Offered at CECCHE

About

The Pre-Med Peer Mentorship Program was founded in order to further support students during their personal, academic, and professional medical journey. The program is designed for current Cal Poly Pomona students who identify as Latinx. It allows for connections between LMSA medical students and CPP students to provide support and guidance. The Pre-Med Peer Mentorship Program is a year-long commitment for mentors and mentees alike. Through the mentorship program, mentors and mentees will commit to monthly scheduled meetings. The mentorship program will provide information and resources on career readiness, community-building skills, leadership development, networking skills, and more for mentees.

How to Apply

Review available mentors and select the one that you most like. Then, click the link to fill out an application. Application closes Friday, October 6!

 

Pre-Med Peer Mentorship Program

Arli Barrios

Specialty: Dermatology, Internal Medicine, and Emergency Medicine

Bio: As a child of first-generation Mexican immigrants, I witnessed how language barriers and lack of resources impacted the quality of healthcare received by minority populations. It motivated me to seek opportunities to help close the gap in healthcare accessibility within underserved communities. I've had the privilege of starting this journey by leading STEM-based workshops, working as a crisis counselor, and volunteering at women's shelters to promote education and address healthcare disparities within the community. I'm currently a second-year medical student and am honored to be a part of LMSA and continue my goal of amplifying the voices of those lacking adequate access to healthcare and increasing diversity in medicine.

Mushka Kaye

Specialty: OBGYN

Bio: Hey! I'm Mushka Kaye, originally from Sydney, Australia. My journey into medicine began with a profound fascination for human health, particularly women's health. Alongside my medical studies, I have the privilege of serving as the President of the AMWA-OBGYN Club, where we advocate for women's well-being and foster a community for learning and collaboration. Beyond medicine, I cherish coastal explorations, a good book, and treasured moments with my family. It's a pleasure to share a bit about myself, and I look forward to connecting with you all!

Linda Pho

Specialty: Pediatrics

Bio: My name is Linda Pho and I am a first year medical student at COMP. I graduated from UC Irvine with an undergraduate degree in public health policy. Being the first person in my family to pursue higher education, I often felt as though my dream of becoming a physician was far out of reach and throughout my journey, I have climbed many tall mountains to get to where I am today. I know what it feels like to have a big dream with no compass. I promised myself that once I navigated my way to medical school that I’d make it a personal commitment to help students facing similar challenges. 

Amber Go

Specialty: Neurology and Women’s health (OB-GYN)

Bio: Hi everyone! My name is Amber Go (She/her/hers). I’m so excited to meet ya’ll and serve as one of your pre-med mentors! A little bit about me, I graduated from UC San Diego with a B.S. in Human Biology in 2020. After college, I strengthened my medical school application by doing volunteer work (high school mentorship and tutoring) and working as a scribe in the most amazing out-patient neurology clinic. Outside of academics, I love spending time with my cat, Momo, who is a 4-month-old golden British Shorthair, tending to my houseplants, getting brunch /catching up with the girlies, and binge-watching shows on Netflix. I am currently interested in pursuing neurology, but am open to exploring other specialties! As someone who isn’t far removed from the medical school application process (and the MCAT), I completely understand the immense amount of stress, confusion, and imposter syndrome you may be experiencing. I want to start by reassuring you and saying, you’re doing GREAT! Just take it one step at a time. You’re going to achieve your goals. I believe in you!

Cecilia R. Villanueva

Specialty: OB-GYN and Internal Medicine

Bio: Hi everyone, my name is Cecilia, I am a first-year osteopathic medical student, and I am excited to meet you all! My path to medicine wasn’t so linear – for a long time I wanted to be a marine biologist because the ocean/marine life fascinate me. Although I love the ocean, through different experiences volunteering/working, I realized that I enjoyed working with people and learning about health and medicine more than anything. Further, I came to appreciate the practice of patient-centered and holistic healthcare after assisting with research projects that aimed to make healthcare more equitable and accessible to underrepresented communities, which is the type of work I hope to continue to be a part of now and in the near future. After my undergraduate career, I took 3 gap years before starting medical school where I was able to do things I love like going to the beach with my dogs, salsa dancing, gardening, hiking, and spending time with my family!

