Network Director

Hi everyone! My name is Jessica Ngo, and I am a medical student at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). I am originally from Garland, TX, and I earned my undergraduate degree in Biochemistry from the University of Texas at Austin. I previously served as National APAMSA Co-Sponsorship Director 2023-24 and on the 2022 National APAMSA Hepatitis Conference Committee. I am passionate about preventive medicine, especially through lifestyle changes for chronic diseases. I’ve organized nutrition booths promoting diets like DASH and diabetic diets, and put on a charity 5K to encourage exercise and raise funds for shoe donations. In my free time, I love spending time outdoors hiking/camping, playing pickleball, trying out new recipes, and hanging out with my dog, Lily, who loves to play fetch on the Galveston beaches.

Hello! My name is Reanna Doña-Termine and I’m in my final year as an MD/PhD student at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx. Before medical school, I studied Microbiology, Mathematics and Biomedical Engineering at Ohio State University, Go Bucks! For my PhD, I studied 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. Having completed my clerkships recently, I am interested in anesthesiology and OBGYN, I enjoy being involved in a high acuity setting, working with my hands and using critical thinking and problem solving regularly in the OR and L&D floors. 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.

Jonathan (Jon) Shih is a medical student at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and identifies as a Taiwanese American. Jon currently serves as the Research Director in the Strategy Branch of the National Board of APAMSA. Previously, he served as the Co-Chair for the local chapter of APAMSA at UCSF. In his role, Jon’s goal is to address health and healthcare inequities amongst Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders communities. His research interests include clinical trial representation, the health impact of Anti-Asian discrimination, and racial/ethnic disparities in treatment and clinical outcomes. In addition to his commitment to health equity, he also conducts research in digital medicine and neuroradiology. His work is published in several peer-review journals, including JAMA Internal Medicine and The American Journal of Neuroradiology. Outside of medicine, he enjoys weightlifting, tennis, snowboarding, and cooking.

Hello! My name is Helen Gu and I am currently an M2 at the Ohio State University College of Medicine. I was born in Shanghai, China and immigrated to Los Angeles County at 4 years old. After earning my B.S in Neuroscience from the University of Notre Dame, I went straight into medical school. Since undergrad, I have been passionate about AANHPI advocacy and mentorship. I was fortunate to be able to serve as OSUCOM APAMSA’s chapter Mentorship and Development Chair this past year, working closely with our premedical students as they applied to medical school and starting an inaugural Medical Mandarin program to address language barriers in the clinic. This year, I am excited to expand my role to the national level as Pre-Health Director to support our pre-medical APAMSA students, wherever they may be in their medical journey. Outside of school, I love gouache painting, running, hiking and postcrossing (sending postcards all around the world)!

Hello! My name is Stephanie Kim, and I am a fourth-year MD student at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston, Texas. I was born in Denton, Texas and obtained my Bachelor of Science and Arts in Biochemistry at the University of Texas at Austin (Hook ‘Em!), where I was extensively involved in the American Medical Student Association (AMSA). I am currently integrated in the AMSA alumni network to support and cheer on pre-medical students in their journey towards medical school. Before medical school, I took a gap year to continue being a teaching assistant for Organic Chemistry I and II at UT Austin. At UTMB, I was the President and Vice President of External Affairs for the local chapter of Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA) and am currently a mentor for underclassmen. For my hobbies, I enjoy playing sports like tennis, pickleball, and running, in addition to trying new coffee and boba shops, playing video games, and adoring my two kittens. I am very excited to be serving as Pre-Medical Director, as I want to maintain a welcoming environment with open arms for pre-health students – no one deserves to go through the daunting process alone!

Hi APAMSA family! My name is Ellis Jang, and I am an MS3 at California Northstate University. I was born and raised in SoCal and attended UCLA, where I completed my undergraduate degree in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology. I have been dedicated to Asian American, Native Hawaiian, & Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community health since undergrad, and am honored to currently be a part of a national organization that addresses AANHPI health disparities as well as fosters a strong sense of community and support. I first joined APAMSA in 2022 as a Leadership Committee member and interim Executive Assistant, and then had the privilege of serving as Pre-Health Director last year! This year, I am excited to serve as the APAMSA Alumni Director to work closely with our alumni and create a strong social network amongst medical students and physicians. Outside of school, I enjoy reading my Kindle Unlimited, trying new foods, and spending time with friends/family.

Hello! My name is Jess (Yihuai) Qu, and I am a medical student at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine in Arizona. Born in Beijing and raised in Ohio suburbs, I graduated from Columbia University with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering. In college, I was very involved with our Chinese Students Club and I was really missing that community in medical school. Seeking to share my culture with my classmates, I co-founded my local APAMSA chapter and served as co-president. I first joined the national organization as a member of the Leadership Committee and was introduced to so many wonderful members. This year, I am very excited to become more involved with the National Board as the Alumni Co-Director and foster increased connections within our APAMSA community. In my free time, you can find me on Yelp looking for new restaurants/cafes to try, hiking or playing pickleball with my friends, and binge watching silly TV shows.

My name is Julie Kim and I am a current third year at Nova Southeastern University MD. I grew up in upstate New York, attended Wellesley College, then spent several years before medical school as a behavioral therapist with children with autism and working in a Geropsych research lab in Boston. I am currently involved in raising awareness about racial discrimination and its effects on the AANHPI community’s mental health. In my free time, I like to try new restaurants, take care of my cat, go to pilates, and karaoke!

Hello, my name Stephen Kwong, I’m currently a third year medical student at Texas A&M SOM. I was born in Oakland, CA and grew up in the SF Bay Area until I went to school to get a B.S. in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior at UC Davis. From there I took 2 gap years and worked as a scribe at an ophthalmology practice in Los Angeles before coming to Texas A&M for medical school. I was a co-president of my school’s APAMSA chapter and then became a region IX co-director. My hobbies include: cooking, baking, scuba diving, videogames, reading, and hiking. I hope to match into ophthalmology in this next year. I look forward to serving you as your Bone Marrow Director!

Hello! My name is Rachel and I’m a 3rd year at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM). I’m originally from the suburbs of New Jersey and attended undergrad at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences as part of their accelerated BS/DO program. I’ve been a member of APAMSA ever since I started medical school, and this is my second term serving as your Cancer Initiatives Director. I was also president of LECOM’s Oncology Club, during which I hosted guest speaker events with leaders in cancer care, invited researchers for our school’s first ever Cancer Research Symposium, and organized cancer screenings and donation drives to connect our students with the local community. As Cancer Initiatives Director, I’m proud to say that I’ve kickstarting multiple projects, such as a completing a brand new cancer screening toolkit, presenting monthly cancer research updates in our newsletter, and hosting a guest speaker on hepatocellular carcinoma at the Hepatitis Conference. This year, I have big goals for the Cancer Director role, and I’m excited to expand on these projects and more. Outside of academics, I enjoy food in all forms (except olives), knitting/crocheting, and movie nights with friends!