepperdine University, Michael had the privilege of partaking in a variety of activities. He studied in Florence, Italy during his sophomore year, where he spent his weekends exploring Europe by plane, train, and even a manual car. After returning to campus for his junior year, he became the founding Vice President of the Delta Tau Delta colony and he involved himself more in the activities of Pepperdine’s pre-med AMSA chapter. At the end of his junior year, Michael went abroad two more times. He spent his spring break shadowing physicians at mobile medical clinics near Chichicastenango, Guatemala. After getting this first taste of rural medicine, Michael decided to spend a month of summer with a medical mission to a rural area in Fiji. These experiences, in conjunction with his rural upbringing, have convinced Michael that rural medicine might be a good fit for him. During his senior year, Michael became a founding member of Pepperdine’s first club tennis team.
Michael has been using his gap year to focus on his applications to medical school and to further explore the many career options that medicine has to offer. To that end, he is very excited to be participating in the UC Davis Pre-Medical Surgical Internship and Mentorship Program!
Robert Eshbaugh
University of California, Davis
Robert Eshbaugh is a Regents Scholar at the University of California, Davis. He is currently majoring in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior and is a participant in the Integrated Studies Honors Program. Robert recently transferred from Sierra College with five Associates degrees with honors, three of which include Chemistry, Natural Sciences, and Biological Sciences.
After graduating from high school, Robert served a two-year, voluntary mission for his church in Russia and Kazakhstan. As a missionary, he was privileged to learn Russian and to assist in service projects through hospitals and clinics. This is when Robert’s desire to pursue a career in the medical profession first surfaced. Since returning home from his mission, Robert has continued on his path towards becoming a neurosurgeon. Additionally, he is currently taking Russian language courses with the intent to minor in Russian.
Robert is married and enjoys spending free time with his wife, family, and friends. His favorite pastimes are basketball, football, and martial arts. He also enjoys spending time doing extracurricular events and is very excited to be participating in the Pre-Medical Surgical Internship Program. Robert feels that this unique and edifying opportunity will expose him to the rigors and enjoyment of life as a physician. He is sure that he will gain valuable insight and preparation for medical school, as well as invaluable experiences that will stay with him always.
Silvia Gonzalez
San Francisco State University
Silvia Gonzalez was born and raised in sunny southern California. She is the oldest of three and very close to her sister, brother and parents. She is the daughter of Mexican immigrants allowing her the opportunity to grow up with a unique perspective on culture and tradition. She has always dreamed of working in the medical field, giving back and helping others. After graduating from high school she moved to San Francisco to attend San Francisco State University, being the first in her family to attend college. Paving this new path was met with some challenges but with the support of family, friends and mentors she graduated with honors with a degree in Cell and Molecular Biology.
While in college she was actively involved in various activities. Exploring the field of research she worked with a professor on determining the ancestral lineage of breast cancer cell lines. She was involved in teaching after school science clubs and mentoring young girls to pursue science. She was also involved in medical and public health missions abroad. These trips to Honduras taught her the importance of public health and preventative approaches to health. While in college she became aware of the disparities that exist in health care and hopes that as a Latina physician she will be able to offer culturally sensitive health care and bridge some of the gaps that lead to health disparities.
Marsella Hanhan
University of California, Merced
Marsella Hanhan recently graduated from the University of California, Merced in May 2011. She earned a B.S. in Biological Sciences, emphasis in Human Biology, with high honors. She was born and raised in San Diego, California.
As a freshman at UC Merced, Marsella was able to develop her interests in the field of biology and medicine. She was a member of the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) and the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team, both of which enabled her to learn a great deal about the medical field. In SIFE, she was a part of the tele-health team, which focused on developing methods to improve health disparities in Merced County. She is currently continuing to help UC Merced undergraduates work on the SIFE tele-health project in hopes of making more progress in improving medical conditions in the Central Valley. Marsella also worked at the UC Merced Office of the Registrar for three years, where she learned many valuable skills including excellent customer service and good communication. She was also a part of the Peer Mentoring Program, in which she worked diligently to guide incoming UC Merced freshmen to a successful educational experience. Finally, she was an undergraduate researcher in the Manilay Lab at UC Merced for one year. There, she worked with a very talented team of researchers in the fields of stem cell biology and immunology.
