2024 Medical Student Fellows
Saundra Manyitabot
Saundra is a first-year medical student at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) in Milwaukee. She was born and raised in Cameroon and moved to the US at a young age. She is the second daughter of David and Helen Manyitabot . She received her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from Augusta University/Medical College of Georgia. She worked as an ER/Trauma nurse at Grady Memorial Hospital's Level 1 Trauma Center in Atlanta, GA prior to matriculating into medical school. She currently serves as Co-President of Student National Medical Association (SNMA) and White Coats for Black Lives (WC4BL) at MCW were she spearheads initiatives to enhance resources for the URM population. Her research interests include chest wall injuries, blunt-abdominal trauma, emergent and longitudinal care for trauma patients, health disparities and vulnerable populations, global emergency medicine, and disaster preparedness and response.
José Barrera
José is a proud native of City Heights, San Diego, CA, where he was raised by his family who immigrated from Honduras. His interests in Emergency Medicine began riding in the back of firetrucks in City Heights during his time as a Firefighter Cadet. After making the transition from an aspiring firefighter to an aspiring Emergency Medicine physician, he attended San Diego Miramar College prior to transferring to UCLA to earn his B.S. in Biophysics and a minor in Spanish, and also served as Captain for the UCLA Boxing Team for three years. After college, José worked as Research Project Manager at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology in La Jolla, CA before completing a post-baccalaureate program at the UC Davis School of Medicine. While at UC Davis, José was awarded an NIH grant to research the exposomal determinants of heart failure in CA’s Latino patient populations prior to starting medical school. Currently, he is a first-year medical student at the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine and, as a non-traditional applicant to medical school, he is passionate about mentoring the next generation of pre-medical students through local outreach, LMSA, PremedCC, and MiMentor. During his spare time, he enjoys exploring coffee shops, boxing, and having creative outlets such as photography and writing.
Maricar Almeda
Maricar was born in the Philippines where they spent their early childhood in De La Paz, Biñan, Laguna on the island of Luzon. Their family immigrated to the United States when they were 7 years old. As a queer, immigrant, and first generation, low income student, witnessing the barriers that exist between healthcare and their own communities has inspired them to pursue a career in medicine that aims to move justice and health equity forward for all–but especially for those who are most disadvantaged. Maricar completed their undergraduate studies at Princeton University as a Questbridge Scholar where they majored in Molecular Biology and minored in Asian American Studies. During their gap year between undergrad and matriculating into medical school, they worked as a Research Associate in a pediatrics lab at UCSF studying congenital heart disease. Now, they are a student at the Joint Medical Program where their research aims to highlight the unique experiences of Filipino immigrants in health care through ethnographic methodology.
Maria De Los Angeles Almaraz Villanueva
**Preferred name: Angeles**
Angeles was raised in Firebaugh, CA, a small farming community in the heart of the Central Valley. She is currently a first-year DACA medical student at Loyola Stritch School of Medicine in Chicago and completed her undergraduate studies at UCLA majoring in Biology and Chicanx Studies. Angeles is passionate about advocacy and working with immigrant communities. As a physician, she aspires to care for and work alongside the communities that have historically been excluded from healthcare in this country. In her free time, she enjoys doing yoga and playing tennis. She is excited to share this experience with 2024 cohort.
Jed Obra
Jed grew up in Hayward, CA and is a San Francisco Bay Area native. He is a first-generation Filipino American and older brother. He attended UC Davis for his undergrad where he pursued Physiology with a minor in Psychology and Public Health. During college, he conducted musculoskeletal research, uplifted fellow Filipinx Americans in his community, and served at the Willow Clinic, which is a free medical clinic providing medical care to the greater Sacramento community. Here, he found passions in the intersections of science, service, and advocacy and was inspired to study health equity through the lens of medicine. After graduating, he worked at the Stanford Center for Asian Health Research and Education where he conducted clinical research for Asian American health. He is currently a 2nd year medical student at the UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program studying bias in clinical decision making for his Masters. Jed continues his advocacy at the Suitcase Clinic at UC Berkeley and teaching work as a biochemistry Graduate Student Instructor. He plays for the Cal Quadball (Quidditch) team, enjoys traveling, and strives to empower other UIM students throughout the medical education pipeline as a future physician.
