Josefina Andreini
My name is Josefina Andreini. I am currently a fourth-year student studying majoring in Biology with a concentration in Physiology, and minors in Spanish and Chemistry. Growing up in South San Francisco has influenced my path to medicine, as living in the city of biotechnology prompted my interest in medical-based science. Spending my summers in Mexico with my aunt, who is a cardiologist, impacted my perception of the relationship between physician and patient. Establishing trusting bonds is crucial to overall clinical experiences and positive outcomes. As a Hispanic woman, I aspire to overcome the barrier of patients having difficulty trusting their providers, specifically in the realm of obstetrics and gynecology. In order to remove any gaps in medical care, and to ensure all women receive the comprehensive care they deserve, it is important to foster the understanding of unique cultural, social, and personal factors that remain important to patients when seeking medical attention.
Yuliana Caravantes Molina
Hi everyone, my name is Yuliana Caravantes Molina. I am a first-generation, 2nd year Latina majoring in Biology with a concentration in Physiology and a minor in Early Childhood Development. I am from South San Francisco and my career goal is to become a pediatrician. I am drawn to a career in medicine because as the eldest child of immigrant parents, I have always accompanied them to doctor's appointments as their translator. Additionally, growing up in a predominantly immigrant, low-income neighborhood, reinforced my desire to pursue medicine. I've witnessed how many in my community avoid seeking medical care due to fear and distrust, often stemming from their legal status or past negative experiences. These experiences lead me to become a culturally competent doctor. Ultimately, I hope to create a safe environment for all of my patients and increase representation within the field.
Maceo Carney
Hello, My Name is Maceo Carney! I am a born and raised Bay Area native, and currently a 3rd-year student pursuing a double Major in Biology (concentration in Ecology) and Psychology with a Minor in Spanish. My goal is to merge holistic health with Mental health and commercial medicine. I believe plants hold enormous potential in aiding our health and helping us heal. I hope to learn how to synthesize a more harmonious mutualistic relationship between humans and nature that will allow us to create a more environmentally friendly world for all its inhabitants. Pursuing medicine is one pathway that will give me access to work with the public and ensure a better quality of care for all my future patients, and communities who suffer the most from social determinants of health.
Melanie Garcia Sanchez
Hello, my name is Melanie Garcia Sanchez. I am a rising senior majoring in Biology Physiology with minors in Chemistry and Public Health Education. I was born and raised in South San Francisco. As a first generation Latina college student, I am passionate about helping others navigate their way through college and aim to increase Latina representation in STEM careers through my leadership role in Latinas in STEM. Through my experiences as a pediatric medical assistant and as a past volunteer at Mission Neighborhood Health Center, I’ve had hands-on clinical experience and served as a patient advocate for patients facing language barriers, while also contributing to patient care through backend support. As an undergraduate researcher focusing on historically marginalized communities, particularly Latina breast cancer survivors, I've gained insight into how their lived experiences affect biological mechanisms. As a recent volunteer at Clínica Martin Baró, I hope to combine my interest in medicine and passion for addressing health inequities in my community. I want to examine disparities in non-language concordant patients and contribute to increasing the 6% of Hispanic physicians in the U.S.
Olive Magaipo
Hello, my name is Olive Magaipo, and I was born in Manila, Philippines, and raised predominantly in California. I am currently a 3rd-year student majoring in Psychology and Pre-med. My upbringing in two distinct cultures has instilled a deep appreciation for diversity and a strong sense of resilience. My passion for working with children has been a driving force in my life, leading me to my role at an elementary school, where I engage with 1st graders. However, my enthusiasm extends to working with students across all grade levels, from kindergarten to fifth grade. This hands-on experience has solidified my desire to pursue a career in medicine, with aspirations to specialize in Trauma/ER, particularly in Pediatrics. The profound impact of my four younger brothers, whom I helped raise, fuels my dedication to improving the lives of children and adolescents. They are my inspiration, along with my unwavering love for my family, which motivates me to strive for excellence in my education and community service. I am eager to embark on this journey toward medical school, driven by the belief that through compassionate care and dedication, I can make a difference in the lives of others while honoring my Filipino heritage and enriching the communities I serve.