After graduating from UC Merced, Marsella hoped to gain more experience in a hospital setting, which led her to apply for the Pre-Medical Surgical Internship and Mentorship Program. She was very excited to be accepted as a pre-medical surgical student, and hopes to gain as many experiences as she can and learn new skills as a member of the program.
Brad Hartl
University of Wisconsin, La Crosse
University of California, Davis
Brad Hartl studied at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse where he majored in Physics with a Biomedical Concentration and had minors in Chemistry and Math. In addition to carrying out research while school was in session, he spent all four summers also performing research at internships across the country. After completing his undergraduate studies, Brad took a year off to apply to graduate school, volunteer in Panama, and travel.
Subsequently, Brad enrolled at the University of California, Davis as a graduate student in the department of Biomedical Engineering with intentions to complete a Ph.D. He is currently performing studies that will facilitate the development a new technology designed to help neurological surgeons delineate brain tumors from healthy tissue during resections. Presently Brad is considering attending medical school after the completion of his graduate studies.
Outside of his course work, research, and teaching responsibilities as a graduate student, Brad enjoys participating in his graduate group’s outreach program where they visit and encourage post-secondary education in the biomedical sciences to high school students in the greater Sacramento area. In his leisure time, he enjoys traveling, reading, backcountry skiing, and a variety of other outdoor hobbies.
Daniel Hedayati
De Anza College
UCLA
Daniel Hedayati was born and raised in San Jose, California. After graduating from Leland High school he attended De Anza College, which opened his eyes to the world of research. After transferring to UC Los Angeles, Daniel was determined to explore research opportunities and enrolled in biomedical research courses. Through this, Daniel was granted the opportunity to participate in research on Bordetella bronchiseptica with the Jeff F. Miller laboratory of the UCLA MIMG department for a year. With the help of his mentor he also began his own project which he worked on for six months, an experience he is extremely grateful for.
While not attending classes or putting in hours at the lab, Daniel was often busy working late hours as a CSO for the UCLA Police Department, a program designed to ensure the safety and well being of UCLA students. When he was not working Daniel also spent time with his fraternity brothers of the Sigma Zeta chapter of the Zeta Psi fraternity, with which he was heavily involved since his first quarter at UCLA. Daniel held a variety of positions within the organization, culminating in being elected as president in Fall 2008.
Daniel graduated in Winter 2010 with a B.S. in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology. For the last year, he has volunteered in the emergency department at Kaiser Hospital in San Jose, which began to shape his interest in medicine. He was also employed as a tutor, and his work with children inspired him to use his passion for education as a means of giving back to the community. In the future, Daniel hopes to maintain a strong connection with his interests in research and education, if not to make them a part of his future career in medicine.
Rachel Jensen
University of California, Davis
Rachel Jensen graduated from Miramonte High School in 2010 and is currently in her second year at UC Davis majoring in Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior. She grew up in Orinda, California with her mother, father, and younger brother. In her free time, she enjoys painting, working with children, spending time with family and friends, movies, running, and being involved.
Throughout high school, Rachel worked as a summer camp counselor for children in San Francisco’s Chinatown where she attends church. This community work instilled a strong desire to pursue a career that would allow her to work closely with people and benefit her community. In her first year at UC Davis, Rachel discovered physiology and neurobiology and was hooked. This past summer she worked as an intern research assistant at Kaiser Permanente’s Division of Research on a clinical trial assessing the effects of vitamin C on markers of chronic inflammation. This experience reinforced her interest in working with patients and provided insight into conducting human research in the health care setting. For Rachel, medicine represents an incredibly challenging yet rewarding opportunity to continually learn in her field, to apply her training and skills to help others, and to serve her community.
Rachel is very excited to be interning at the UC Davis Medical Center and gaining further insight into what it means to be a physician.
