James Chen is currently a third year medical student at the University of Texas Medical Branch John Sealy School of Medicine (JSSOM) in Galveston, Texas. He grew up in Houston, Texas and completed his B.A. in Biochemistry and Cell Biology at Rice University with a minor in the Medical Humanities. His research background before medical school consisted of cancer therapeutic research at MD Anderson and wound healing research at Baylor College of Medicine, and in medical school he is involved with research around novel devices to help the visually impaired, improvements to medical education, and AANHPI health disparities. In the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association, he has previously served as the JSSOM Chapter President and is motivated to create a stronger sense of community for AANHPI medical students. Outside of school, he loves trying new restaurants, basketball, live music, traveling, and playing piano. After medical school, he aims to pursue a career as an ophthalmologist.