Network Director

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!

Hannah J. Lee is currently a second-year medical student at the David Geffen School of Medicine. Born in Los Angeles and raised in Irvine, Hannah is the eldest daughter of a Korean immigrant family. She concentrated in Public Health (BA) at Brown University and completed her Fulbright Open Study Research Scholarship in South Korea, studying the intersection of autism spectrum disorder, technology, and culture. As of now, Hannah is interested in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, as she is heavily involved in neurodevelopmental research and body empowerment work. More than anything, she is truly passionate about narrative medicine and Asian American representation in medical leadership. During her time in APAMSA, Hannah hopes to expand the scope of community outreach, meeting the unique needs of the diverse groups within the broad AANHPI umbrella.

James “Jameson” Chua, MS is a current first year medical student at Touro University Nevada, College of Osteopathic Medicine. He was born to Chinese-Filipino immigrants in Seattle, Washington, and later moved to San Diego, California, where he spent the majority of his childhood and discovered a love for quesadillas and hip hop dancing. He received his B.A. in Biology from the University of San Diego, during which he became a brother of Sigma Pi fraternity and a coordinating director in charge of hosting a drag show on a religious-affiliated campus. Following graduation in 2019, he worked at The Scripps Research Institute and UC San Diego School of Medicine in Infectious Disease research, more specifically studying COVID-19. His work on SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies has since been published in journals such as Science and Nature Communications. In 2022, he received his M.S. in Biomedical Sciences from Drexel University, College of Medicine, and developed a passion for aimless walks and discovering hidden gems all throughout Philly. If he isn’t in the Touro library cramming for his next exam, he can likely be found in one of three places: cooking and baking up a storm in his kitchen, streaming on Twitch to raise money for charity, or watching Rupaul’s Drag Race with his best friend (his Shiba Inu-Beagle pupper). After medical school, he hopes to pursue a career in either Pathology or Psychiatry; stay tuned as a lot more is coming up in his first year! During his time as the 2024-25 Fundraising Director, he hopes to create novel and collaborative ways for members across all of the APAMSA chapters to work together to raise money for new scholarships and the future and longevity of the organization.

Hey y’all! I am a second year MD student at NYU. Originally born and raised in Pittsburgh, I studied psychology and education studies at Yale and, after graduating, worked in education for three years (two of which were spent in Fort Worth). I’m passionate about psychiatry, community- and school-based mental health, and decreasing barriers to quality health care. Outside of medicine, I enjoy learning languages, playing tennis and pickle ball, doing arts and crafts, and exploring new public transport systems.

Hello! My name is Brandon Park, and I am a medical student 6-year BA/MD Program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) School of Medicine. I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, and I am currently serving as the National APAMSA Sponsorship Co-Director! Previously, I was a part of the National APAMSA Leadership Committee last year and my local chapter’s Treasurer the past two years. As a member of APAMSA, I eagerly anticipate the upcoming year, during which we will further extend our influence, collaborate with various organizations to advocate for our community’s needs, and tackle healthcare disparities. During my free time, I enjoy playing sports, especially soccer, hanging out with friends, and listening to pop and hip-hop music.

Hello! My name is Anne Nguyen and I am a medical student at New York Medical College. I first became involved with APAMSA as member of my local chapter and later as a co-Internal President. I had the great opportunity to be a part of the Southeast Asian Committee last year, in which I supported projects aimed at increasing representation of Southeast Asian students and awareness of Southeast Asian health disparities. I am excited to serve as the Women in Medicine Director for this year and work towards fostering mentorship for AANHPI women in medicine, as well as advocate for AANHPI concerns surrounding women’s health. In my free time, I like to knit, draw, and go to the beach!