Michael Jung
University of San Francisco
University of California, Davis
Michael Jung currently lives in Davis, California but occasionally visits his parents and three sisters at the family home in San Rafael.
After graduating from De La Salle High School with High Honors, he attended the University of San Francisco. Michael gradually realized that USF was not in tune with his ambitions and, as of Fall 2011, transferred to UC Davis where he is majoring in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior and minoring in Human Physiology. Even at a young age, Michael has always been passionate about the sciences, especially in regards to the human body. During his high school years, Michael volunteered at the local hospital but wanted a more in-depth look at a career in surgery. The UC Davis Pre-Medical Surgical Internship and Mentorship Program was exactly what he was looking for in terms of exposure to this exciting field of medicine and he is honored for being given the chance to participate in this program. He is also extremely appreciative of everything that his professors have done and taught him.
Michael Jung is currently spending his free time preparing for his first quarter as a UC Davis transfer student and ensuring that he does not epically fail on his bike, publicly.
Jane Khoury
Mendocino Junior College
University of California, Davis
Jane Khoury was born and raised in a small, close community of Ukiah, California. She is the youngest of six children and spent her childhood immersed in sports as well as the musical arts. In high school, Jane was very active on student counsel and became the Associate Student Body President of her high school her senior year as well as participating in Swimming and Volleyball.
Jane then chose to attend Mendocino Junior College to complete her transfer requirements. While at Mendocino College, she played collegiate soccer where she was First League All Conference and was President of the Math Engineering Science Achievement Club. She was also a Chemistry tutor as well as a Chemistry workshop presenter where she helped her fellow peers understand the material. This fall, Jane transferred to University of California, Davis to complete her Bachelors of Science in Viticulture and Enology before applying to medical school in 2013.
As well as being a full-time student, Jane is a member of a Davis sorority and the Cal Aggie Alumni Association. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, enjoying outdoor activities such as soccer, and learning new exciting things! It is Jane’s passion to become a doctor to help others in difficult situations. She is honored and excited to be a part of the wonderful lifetime experience as a pre-medical surgical intern at the UC Davis Medical Center.
Laura Young Lee
University of California, Davis
Laura Lee was born and raised in the bay area, currently living with her mother and siblings. She is the youngest of three children, having an older brother and older sister. After graduating high schoo, Laura attended Contra Costa College to complete her transfer requirements. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from UC Davis in 2009 at the age of 20. During her time at UC Davis, she spent 18 months working in an Animal Behavior lab studying sexual male dominance in crickets. Also, she was a member and a Co-Events Chair with the Asian American Association. Laura spent a total of 140 hours in Sutter Memorial and UCDMC volunteering prior to returning to the bay area. Unsure of a medical career, Laura graduated from UC Davis and began a journey in education.
Laura became a substitute teacher in Richmond before attending Sonoma State University for her Multiple Subject Credential. After a year at SSU, she returned to bay area in August to work as a Resource Specialist at an elementary school in Richmond, California. She has the passion to help those who reside in meager living conditions and in financial hardships.
Currently, Laura is enrolled in the Pre-Health Post Baccalaureate Program at CSU East Bay, and also volunteers with Berkeley NEED, a needle distribution center, and Alta Bates Hospital in Oakland. In her free time, Laura enjoys coupon shopping, comedy shows, and beautifying her three toy poodles. She also enjoys outdoor activities, such as white water rafting, camping, and hiking.
Kevin Li
University of California, Davis
Kevin Li is a 19 year old junior transfer student currently attending UC Davis. He hails from San Francisco, California after attending high school at Lowell and two years of community college at CCSF. At Lowell he played football for four years and was a Inter-club Council Member for a Pre-Medical club at CCSF. During the summer before transferring to Davis he took part in the Summer Medical and Dental Educational Program at UCLA and loved every single minute of interacting with like minded people and medical professionals.
At Davis, Kevin is majoring in Exercise Biology due to his love for sports. Even after multiple major injuries, he believes that sports are worth the dedication. From his many visits to the emergency room, athletic trainers, and an orthopaedic surgeon, he believes his calling is in sport’s medicine.
