Network Director

Hey y’all, I’m Stephen Kwong, a second year
medical student at Texas A&M University School of Medicine. I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and got my B.S. in Neurobiology at the University of California, Davis. Growing up among such a large AANHPI population has not only given me a strong appreciation for the richly diverse cultures in our community, but has also shown me the many health challenges we face together. It has always been a dream of mine to do my part in helping to connect US health policy and practice with the multitude of needs our diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives bring. When I’m not working you can find me cooking, baking, reading sci-fi or fantasy novels, scuba diving, or playing way too many videogames.

Hello, My name is Christian Abenes and I am currently a medical student at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Prior to medical school, I received both a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Masters in Business Administration with a concentration in Health Care Administration from Ottawa University. I also worked with Ottawa University’s Student Clinic and my county’s health department to aid my community during the COVID pandemic. Currently, I am working in my institution’s research lab for Alzheimer’s Disease. Throughout my journey in medicine I have been involved in several programs put on by the Office of Diversity & Inclusion at the University of Kansas School of Medicine and have seen firsthand the importance of diversity. During my time as a medical student and beyond, I aim to be an advocate for diversity in medicine. I am excited to join my colleagues as a Regional Director for APAMSA!

Hi! My name is Stephen and I’m a first year medical student at Drexel University College of Medicine. I’m from Rowland Heights, CA and went to UC Berkeley where I majored in Public Health. My interests in medicine and my Taiwanese heritage has given me a desire to serve the greater AANHPI community. Hobby-wise, I enjoy playing basketball, collecting sports cards, and thrift shopping.

Hello, my name is Anne Francine Pino and I am a first year student at Penn State College of Medicine. I am originally from NJ and attended Seton Hall University where I received my B.A. in English Literature. As a first generation Filipino-American I am passionate about AANHPI health, expanding diversity in medicine, and medical humanities. In my free time, I enjoy watching movies with my dog and hiking.

Hi! My name is Skylar Luu, and I am a medical student at Albany Medical College. I was born and raised in Albany. I then attended college in Baltimore where I obtained my B.S. in Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University. I was first exposed to APAMSA when I attended a regional conference and joined the club at the beginning of medical school. I was a Region 1 Director last year and am excited to continue to serve as part of the national board!

Hi everyone! My name is Dennis, and I’m currently a 3rd year medical student at the University of Vermont. I grew up in San Francisco, CA and majored in Human Biology and Society while at UCLA. I’ve really enjoyed living in the Northeast for the first time in my life, and in my free time I love finding scenic routes to run along or explore. I look forward to serving as one of the Region 1 directors this year!

My name is Reanna Doña-Termine and I’m an MD/PhD student at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx. I recently finished my PhD, studying the various genomic effects of extrinsic stresses on in vitro model systems to better understand response mechanisms innately built-in at the cellular and molecular level. Before medical school, I studied Microbiology, Mathematics and Biomedical Engineering at Ohio State University, Go Bucks! In my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends and family (especially those in Hawaii, Italy and Germany), training for marathons and cooking up new recipes.

Hello! My name is Sonia Scallon, and I am a third-year medical student at Albany Medical College. My involvement in APAMSA first began as a local chapter member at my medical school after which I served as my chapter’s Co-President. As a Region 2 Director this past year, I enjoyed fostering community between local chapters and connecting chapters with national resources to advance individual goals. I look forward to serving as the Women in Medicine Director this year, during which I hope to expand mentorship opportunities, improve communication, and increase advocacy surrounding challenges women face in medicine. In my free time, I enjoy playing tennis, painting, and reviewing local restaurants as a Yelp Elite!

Hi everyone! My name is Crystal Choi and I am currently a MS4 at SUNY Downstate. I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. For college I attended Hunter College and graduated in 2019. I majored in Biological Sciences and minored in Asian American Studies. Previously, I had the pleasure of serving as local chapter president and Region II Director. As Membership Co-VP, I’m excited to welcome more individuals into the APAMSA family and keep nurturing its growth. In my spare time, I love to explore new food places with friends, do arts and crafts, and cook/bake! One of my favorite childhood activity that still helps me keep my Cantonese in check is watching TVB dramas with my family!

I am Akila, a medical student at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago. Currently, I am pursuing an NIDDK-funded research training fellowship investigating the effect of nutrition on nephropathy risk in patients with sickle cell anemia. Outside of school, I also volunteer in our student-run free clinic, mentor first-generation college students, and serve in leadership roles in the national American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA), the American Medical Association (AMA), and the American College of Physicians (ACP). I am passionate about medical student well-being and serve on my university’s Medical Student Council and Student Wellness and Resilience Committee.

Growing up in Bangladesh, my interest in advocacy developed as a high schooler in Dhaka implementing service projects at my school. Moving to the U.S. for college deepened my interest in health equity. After graduating from the University of Chicago with a B.A. in Biological Sciences in 2016, I pursued a career in public health developing equity-oriented solutions for patients experiencing homelessness and food insecurity. Broadly, my research and advocacy interests include global health justice, medical education, AANHPI data disaggregation, bilingual and bicultural/immigrant health equity, and cancer screening disparities.

I plan on pursuing a long-term career in academic internal medicine investigating factors that contribute to global health inequity, particularly for marginalized and immigrant patients, and implementing interventions to combat that. I am humbled to be training to become one of the first female physicians in my family and enjoy serving as a mentor to students, especially those who are first-generation, socioeconomically disadvantaged, and immigrants. In my free time, I love exploring independent bookstores, reading diaspora fiction, cooking fusion meals, and listening to music, particularly Bengali classics.