2019 Inductees

Name: Esteban Aguayo
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Undergrad: University of California, Los Angeles
Future Plans: Surgical residency and working with underserved communities
What makes a good day in medicine great? Running through the halls of CHS to Ronald Reagan with Dr. Benharash to help put a patient on ECMO and then seeing them a couple of days later doing well, surrounded by their loved ones.

Name: Marisela Aguilar
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Undergrad: University of Arizona
Graduate Institution & Degree: UCLA Fielding School of Public Health- MPH
Future Plans: Pediatrics with research and teaching
What makes a good day in medicine great? Every time we are reminded of the privilege we have in standing by our patients and their families during some of their very best and worst moments. 

Name: Orly Bell
Hometown: Highland Park, Illinois & Moshav Givat Hen, Israel
Undergrad: University of California, Berkeley
Graduate Institution & Degree:  UCLA Fielding School of Public Health- MPH
Future Plans: Family Medicine or Pediatrics
What makes a good day in medicine great? Making a patient or family member smile! Advocating for my patient to help improve not only their health, but also the other factors that influence their health. 

Name: Elaine Chan
Hometown: San Francisco, California
Undergrad: Scripps College
Future Plans: Obstetrics and Gynecology 
What makes a good day in medicine great? Lightening a patient's misery, sitting with a patient until they feel ready, finding solutions to big and small problems, holding hands, sharing tears, cracking a smile. 

Name: Angela Chen
Hometown: New York City, New York
Undergrad: Yale University
Future Plans: Ophthalmology
What makes a good day in medicine great?  I'm happiest when I can share stories, tender moments, and smiles with my patients. It's great to come up with a plan together with the patient that we both understand and are motivated to carry out. 

Name: Phillip Chen
Hometown: San Francisco, California
Undergrad: University of California, Berkeley
Future Plans: Internal Medicine; Hoping to work as a clinician and improve access to care for underserved communities
What makes a good day in medicine great? When you can educate the patient on multiple options for their health and we mutually practice shared decision making on the steps for their care!

Name: Varina Clark
Hometown: Mount Vernon, New York
Undergrad: Brown University
Future Plans: Medical Education, Advocacy & Global Health 
What makes a good day in medicine great? Sharing special moments with my patients

Name: Stephanie Clavijo
Hometown: Riverside, California
Undergrad: University of California, Los Angeles 
Graduate Insititution & Degree: UCLA Fielding School of Publich Health- MPH
Future Plans: Internal Medicine
What makes a good day in medicine great? Knowing that I did everything in my power to not only provide the best care, but also engage the patient and their family in the care and learn more about who they are as a person. 

Name: Mutya Mithi del Rosario
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Undergrad: University of California, Los Angeles
Future Plans: General practice and medical education 
What makes a good day in medicine great? I love discharge days! After seeing my patients heal throughout the course of a hospitalization, I love seeing them walking around, smiling, surrounded by family and friends, ready to go home. 

Name: Cassandra DeWitt
Hometown: Fresno, California
Undergrad: Fresno State
Graduate Institution & Degree: UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs- MPP
Future Plans: Emergency Medicine
What makes a good day in medicine great? The patients. Being able to connect with a handful of people in a meaninful way every single day is what makes medicine great. 

Name: Oscar G. Echeverría
Hometown: East Hollywood, Los Angeles
Undergrad: University of California, Irvine
Graduate Institution & Degree: Harvard Kennedy School- MPP
Future Plans: Family Medicine. Serving underserved communities in Los Angeles and helping organize community in pursuit of health justice and political empowerment. 
What makes a good day in medicine great? Making a positive difference in my patients' lives, connecting my patients to resources they need, partnering with my patients to improve their and their family's health. Working with my patients to build a more just and healthy tomorrow. 

Name: Kenneth Ferenchak
Hometown: Youngstown, Ohio & Makaha, Hawaii
Undergrad: The Ohio State University
Graduate Institution & Degree: University of Hawai'i at Manoa- MEdT
Future Plans: Pediatrics. I ultimately aim to combine my passions for pediatrics and education by working with the Wai‘anae community through research, policy, and advocacy. 
What makes a good day in medicine great? Making a kiddo smile, empowering a family, supporting a colleague, chipping away at a societal injustice, learning something about life, and eating lunch. 

Name: Roberto Gonzalez Huerta
Hometown: Petaluma, California
Undergrad: University of California, Berkeley
Future Plans: Internal Medicine. Working with underserved communities. 
What makes a good day in medicine great? Building a connection with patients, hearing their stories, and laughing together after hearing them tell a joke. 

Name: Regina Husman
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Undergrad: California State University of Fullerton
Future Plans: Vascular Surgery
What makes a good day in medicine great? Being able to improve not only a patients' health, but also quality of life. 

Name: Betelhem Kifle
Hometown: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Undergrad: University of California, San Diego 
Future Plans: Internal Medicine residency
What makes a good day in medicine great? Working with a team that is collaborative, kind and enjoys a laugh. Patients that cheer you up with their upbeat attitude and life stories :)

Name: Abhinaya Narayanan
Hometown: San Marino, CA
Undergrad: University of California, Berkeley
Graduate Institution & Degree:  Harvard Kennedy School- MPP
Future Plans: Family Medicine. Providing primary care to underserved communities and fighting to dismantle structures that oppress my patients. 
What makes a good day in medicine great? Building trust with my patients and their families. Connecting them to the resources they need to be healthy. Holding our systems accountable to advancing health equity and justice.