Orthopedic Surgery is his dream profession. Even though it will take years and years he believes that a passion to learn about the medical field and the responsibilities it entails will keep him on his path. He is excited to be chosen to take part of the Pre-Medical Surgical Internship and hopes that everyone will enjoy it as much as he does.
Bridget Little
James Madison University
Bridget Little was born and raised in northern Virginia as the oldest of four children. She first discovered her passion for science and research when she took grand prize at the 2007 Virginia State Science Fair for their project titled, “No Child Left Behind: The Science of Standardized Tests.” This earned her a place in the 2007 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her project did not place but she had a wonderful time meeting fellow scientists from all over the world!
Bridget graduated from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, in 2011, earning two degrees, in Chemistry and in Health Sciences, with a minor in Substance Abuse Prevention Psychology. While in school, Bridget was heavily involved in volunteering, Student Activities and Involvement, and First-Year Orientation. She especially enjoyed working as a Program Director for a group called Outrigger Peer Educators, in which she and a specially selected group of students trained in facilitation created individualized programs for on-campus organizations to improve their communication, team skills and leadership. Bridget obtained her certification as a BACCHUS Peer Educator and became a REACH Peer Educator, a program that was dedicated to helping JMU students make educated and independent decisions about their health. Bridget is a brother of Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed community service fraternity for four years, during which she proudly accrued over 200 hours of community service. She is also a member of Alpha Epsilon Delta, a professional health sciences honor society.
Outside of school and volunteering, Bridget recently became a certified Bikram yoga instructor (one of her obsessions, along with baking and vintage shopping). She enjoys an active lifestyle with daily workouts, working as a nanny for two beautiful, energetic little girls, and spending time with her family.
Christopher James Little
American River College
Christopher Little was born on October 30th, 1989 in Sacramento, CaliforniaHe attended Rio Americano High School until graduation in 2008. After graduating Rio American he decided to go to American River College. By his second semester at American River College he had decided to major in Biology and attend medical school. He expects to transfer to UC Davis for the Fall 2012 semester, and he will major in Neurobiology: Physiology and Behavior.
For medical school he is most interested in attending UC Davis School of Medicine, UCSF, UCLA, or Stanford School of Medicine, but is certainly open to other options. As far as particular interest, he is most interested in the nervous system, and has given thought to potentially becoming a Neurologist or a Neurosurgeon, but is once again, open to an new ideas that may arise.
Aside from this internship, this semester he is taking Zoology, Organic Chemistry, and IDS which is a class for new tutors. He is also, as implied, a new tutor this semester for General Chemistry, and although he was at first nervous about the idea of teaching Chemistry to others, he has so far found it to be both challenging and rewarding. It also gives him a great opportunity to review material that will be on the MCAT at some point for him.
Aside from school he has several interests in his life. He is a frequent runner. He runs several miles daily. His favorite places to run are along the American River Trail, on the horse trail, and along roads he has yet to run on. His ultimate goal in running is to run a marathon at some point. He is also a very big baseball fan. He is a big fan of the San Francisco Giants, and of The Oakland A’s, one of the few to like both teams.
Margarita Martinez
Napa Valley College
UCLA
Margarita “Patty” Martinez was raised in Napa Valley as the second to youngest out of 8 children. She comes from humble backgrounds, her father a hard working vineyard worker, and her mother a hard working house wife, and an extremely loving and supportive mother.
Patty attended Napa High school and Napa Valley College (NVC). While at NVC she was an active member of several student clubs and programs including; the Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) program, the PUENTE project, and Student Support Services Program (SSS). While studying as a full time student at NVC, she also held two part time jobs. One at a pediatrician’s office where she assisted in clerical duties and served as a translator for non-English speaking patients. She also worked as a customer service representative at a retail store to help cover part of her college expenses, and to help alleviate some of the financial pressure from her parents. She was also a proud founder of a student club that still is active today, Student’s Rompiendo Barreras (student’s breaking barrier’s). This club helped students of under-represented communities with the desire, and perseverance to further their education, while giving back to their community. While at NVC she also had the opportunity to participate in a computer science internship at the university of California Chico, as well as an internship doing stem cell research at the University of California Merced.