Sugey Marquez
Hello! My name is Sugey Marquez, I’m a 3rd-year, first-generation college student majoring in biology student with a concentration in physiology and a minor in chemistry. I am originally from Oxnard, California, where I have witnessed health disparities among my community of farmworkers. While serving as the family translator in medical appointments, I witnessed the difficulty in finding proper healthcare and bilingual doctors. This motivated me to make a difference in low-income communities. My desire to pursue a career in medicine stems from observing how challenging it was for my family members to receive healthcare. I want to improve healthcare by diminishing language barriers and learning more about the social determinants of health. Although becoming a Pediatric Neurologist has a special place in my heart, there are many other specialties I’m interested in learning about. As my journey continues and I keep discovering myself as a physician, I hope to obtain as much exposure and knowledge as possible while improving my skills and gaining experience in the medical field.
Alexcia Montes
Hi! I am Alexcia Montes, also known as Lexi. I am currently a 3rd-year senior majoring in Biology, concentrating in Physiology, and minoring in Chemistry. I am a member of several organizations including Phi Sigma Sigma, WISE, and Latinas in Stem. Originally, I’m from Fresno but moved to San Francisco for college in 2021. Upon graduation, I hope to attend medical school and specialize in anesthesia. I am a first-generation college student and due to a variety of personal events, I felt increasingly drawn to medicine. When my grandmother fell ill with Alzheimer’s, she feared a trip to the hospital. At such a young age, I didn’t understand why, and it was difficult to get her to annual checkups. My father also refused to call an ambulance when he needed one and was incapable of moving due to his fear of the hospital. This is a recurring issue for Latinos and other marginalized communities. I want to make a difference in the medical community, specifically by increasing inclusivity and healthcare resources for underserved people. I hope to further pursue my research interests while developing my leadership skills and knowledge and applying them to my long-term ambitions.
Aline Moran
Greetings! My name is Aline Moran. I am a second-year student studying biology with a concentration on cell and molecular biology. I am proud and honored to be a first-generation Mexican immigrant; being born and raised in a rural village in Mexico has allowed me to see firsthand how health disparities affect my community. I want to make a positive difference which piqued my interest in medicine, particularly neurology. Neurology is the department of medicine in which I wish to specialize. I plan to devote my life to advocating for and helping people with dignity. I hope to increase the representation of Latinx neurologists so that as time passes, this representation expands beyond the current 9.8%. Currently, I am pursuing my medical goals as a member of SFSU PPAS because I like giving back to my community while improving my clinical abilities through direct patient care. As a future doctor, I plan on utilizing my skills and knowledge in medicine to bridge health inequities and help combat systematic oppression that has long affected the Latinx community.
Aaliyah Muhammad
My name is Aaliyah Muhammad (she/her). I am a Cell and Molecular Biology major and undergraduate Chemistry researcher at San Francisco State University. I aspire to dedicate my career to tackling health disparities as a physician. I’m a first-generation college student of Cameroonian descent.
Ariana Ramirez
Hello! My name is Ariana Ramirez, a college senior and first-generation Latina. My major is Psychology with a minor in General Biology, hoping to learn the many ways our brain and body connect. My passion is rooted in my own experiences; having my own Latinx pediatrician inspired me to become a doctor. Psychology and the brain have always interested me, especially with so many stigmas around mental health. I want to help others advocate for mental health. My community struggles daily to receive the many rights we deserve, especially in the medical community. Being a voice for those who do not feel heard or seen makes me strive to seek change and advocate for more health equity across all communities. I aspire to become an accessible and compassionate doctor, but I also hope to mentor other Latinx students. I hope that this program will be equip me with more skills and friendships to continue building more opportunities for my community and my future patients.
