Alex Burnette

Pronouns: she/her
Languages Spoken: English, Spanish (a little), French (a little)
Hometown: Tampa, FL
Undergrad: Furman university, SC

Medical School: USF Morsani COM, Tampa, FL
Hobbies: eating, traveling, and hanging out with friends. 
Fun Fact: I used to go to camp at Big Cat Rescue (made famous by tiger king) and I’ve met Carole Baskin
Favorite thing about Los Angeles/ why you picked LAC+USC: I love living in a city with so many things to do and so many people to meet. I chose USC because of the dedication for treating the underserved. I really wanted a program that felt like it made a true impact on the lives of patients. The fact that all the faculty and other residents are so welcoming and friendly is an added bonus. 
Plans after residency: Fellowship in something (thinking picu, nicu, or EM)

Ankit Chopra

Pronouns: he/him
Languages Spoken: English, Punjabi, Spanish (a little)
Hometown: Bend, OR
Undergrad: Oregon State University
Hobbies: basketball, exploring new places, being outdoors, watching movies/tv shows
Favorite thing about Los Angeles/LAC+USC: my favorite thing would be the mixing of cultures in the community and at the Hospital. I also like that each little section of LA is so different and fun that you will always have a different experience depending on where you are.
Fun Fact: I won a pickleball tournament in high school. Autographs are welcome if we meet in person.
Plans after residency: Pursue a fellowship. Deciding between NICU or Sports Medicine

Yuhung Holy Chou

Pronouns: She/Her
Languages Spoken: Mandarin Chinese, Taiwanese
Hometown: Taipei, Taiwan
Undergrad: University of Houston - Main
Medical School: University of the Incarnate Word SOM
Hobbies: baking, cooking, dying my hair different colors, playing with my orange tabby (Mako)
Fun Fact: I read all the Harry Potter series in Chinese! I can’t talk about it with people because I only know character and terms in Chinese. 
Favorite thing about Los Angeles/ why you picked LAC+USC: I loved the vibes of this program. Everyone was so kind and would go out of their way to help others- like me. I felt like that’s where I belong. 
Plans after residency: Peds EM!

Mitali Dave

Pronouns: she/her
Languages spoken: English
Hometown: Naperville, IL
Undergrad: University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign 
Medical School: Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hobbies: Hiking, biking, spikeball, really any outdoor activity, including tree hugging apparently (see pic above). Also love all things music: singing it, playing it, listening to it, dancing to it! 
Fun Fact: I had a brachial plexus injury at birth and 3 surgeries + 28 years later, here I am! 
Why Los Angeles/LAC: This program cares for an underserved community and as difficult as some days are, the work is as equally meaningful and rewarding. In terms of the staff and fellow residents, they are incredible and you really feel like everyone is there to support you. Why LA? I mean it’s LA, not much explanation needed.
Plans after residency: Gen peds or hospitalist, guess I’m here to figure it out! 

Eun Im

Pronouns: she/her
Languages Spoken: English, Korean
Hometown: RPV, CA
Undergrad: USC
Medical school: Western Michigan
Hobbies: running, family/friends, movies/shows
Fun Fact: I worked at residency office at LAC USC as my first job after college.
Why Los Angeles/LAC:  I am from the area and wanted to come back. I also enjoyed the experience I had in undergrad. X+Y curriculum.
Plans after residency:  gen peds, DB

Wayne Kuang

Pronouns: he/him
Languages Spoken: English, Mandarin Chinese, Spanish (a little)
Hometown: San Fernando Valley, CA
Undergrad: Vanderbilt University
Medical School: Western University of Health Sciences
Hobbies: Hiking, sports, board/video games, brewing coffee, grilling/smoking BBQ
Fun Fact: I’ve won a PS4, a JBL bluetooth speaker, a computer monitor, and multiple Starbucks gift-cards from various raffle ticket draws
Favorite thing about Los Angeles/ Why you picked LAC+USC: Los Angeles is an amazing place where I’ve been able to experience a bit of everything. I’ve seen both large academic programs and small community programs and I feel that this program has the best of both worlds: diverse patient populations, academically challenging curriculum, supportive staff/faculty/co-residents…and the cafeteria food is actually pretty good
Plans after residency: I want to do a mix of in-patient/out-patient. I also want to utilize osteopathic manipulative treatment and engage in advocacy

Garrett Meier

Pronouns: he/him
Languages Spoken: English
Hometown: Bonsall, CA
Undergrad: California State University, San Marcos
Medical School: Northeast Ohio Medical University
Hobbies: Cycling, hiking, camping, exploring new eateries, spending time outside in the sunshine.
Fun fact: I grew up on an avocado farm and can make a mean bowl of guacamole!
Favorite thing about Los Angeles/ why you picked LAC+USC: The patients and the vibes. Working with the underserved community has always been my priority. The residents are friendly, the attendings are approachable, and the overall atmosphere is welcoming.
Plans after residency: Interested in primary care, but also considering GI.