Margarita remembers being seven years old when she first began to serve as a translator for her mother’s doctor visits, and although she doesn’t regret it, it has been one of the reasons why she became interested in medicine. One of her goals is to help bridge the language gap that exists between patients and physicians by becoming a bilingual doctor herself. Patty is one step closer to completing her career goal, she is a 2011 graduate from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) with a bachelors of science degree in Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics. While at UCLA she was an active member of Chican@s Latin@s for Community Medicine (CCM) through which she participated in various community health clinics, including one based in Tecate Mexico. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Public Health prior to applying to Medical school.
Vinton Omaleki
University of California, Davis
Vinton Omaleki was born in Anaheim, California in 1989 to his American mother and Iranian father. When he was six, he, his parents, and his two younger siblings moved to Morgan Hill in the Santa Clara County where they have lived for about fifteen years. He attended Bellarmine College Preparatory for High School and then went off to UC Santa Cruz for his first year, De Anza College for his second, and then transferred to UC Davis for his third.
Currently Vinton is a 22 year old 4th year undergraduate at UC Davis. His major is International Agricultural Development and has almost completed his premed requirements. At the moment he wants to be either a general surgeon or a family practitioner. He feels that specializing too much would limit his ability to serve well in the Doctors Without Borders program which he has wanted to join for many years. He wants to do his work in the Middle East and Central Asia since his heritage stems from that region. He hopes to continue on to medical school, perhaps also get a master’s in public health. If he is not already completely burnt out after residency, he would like to get a PhD for Near Eastern Languages and Civilization, specializing in Persian and other Iranian languages. While doing this he would work part time for a clinic and during the summers he would do work in those regions.
He loves to read political philosophy, history, current events, and world classics for fun. He also enjoys hiking, playing soccer and basketball, and other outdoor activities. He works as a University Caterer, a bookstore cashier, and a sensory lab assistant.
Courtney Overstreet
Oregon Health and Science University, Portland
Courtney Overstreet was born in Tonasket, Washington, where she often enjoyed downhill skiing and horseback riding, as well as constantly learning from her two older brothers. At age ten, she moved to Sisters, Oregon and became highly active in athletics, primarily: volleyball, basketball, and softball. Through high school she earned numerous awards in athletics, academics and the fine arts.
Courtney was first introduced to the medical field when she participated in a Pre-Med Program at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon. She decided to expand from the small town atmosphere and later moved to Portland to attend the University of Portland. She received a Bachelors of Science in Biology with a minor in Health and Physical Education. At UP, she dedicated herself to her work in Residence Life, her studies, and her local community being a S.M.A.R.T reader and an after-school tutor. Interested in athletics and Sports Medicine, Courtney interned in the Athletic Training Room, where she became even more dedicated to her path of pursuing a career as a physician.
Upon graduating from the University of Portland Courtney became actively involved in her local community in Central Oregon. She worked with Alzheimer patients at a Dementia Care Center providing an exercise program and the occasional dance class. She also volunteered working with the physically and mentally handicapped and pairing them with horses as a healing aspect.
This is Courtney’s third time ever being in California and is quickly adjusting to pumping her own gas and paying sales tax. As well as being a Surgical Intern, Courtney is currently studying to be certified as a Personal Trainer and is taking a course at Sacramento State. She plans to apply to Medical School in the summer of 2012 and is interested in becoming an Orthopedic Surgeon.
Sowmya Padakanti
University of California, Davis
Sowmya Padakanti was born in Hyderabad, India. Her family moved to United States when she was seven years old. She grew up with her parents and two older siblings in San Jose, California, which is where she attended Lynbrook High School before heading to University of California, Davis.
