Mason Zhu, Region III Co-Director
Network Director
Hi everyone! My name is Mason Zhu and I’m currently a 2nd year medical student at Georgetown University School of Medicine. I’ll be one of your new Region III Directors for the 2023-2024 year. I’m originally from California and received my BS and MS from UC San Diego. Before medical school, I worked as a clinical research associate in cardiology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Beverly Hills. Joining APAMSA has helped me connect back with my roots and taught me how to advocate for the community to which I belong and love the most. My goal is to be able to serve the AANHPI community and bridge the health gaps and language barriers to better address and reform health inequities that separate our communities. I am also interested in serving the LGBTQIA+ community and other underserved groups in the United States. In my free time, I love playing beach volleyball, learning new languages, listening to electronic music, and working out. I’m looking forward to meeting each and every one of you and if you see me, say hey!
Cindy Hu, Region IX Co-Director
Network Director
Hi, my name is Cindy and I’m a 4th year medical student at Texas Tech! I grew up in the Dallas area and attended undergrad at UT Austin. I’m excited to work as an APAMSA Region 9 Director and serve the healthcare needs of AANHPI populations in this region. In my free time, I enjoy exercising, watching TV, and game nights with friends. I look forward to another great year on the APAMSA National Board!
Paul Tominez, Region VIII Co-Director
Network Director
Hello, my name is Paul Tominez and I am a medical student at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. Before medical school, I attended the University of California, Davis where I received my B.S. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry. I subsequently worked as a Junior Specialist with the UC Davis Department of Emergency Medicine. My current medical interests are in emergency medicine, global health, and systems improvement. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, taking care of my plants, and cooking. I am excited to be serving you as the APAMSA Region 8 Co-Director!
Daiana Takashima, Region IV Co-Director
Network Director
Hi! My name is Daiana Takashima and I am an M1 at Emory SOM. I was born and raised in the Bay Area but spent part of my childhood in Japan. I went to Williams College for undergrad and spent my gap years working as a high school biology teacher at a 5-day boarding school in the suburbs outside of Boston before moving to Atlanta for medical school. Attending a predominantly white undergraduate institution motivated me to get involved in APAMSA and stay connected with the AANHPI community. I am specifically interested in mentorship, further exploring the collaborations between Eastern and Western medicinal practices, and bridging health literacy gaps for AANHPI immigrant communities in particular. Outside of school, I love playing volleyball, hiking, and watching kdrama/anime.
Jerry Cui, Alumni Co-Director
Network Director
I am a 6th year MD/PhD student at Ohio State. I grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina and graduated from Yale in 2016. My research focuses on discovering bacterial natural products and elucidating their biosynthesis in an effort to develop novel therapeutics. I’ve served as one of the APAMSA Alumni Directors for the past few–probably too many–years.
Janet Guo, Academic Education and Research Director
Network Director
Janet Guo originally hails from Lexington, KY and is now a medical student at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. She is thrilled to serve as the Research Director for APAMSA. In her free time, Janet enjoys exploring bubble tea shops and practicing yoga.
Want to host the 2024 National Conference?
Interested in hosting our 2024 National Conference?
Head over here to learn more!
We will be hosting an open Q&A on March 22, 2023 at 7pm EST – 8 pm EST
2023 National Conference Posters
Congratulations to all of our research award winners! Every year, many fantastic research projects are presented at our National Conference. Click the link below to view our 2023 National Conference Abstract Booklet, where you can learn more about the research the APAMSA community is working on.
Interested in featuring your research with APAMSA? Email research@apamsa.org for more information!
Research Award Winners
Professional Identity Formation in Medical School: Embracing Personal Identities
Presenting Author: Meena Jain
Implications of Ligand “Sticker” Binding Affinity Modification on Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation in UBQLN2
Presenting Author: Antara Chaudhuri
First Place
Prevalence of Hepatitis B and C Infection Among Asian Americans in Oklahoma City
Presenting Author: Emily Tran
Runner Up
Evaluation of a Health Equity Curriculum to Improve Cultural Competence with Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islanders (AANHPI)
Presenting Author: Angel Li
Runner Up
Breaking Through the Bamboo Ceiling – Talking about Underrepresentation of Asian-Americans in Healthcare Leadership
Presenting Author: Victoria Nguyen
Congratulations to our 2023 National Conference Research Poster Awardees!
Be sure to stay tuned for more opportunities to feature your research at upcoming regional and national conferences.
Tori Nguyen, Premed APAMSA Co-Director
Network Director
Hello! My name is Tori Nguyen, and I am an MS2 at UCISOM. I grew up in Orange County and earned my B.S. in Biology with a minor in Global Health at UCLA. I discovered my academic interests, which include integrative medicine, hospice and palliative care, and medical education, during undergrad and my two gap years while working at a dumpling house and as a medical assistant for a gastroenterologist. I am so excited to be a Pre-Medical Director because I am passionate about mentorship and aim to promote APAMSA’s mission and service to the AANHPI community by cultivating connection within our network, creating culturally-sensitive professional development opportunities, and increasing accessibility to pre-medical resources.
LEAD with APAMSA - Building an Organization from Scratch with Dr. Jhemon Lee
Join Dr. Jhemon Lee, one of the founders of APAMSA, as he discusses the importance of leadership in the context of organizational development. He will share insights into how individuals can begin to start their own organizations, holding groups together during difficult times, and the differences of organizational leadership.
Date: Wednesday, March 1
Time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST
Registration Link: https://forms.gle/jehsivYEbTFGLJ3a9
Dr. Lee is a private practice radiologist in Los Alamitos, CA. He was one of the original student organizers that helped lead to the formation of APAMSA in 1995, and has helped lead APAMSA’s Advisory Board ever since. He is a board member of the National Council of Asian Pacific Islander Physicians (NCAPIP). He is president of the Orange County chapter of OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates, and has previously been involved with the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP), serving in many roles including National President, President of its Chicago chapter, and co-chair of the 2008 National Convention. He is also the Medical Advisor for the Diagnostic Medical Sonography programs at Platt College. Dr. Lee received his bachelor’s degree in Engineering Sciences at Harvard University and obtained his medical degree from the University of Maryland. He completed his residency in diagnostic radiology at the University of Chicago, where he was chief resident, and a fellowship in abdominal imaging at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School in Boston. On the side, he and his wife, Misa performed improv comedy for years with groups such as Cold Tofu, Los Angeles’ longest running API improv troupe. More recently, Jhemon has been writing and performing sketch comedy with a local API comedy group, “No MSG Added.”