Hashir Qamar

Pronouns: he/him
Languages Spoken: English, Urdu 
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Undergrad: University of California - Santa Cruz
Medical School: Touro University-CA COM
Hobbies: Climbing, hiking, swimming, mountain biking, spending too much money working on my car
Fun Fact: After college I went on a 3000 mile/3 week solo road trip through the Western US and Canada.
Favorite thing about Los Angeles: I enjoy being back in the place I grew up and also being close to family. Glad to be part of a program where the attendings are approachable and residents go out of their way to help each other out. 
Plans after residency: NICU/PICU/PEM

Japmeet Sandhu

Pronouns: she/her
Languages Spoken: English, Punjabi 
Hometown: Fresno, Ca
Undergrad: Pitzer College 
Medical School: Western University of Health Sciences COMP 
Hobbies: Exploring new places and trying new foods, hiking, making Tik Toks with my cat, watching horror movies, reading
Fun fact: My dad started his IM residency at LAC-USC a month after I was born. 25 years later I’ve come full circle and here I am :) 
Why Los Angeles/LAC:  I love the supportive learning environment of this program and the dedication to helping the underserved community. The vibes of this program are amazing and I feel right at home!
Plans after residency:  Thinking of hospital medicine or fellowship

Samantha Wong

Pronouns: she/her
Languages Spoken: English
Hometown: San Mateo, CA
Undergraduate: UC San Diego
Medical School: Albany Medical College
Hobbies: playing tennis, creative writing, reading young adult novels (a guilty pleasure), singing, watching movies & video game playthroughs, painting (any arts n’ crafts really), anything Disney
Fun fact: In high school, my best friend and I performed a rendition of Justin Bieber’s “Boyfriend” in a talent show, complete with badly choreographed dance moves
Favorite thing about Los Angeles/ Why you picked LAC+USC: Having spent 4 years in the frigid/humid Northeast, I wanted to return to Cali, where sunshine is an almost everyday thing. LAC+USC’s X+Y curriculum, program size, welcoming vibe, and (most of all) love of boba really drew me here.
Plans after residency: Gen peds

Jewel Park

Coming soon

Drew Colman

Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Undergrad: Smith College
Med School: Duke University School of Medicine
Why LAC+USC: LAC+USC Med+Peds stood out to me during my interviews as a program with not only an admirable mission but also great integrity to that mission. It is a true privilege to help care for and learn from the patients at County, many of whom have been marginalized and underserved by the health care system. And the residents and faculty are amazing! I feel honored to be working with such kind, generous, and intelligent people who are committed to outstanding patient care and advocacy.
Plans after residency: Still undecided, most likely primary care. I plan to do gender affirming care in some capacity and perhaps focus on adolescent medicine.

Emilio Feliz Sala

Hometown: West New York, NJ/Santo Domingo, RD
Undergrad: Rutgers University, New Brunswick
Medical School: Keck School of Medicine of USC
Why LAC+USC: The patient population and the stories they bring motivate me in the direction of personal and professional growth. LAC USC Med Peds Residency Program has the most compassionate, caring, loving and humble residents, staff, and folks that I have ever come across. It feels like I can come to them with anything. They are what makes this program home. The city of LA itself is vibrant and inviting, with many fun things to do on your off time.
Plans after residency: Still in the process of figuring it all out, however I have a strong interest in medicine across the spectrum. Therefore I am looking closely at combined Hospitalist or Primary Care. 

Mahima Iyengar

Hometown: Bethesda, Maryland
Undergrad: University of Michigan
Medical School: University of Rochester
Why LAC+USC: I really loved my interview day and all the residents and faculty I met. I got the sense that serving the underserved was more than just a mission statement at this program, and that faculty and residents are dedicated to actively creating a system that better serves their patients than the current one, both through community health work and advocacy
Plans after residency: I'm unsure! I like the broad scope and complexity of both primary care and critical care, but I'm keeping my mind open. I also want to stay involved in advocacy and community organizing post-residency.

Shaunpaul Jones

Hometown: New York City, NY (Brooklyn)
Undergrad: Amherst College
Medical School: University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry
Why LAC+USC?: I was inspired by the commitment to patient care for undeserved and marginalized patients. During my interview, the program directors were candid in discussing the fact that residents here work hard. However, the work we do at County is good, worthwhile work. We advocate for our patients in ways I was afraid were not possible when I was going to medical school. 
Plans for after residency: Currently, I'd like to be a combined med-peds hospitalist. 

Shea Nagle

Hometown: Dolgeville, NY
Undergrad: Hamilton College
Medical School: University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry
Grad School: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Why LAC+USC: I wanted to train at a mission-driven program with people who shared my values. I am inspired every day by the amazing work my colleagues do for the underserved patients we care for at LAC+USC. Their dedication and passion are unparalleled. It is truly a joy and privilege to care for the patients we serve here… The weather is pretty nice too. 
Plans after residency: My current interests are adolescent medicine, endocrinology, or primary care.

Lillian Nwanah

Pronouns: She/her
Languages spoken: English
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Undergrad: Northwestern University
Medical school: University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine
Why LAC+USC?: For me, I chose this program because of the amazing vibe of the residents and the program that I felt during the interview and after. Additionally, I am passionate about the patients we serve at LAC+USC. I was also chasing the sun and excited to be somewhere with stable and warmer weather!
Plans after residency: I am honestly still figuring that out. I am interested in hospitalist medicine, hospital administration, and global health and I am excited to see how all three of these interests come together.