Sowmya is currently a third year undergraduate student at UC Davis majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. As a sophomore, she joined Dr. Nambair’s Lab, where she developed an interest in undergraduate research. Currently she helps a graduate student with his research on extracting and purifying compounds that can potentially solve eye-related problems. She is also a peer advisor of the Molecular and Cellular Biology department as well as the vice president of Bio Boosters, a club focused on promoting the college of Biological Sciences and all its majors, and encouraging academic excellence as well as providing service to community.
Sowmya’s interest in medicine began at a very young age and her passion for it grew even stronger with her volunteer experiences at Kaiser Permenante, UCDMC, and student run clinics; this experience in a hospital setting has led her to become a pre-med student. Her future goals are to attend the Davis medical school in the fall of 2013 and take part, as a physician, in the student run clinics at Davis. In her free time, she enjoys reading, spending time with her family, and hanging out with friends.
Ivonne Palma
University of California, Davis
Ivonne Palma was born in San Jose, CA. She is the oldest of two children, has a four year younger sister. Both her parents were born in Nicaragua, and came to United States escaping the war and communism there. She graduated Pioneer High School in 2008. All through high school, she knew that she wanted to major in science, but it wasn’t until her senior year while taking physiology that she decided that she wanted to become a doctor.
She was not accepted to her dream school, which was UC Davis decided to go to a community college in Cupertino, CA called De Anza College. While there she fulfilled all her General Education classes and finished her requirements to transfer to UC Davis as a Biological Science major. Ivonne was able to transfer to UC Davis in two years while normally it would take three years to transfer out. Ivonne was able to prove wrong her counselor who did not believe she could do it.
While at UC Davis, Ivonne continued her studies, never losing focus on her goal which is to become a orthopedic doctor. Outside of her studies, Ivonne volunteers at Kaiser Permanente, discharging patients from the hospital and delivering flowers to the patients. She believes that when you help others, you also help yourself. Ivonne is very big in volunteering and has done over 500 hours. She enjoys on her spare time to visit art museums and learn about different cultures.
Currently Ivonne is a fourth year student at UC Davis, with a major of Biological Sciences with an emphasis in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior. She plans to apply for medical school in 2012. She is excited for this opportunity because it will give her insight to the life of doctor in a day in the hospital and she learn as much so she can be successful in the medical field.
Olga Romaso
California State University, Sacramento
Olga Romaso was born in Lviv, Ukraine. When she was nine months old, her family moved to California to escape what was then the communist USSR regime. Olga became an older sister soon after her family’s immigration, when her mother gave birth to another daughter. Olga grew up in Sacramento where she enjoyed riding her bicycle and swimming during the hot summer days.
Olga has a strong musical background, which she has enjoyed sharing with others. She played the clarinet throughout middle and high school. She began playing the piano when she was thirteen and in her free time gave piano lessons to beginner students. She spent her time as a piano accompanist for a children’s choir. She also sings in her church’s youth choir.
Olga showed interest in becoming a physician when she was thirteen years old. Having a father who fought cancer and lost the battle, she was motivated to be a part of a significant change in the medical field.
Olga has been working at Sacramento Visioncare Optometric Center since she was in high school where she was exposed to medical terminology and the workings of a medical clinic. Working with patients from all walks of life has inspired her to pursue her career as a physician. She took advantage of any learning experiences that where available to further her knowledge. She took a Medical Assisting course with the Regional Occupational Program, where she was an intern at Mercy General Hospital for six months.
She is currently a senior at Sacramento State University, and pursuing a degree in Biochemistry. After graduation, Olga plans to apply to Medical School in 2013. Her desire is to become an Orthopedic Surgeon. She is very grateful to be a part of the Surgery Program this fall.
Steven Russo
University of California, Davis
Steven Russo grew up in Livermore CA, with his supportive mother and father and two older brothers. His family enjoys taking trips to various locations, rebuilding classic cars, and going on outdoor adventures such as boating, biking, and snowboarding. Steven is very active and likes spending time with his friends, family, and dog, Wally. Steven was raised to always strive for the best and to give his best effort in everything he does.