Brian Sath

Specialty: Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Oncology

Bio: Hey everyone! I’m Brian Sath (he/him), a first-year medical student at WesternU and a proud first-generation college graduate. My journey to medical school wasn’t typical, as I took several unintentional gap years along the way; however, those years allowed me to discover myself and my love for pursuing a career in medicine. During my gap years, I worked as an ER scribe and had the privilege to participate in a mentorship program that focused on disadvantaged and underserved backgrounds, which inspired me to continue paying it forward. With my spare time, I enjoy playing basketball (both as an avid player and spectator), trying new food recipes, and working on my car. I look forward to being a mentor and helping you navigate your journey toward self-discovery and your path to success in the medical field!

Sadia Khan

Specialty: Neurology

Bio: Hello! My name is Sadia Khan and I use she/her pronouns. I graduated from UC Berkeley in 2021 where I studied Neurobiology, so I’m super interested in the brain! I’m also passionate about different paths to medicine considering my background as a community college student and gap year as a consultant. In my spare time I love to workout, dance and eat good food.

 

Rachel Lee

Specialty: Family Medicine and OB-GYN

Bio: My name is Rachel Lee (she/her/hers) and I’m a first-year medical student from the SGV/626 area! I graduated from UCSD in 2022 and during college, I worked as a medical assistant at a pediatric clinic and as a TA for genetics, both of which were valuable experiences in confirming my interest in medicine. In my free time, I like to go on runs, explore new food places (huge fan of Asian cuisine), and spend time with family, friends and my 2 year old rottie! I’m excited to be serving as one of your mentors this year and I hope to be able to support you through everything medicine and non-medicine related! :)

Manas Aavula

Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery, Internal Medicine, Anesthesiology

Bio: Hi, my name is Manas Aavula (he/him) and I am a first-year medical student at Western University of Health Science. I went to Florida Atlantic University for my undergraduate career, graduated this past May, and started medical school right after. Things I like to do for fun are play tennis and basketball, go to the gym, watch Lakers games, and hang out with friends. I also like to travel and had the opportunity to visit multiple countries in Europe this past summer.

Nimi Das

Specialty: Anesthesiology and Internal Medicine

Bio: Few weeks before graduating from San Diego State University, I remember lining up in front of the health profession advising office, scrambling to get letter of recommendations and getting my medical school application reviewed. Being premed was difficult, but I made sure to take a break, and get Boba with my friends once in a while. There were times when I was confident enough to go ice-skating on the weekend of the chemistry exam. Then there were days when I would pull up an all-nighter and still would not do well on a test. Journey to medical school was definitely a roller coaster, and I will be honored to share my journey and guide students towards their success.

Chelsea Ly

Specialty: Family Medicine and Pathology

Bio: My name is Chelsea Ly (she/her), and I’m from Placentia, CA. I graduated from UCLA and majored in biology. During my time at school, I worked as a herbarium technician, patient transporter, and Child Life Zone volunteer. I wanted to study medicine to help people make informed decisions about their health and improve their quality of life. Outside of school, I enjoy reading, yoga, and listening to music (favorite genres: Kpop and heavy metal).

Nicholas Chew

Specialty: Internal Medicine and Emergency Medicine

Bio: Hello! My name is Nick and I'm from San Francisco, CA. Before going into medicine, I wanted to be a physical therapist because I was fascinated by the human body. However, after working as an EMT during the pandemic, I was inspired to address more complex diseases as a physician. For fun, I enjoy rock climbing, surfing, and playing guitar. I'm very lucky to have had great mentors throughout my journey so I hope to provide similar help to anyone who needs it!

Jocelyn Gonzalez

Specialty: OB-GYN, Family Medicine, and Psychiatry

Bio: I get to call Chula Vista home and have TJ as my backyard. I had the opportunity to serve my community abroad while attending UCLA through The Latino Student Health Project and realized the impact that DO physicians had on patient’s health even if the technology is not readily available. I continued my journey toward medicine after undergrad by working at Kaiser Permanente for five years with patients with Type II diabetes. That allowed me the opportunity to travel until it was time to go back to school. I decided to pursue Western U’s MSMS program to get in the momentum of being a student again and looking forward to being part of COMP this year.