Tzelzin Hernandez
Tzelzin is a first-generation Mexican American, born and raised in San Jose, California, where she grew up as the eldest of three children. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, before dedicating two years to working in a free clinic, igniting her passion for health equity. Currently a medical student at UCSF School of Medicine, she is dedicated to advocating for Spanish-speaking immigrant populations, focusing on addressing social and legal determinants of health, especially among pediatric patients. Outside her studies, Tzelzin actively engages in outreach to under-resourced students through programs like Bridging Admissions, Cardiac Camp, and the LMSA National Premed Mentorship Service. As a graduate of community college and first-generation college student, outreach and mentorship are issues dear to her heart. Other commitments at UCSF include serving as the admissions ambassador and treasurer of the LMSA, and as a coordinator for the Point of Care Ultrasound elective. In her leisure time, she enjoys the arts, and you can find her at the San Francisco Symphony, Ballet, and Opera!
Nicolas Hurtado Bautista
My name is Nicolas Hurtado Bautista, and I proudly identify as an Afro-Latino. I had the privilege of being born in Bogota, Colombia, and raised in Anaheim, California. Growing up with my single mother and grandparents, I was fortunate to be surrounded by my family, who instilled in me the importance of education and its transformative power. This profound belief drove my determination to attend UCLA, where I graduated in 2020 with a Major in Biology and a Minor in Chicana & Chicano Studies. As I aspired to pursue a career in medicine, I recognized the need to enhance my preparation for medical school. Thus, the following year, I undertook a postbaccalaureate program in medicine at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. My passion for becoming a doctor stems from a deep desire to address health disparities, practice cultural empathy, provide essential resources to uplift communities, and significantly increase the representation of Afro-Latino physicians within the medical field. I am in my first year of medical school at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. I am excited to embark on the path to becoming a physician, where I can utilize my knowledge, skills, and cultural awareness to impact the lives of individuals and communities positively. My dream is to inspire future generations of underrepresented students who aspire to become a doctor, showing them that they, too, can break barriers and make a significant difference in the medical world.
Ndické Sow
Ndické, a rising second-year medical student at Drexel University College of Medicine, brings a unique perspective shaped by her upbringing in Atlanta, GA, as one of six siblings and a first-generation American to Senegalese immigrants. Having earned a BS in Neuroscience and Behavior from the University of Notre Dame, she embarked on a journey of self-discovery during two gap years. One year was dedicated to full-time work at an ophthalmology office, where she witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by the elderly population, while concurrently preparing for the MCAT. The following year, she pursued a Special Master's Program at Drexel, where she not only deepened her academic knowledge but also found love with her now-husband, also a rising second-year student at Drexel. Beyond academia, her passions extend to exploring new cities, immersing herself in diverse cultures through cuisine, and hiking. Committed to mentorship, she aspires to pave the way for future generations, particularly students of color in medicine, as she looks forward to a career in academia.
Mirdrina Dulcio
Mirdrina was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. She's the big sister to two twin brothers, and her roots run deep in her Haitian heritage, infusing her life with rich culture and strong family values. She is a first-generation college graduate from Emory University and majored in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology. After college, she spent a couple of years as an advanced EMT at Grady Hospital, where she experienced the raw reality of emergency medicine firsthand. She continued her pursuit of education and obtained her master’s degree in biomedical science at Drexel University. Now, she's diving into her next adventure as a first-year med student at Drexel University School of Medicine. Mirdrina is on a mission to help make healthcare more accessible and understandable for everyone. With a passion for boosting health literacy and empowering patients to speak up for themselves, she's determined to create a healthier, happier future for all. And when she's not busy saving lives and hitting the books, you can find Mirdrina out on a nature hike, kicking back with some video games, or strumming away on her ukulele.