Throughout his life, he has followed through with these values by being a leader on his soccer and track teams since childhood. He has also become an active member in his community by being involved with different volunteer opportunities. His consideration for others and interest in the sciences and medical field has lead him to a goal of becoming a physician. Through his opportunities he has experienced working with children as both a youth and high school soccer coach, as well as volunteering as an in-home exercise instructor with senior citizens. Steven has recently shadowed a sports medicine physician, where he has gained clinical experience as well as sparked an interest for the field. These experiences, along with his admiration for outdoor activities and sports have shaped the path he intends to follow. With excitement, Steven is looking forward to his future education at UC Davis and what is to come.
Samuel Sampson
California State University, Sacramento
I am a currently a general biology major at CSUS and am returning to the university setting after several stints in college and a period of full-time employment as a registered respiratory therapist. My ultimate goal is, not surprisingly, being admitted to a US medical school. I am truly a non-traditional pre-med student, however. On the academic side, highlights include working on molecular research into regulation of the auxin hormone system in plants.
Professionally, I am still working part-time, in addition to full time pre-med classwork and the internship. My position as a therapist involves caring for critically and emergently ill neonatal, pediatric, and adult patients, as well as maintaining all the professional accreditations and licenses necessary for this role. Ultimately it’s a rewarding field – but having been on the other side of the healthcare coin (IE: having been a surgical patient myself), I would like to emulate some of the great surgeons I have been fortunate to have in my life. It’s been a tortuous path to where I currently am in my career, but having spent some time in the medical field, and having had some life-changing experiences, I am convinced that it’s the right one for me.
Katherine Schmidt
Pepperdine University
Katherine is a recent graduate of Pepperdine University where she majored in Spanish, took her pre-medical requisites, and ran varsity cross country. She has just returned from a service-research trip in tropical disease in Ecuador and will spend the second half of her gap year enjoying the SIP program just for the fun learning experience it promises to be. While in college she studied abroad in England and Argentina and discovered a love of travel and service work. Her other loves include cooking, photography, painting, aquarium keeping, horseback riding, and trail running.
Kat is especially thrilled to be in the SIP because surgery was the first profession that piqued her interest in medicine when she was fourteen. She plans to use her career as a physician not just to help her patients achieve complete health, but to serve the many medically underserved here in the US and abroad if the opportunity presents. Her career vision is to someday own or be part of an integrative practice which brings together various complementary practices to create a comprehensive practice with cutting edge laboratory resources able to serve a broad range of patients, especially those who suffer from “mystery” complaints. For now she thrives in her career as an Emergency Room Scribe. She has been working as such for nearly two years and thrives on the intensity, teamwork, and energy she finds in the environment.
Farah Shaheen
University of the Pacific
Farah Shaheen is a 22-year-old recent graduate of University of the Pacific, where she earned a B.S. in Biochemistry, with honors. She was born in Lodi, CA and grew up in Stockton with her parents and younger siblings. Her parents emigrated from Pakistan in search of a better life and it was from witnessing their hard work and sacrifice that encouraged Farah to aim high and to not lose sight of her goals.
In college, Farah was deeply involved on campus and in her community. Her love of science led her to conduct research in biology where she studied the parasite Echinostoma trivolvis in leopard frogs. In chemistry, she investigated the effects of organic solvents on duplex DNA, where her work has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Undergraduate Chemistry Research. She also completed an independent study project in anthropology where she researched how Muslim immigrants adapt culturally to their new homes in Western society. In addition, Farah was a member of Math Club, Tribenzene (a chemistry club), Pi Mu Epsilon, and was a biochemistry tutor.
As a volunteer, Farah assisted at Habitat for Humanity ReStore, because she wanted to give back to her community. She tutors and mentors elementary school students since she enjoys teaching others and being a source of inspiration. From her experiences visiting free clinics as a child, Farah was compelled to volunteer at one and her work at this clinic inspired her to pursue a career in medicine. She is currently applying to medical school and hopes to someday return to her community as a physician and provide health care for the medically underserved.
During her free time, Farah enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, biking, and photography.