Nahid Howard

Specialty: Pathology, Internal Medicine, and Hematology

Bio: Hello! My name is Nahid Howard & I am a second-year medical student at the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific at WesternU. While I wear many different hats holding leadership positions in several different clubs on campus, the most important responsibility I have is to support aspiring healthcare workers & public health advocatesfrom backgrounds historically underrepresented in medicine. As a "nontraditional" & first-generation medical student, I find a lot of value in providing alternative perspectives on how to best navigate pre-medical education pathways that ultimately lead students to discovering & matriculating into programs that help them reach their career goals. The field of medicine needs and welcomes each & every student brave enough to pursue this pathway, and I'm happy to help in any way I can.

Simran Kukreja

Specialty: Neurology and Psychiatry

Bio: I've always been a big neuroscience/psychology nerd, but what got me into medicine was realizing that I loved working with people more than just doing research. I graduated from UCI in 2021 with a Neurobiology B.S. and Psychology B.A. and worked as an Assistant Research Coordinator for the Working Memory and Plasticity Lab during and after my time at UCI. In my gap years before medical school, I volunteered with Lestonnac Free Clinic and worked as a scribe for Internal and Family Medicine practices in OC as well as a CVS pharmacy technician, so feel free to ask me about these fields as well! I am a strong believer in work-life balance and love making time for my numerous hobbies including reading, cooking, pilates, board games, and gardening.

Nancy J. Plascencia

Specialty: Inpatient Pharmacist and Emergency Medicine

Bio: I have my MS in medical science from WesternU and knew I wanted to pursue my doctorate at this school. After exposure in its inter professional curriculum, I knew inpatient clinical pharmacy was for me. I am currently an intern at Queen of the Valley Hospital in West Covina. One of my favorite hobbies is MMA with my family at UFC. I chose the medical field because as a first generation Latina, I am understanding of the health disparities and lack of cultural representation in our community. My goal is to serve others from a foundation of patience, kindness, cultural sensitivities and excellence in care. I strive for patient education so my future patients have the confidence and autonomy in shared decision making.

Aryan Chaychian

Specialty: Anesthesiology, Family Medicine, and Ophthalmology

Bio: Hello everyone! My name is Aryan Chaychian (he/him) and I’m a OMS-I at COMP.  I graduated from UCI in 2021, and worked as an EMT, phlebotomist, research associate, and street medicine volunteer medic prior to attending COMP. In my free time, I enjoy playing the piano and weightlifting. Although challenging, med school has been super exciting for me so far. I look forward to meeting all of you and hopefully answer some of your questions to the best of my ability!

Genova Hernandez

Specialty: Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Oncology, and Surgery

Bio: Hello! My name is Genova Hernandez and I’m a First-generation Salvadoran American college grad and medical student. I was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, and I attended the Los Angeles Community College District before transferring and completing a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at California Lutheran University. Before attending COMP, I completed a Master of Science in Medical Science in the College of Health Sciences at Western University. I chose to pursue a career in
healthcare to serve my community and marginalized communities like mine. I am eager to increase Latino Physician representation and become for others what I lacked along my premed journey!

Esmeralda Santos

Specialty: Internal Medicine and Emergency Medicine

Bio: My name is Esme, and I am the oldest daughter of a Mexican-immigrant household and a first-generation medical student. I came to the US when I was only 2 years old and have witnessed firsthand the health disparities within my Latino community. I want to break both cultural and language barriers in our healthcare system and focus on patient education to increase the quality of life of my future patients. I want to be a role model for all Latinas and encourage them to never give up on their dreams, even when it seems
impossible.

Taylor Jauregui

Specialty: Surgery and Internal Medicine

Bio: I grew up in Los Angeles and have a degree in Journalism from Boston University. I enjoy reading, writing, and taking care of my plants. I decided to pursue a career in Osteopathic medicine because I feel that in order to reach diverse populations, physicians have to approach their patients holistically in addition to having cultural awareness. I believe OMM has the power to increase trust in medicine by offering alternatives to pain management and by increasing a patient’s awareness of their bodies and the natural cues that our muscles and joints give us about our health.