Juandiego Sanchez
Hello! My name is Juandiego Sanchez. I am a first-generation Mexican American student. This is my 2nd year as a Biology major, concentrating in molecular & cellular biology. I’m looking forward to graduating and attending medical school where I can start my path to becoming a pediatric oncologist. I have many reasons for my decision to become a physician, but they all stem from the same issue the disconnect between patients and healthcare system. I have seen how language barriers cause discomfort and distrust between patient and provider, and I want to be a doctor who connects with Latino patients. It is difficult for many Latinos to seek healthcare because they feel invalidated by their providers. I want to work on building that connection between patient and provider so that my community feels confident and validated when they see their doctors. Equity in the healthcare system isn’t a simple fix, which is why I am excited to attend this program so I can learn from physicians and individuals about how I can be a part of the change to improve the relationships between patients and healthcare providers.
Maria Turner
Hello, my name is Maria Turner, I am a first-generation student majoring in Cell and Molecular Biology and minors in Music and Chemistry! I am from Tracy and am an aspiring physician, interested in pediatrics and psychiatry. My passion for medicine began in high school; I strive to meld my interest in medicine with my commitment to serving medically underserved communities. After witnessing the effects that come from a lack of mental health resources and the difficulty associated with navigating difficult conversations in my own family, I have become passionate about increasing mental health awareness. This is especially important in communities like mine where a stigma towards mental health is strong and the proper resources are inaccessible. As my journey continues, I hope to gain more experience and knowledge so as a future physician, I can offer a safe place for patients to talk and feel heard by their provider, while also making continuous efforts to help instill their trust in a medical system that has perpetually ignored and failed them.
Daniel Urista
Hello, my name is Daniel Urista. I am a first-generation college student and rising senior at SFSU majoring in Cell and Molecular Biology with minors in Chemistry and Special Education. I am a proud Mexican American born and raised in San Francisco. My passion for becoming a physician stemmed from seeing many family members go through difficult situations in healthcare settings. Issues such as language barriers and cultural competency led to distrust. Working at an opticians office allows me to interact with patients and experience healthcare as a provider; this has boosted my desire to advocate for my community and other underserved communities as well. I feel it’s so important for people to feel comfortable and safe in healthcare settings. I also work with students facilitating classes on intro Biology courses. These passions of mine, along with my studies in Special Education, fuel my strong desire to pursue a career in pediatrics. My experiences have informed my life and I hope to give back to my community and advocate for a more understanding and bias-free medical system.
Samuel Vallejo
Hello, my name is Samuel Vallejo and I’m a 2nd year student majoring in Biology with a concentration in Physiology and minoring in Criminal Justice. I feel that these two subjects define exactly what I want to do in terms of meaningful work in medicine and serving my community. Specifically, I'm interested in forensic pathology due to how many aspects of public health this field touched upon, including the surveillance of health disparities among large groups of people and the epidemiological investigative research of the people around them. I find these to be some of the most important issues that both my desired career aids in tackling and what has tainted parts of the East Bay that I have called home for my whole life.
Rosa Velazquez
Hello! My name is Rosa Velazquez, I am a rising 3rd-year student and a first-generation Latina majoring in Biology, with a concentration in physiology. I hope to attend medical school in the future. As the oldest in my family and the first to go to college, I began to understand the im- portance of representation in medicine after having to translate for my parents at a young age. Those experiences motivated me to accomplish all my goals and be an example for other Latinas thinking about STEM-related careers. I aspire to bring more inclusivity to the medical field and help diminish disparities in healthcare. I want to be part of a change that will benefit my Latino community by creating a healthcare system free of oppression. After learning about all the injustices women of color are facing, I look forward to a career in obstetrics/gynecology. I strive to use my morals and background as a physician to improve the experiences of underserved communities when seeking medical assistance.