Yulia Smolin
University of California, Davis
Born in Ukraine, Yulia Smolin moved to the United States at a very young age. She grew up in Northern California and attended Del Oro High School. After graduating from high school, Yulia attended Sierra College where she finished her undergraduate courses and discovered her passion for science. She transferred to the University of California, Davis in the fall of 2009 and majors in Biological Sciences with an emphasis in Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior.
Yulia enjoyed volunteering at UDMC and currently volunteers at an Internal Medicine Clinic. Apart from her studies, she spends her time working in a gastroenterology and hepatology research lab studying pancreatic cancer cells and is a part of the AMSA ARC/UCD Pre-Medical Conference. She plans to graduate from UC Davis and apply to medical school. Yulia is looking forward to the Pre-Medical Surgical Internship and hopes this experience will deepen her knowledge of the medical profession.
Sandra Sopol
University of California, San Diego
I graduated from UCSD with a major in Biochemistry-Cell Biology. During my undergraduate years, I was a Vice President of AMSA – UCSD chapter. It was a position that I was very proud of because I helped re-establish the club at UCSD, brought in new ideas, and expanded its members. I also had a great opportunity to do research on protein degradation; an experience which truly solidifies my interest in science. In my last year at UCSD, I helped form an all-campus fashion magazine by contributing as a graphic designer and a stylist. In my free time, I enjoy outdoor activities, sports, drawing and painting, and reading about history and politics. Although my interests in life cover a wide spectrum, my true passion has always been medicine.
Becoming a physician has always been my lifelong goal. With support from my parents, whom I look up to for inspiration, I am determined to continue my pursuit of becoming a doctor, through whatever obstacles I may encounter. My father overcame many hardships and poverty in Thailand to become a Nephrologist who serves the community, and so I have always been drawn towards working in the underrepresented and urban areas in an effort to pay it forward to others in need.
Although I am going miss to the beautiful beaches of San Diego, I am very excited to be in Northern California for the opportunity to be a part of UC Davis Pre-medical Surgical Internship and to explore the Bay Area, especially my beloved city of San Francisco.
Miranda Sterner
University of California, Davis
Miranda is a Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavioral Science major at UC Davis who just transferred from a community college in LA County, College of the Canyons. Coming from a family of musicians and artists, she found that, although she enjoyed singing at the Hollywood Bowl in accompaniment to the New York Ballet Company, she did not share the same excitement for the arts as her parents and relatives. She considered several different career environments through classes and shadowing experiences—including a diverse array of fields from translating to business to teaching. Slowly she found her way to the sciences and now enjoys being the first in her family to have a passion for health care.
After volunteering at clinics and not finding the medical exposure she was searching for, she discovered the Pre-Medical Surgical Internship Program. Miranda now spends her days driving busses and looking forward to experiencing more of the medical environment she loves.
Tara Wu
University of California, Berkeley
Tara Wu grew up in Houston, Texas and San Diego, California with her parents and two younger sisters. After high school, she headed to UC Berkeley where she is currently a junior studying Molecular and Cell Biology with an emphasis in Physiology.
Tara enjoys researching in her lab on the physiology of human epithelial cells in relation to cystic fibrosis and being constantly inspired by her professors and the doctors she gets the opportunity to work with in her volunteering and internship experiences. During high school, she enjoyed going to Tijuana, Mexico with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) so much that she hopes to be able to continue going to other countries to work with underserved populations there, as an undergraduate and in her future as a medical school student and doctor.
In her free time, Tara enjoys watching movies of all genres (though she has a slight preference for romantic comedies and the heart-rending underdog story). She religiously watches Mad Men and Modern Family episodes, the latter of which she considers a model for her own wacky yet loving family life. It was because of films like It’s Complicated and No Reservations that she developed a passion for cooking. She currently enjoys preparing and cooking dishes for the Youth Clinic, a homeless health services clinic in Berkeley. She finds cooking to be fascinating, innovative, and therapeutic all at the same time and enjoys being able to create multiethnic dishes in new ways.
