(Madera, California) – Valley Children’s Pediatric Residency Program, Affiliated with Stanford University School of Medicine, unveiled its second class Friday on national Match Day – when medical students around the country find out where they will train for at least the next three years. Of the 13 residents who will arrive at Valley Children’s in June, 12 have ties to California.
“We are very excited to welcome our second residency class to Valley Children’s and to our family,” said Dr. Jolie Limon, Valley Children’s chief of pediatrics and executive director of medical education. “As we continue to grow this program, we see the positive change and benefits that our community will reap from having new pediatricians graduate, starting with our inaugural class in 2020. These young physicians inspire and give us hope for the future, where every child has access to the highest quality of healthcare in the Valley.”
Since the fall, a panel of Valley Children’s representatives from pediatric specialists to nurses to social workers and pharmacists interviewed 128 candidates from around the country. The idea behind the wide-ranging interview process is to introduce potential residents to Valley Children’s collaborative environment that aims to break through silos – we work together, so we should train together.
The members of Valley Children’s 2021 residency class are:
- Michael Abdelmisseh, MD, Ross University School of Medicine: From Clovis, CA, it’s been his dream to train at Valley Children’s, worked in underserved areas in the Central Valley, an advocate for children’s health and community outreach
- Lindsay Forbes, Touro Univ. Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine: From Walnut Creek, CA, goal is to make an impact on her patients and her community and to become a trusted mentor and valued educator, Touch Point Silver Award Winner for Volunteerism and Sigma Sigma Phi
- Rezvaneh Ghasemzadeh, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine: From Madison, WI, developed and taught a bilingual health curriculum for Afghan refugee women and underprivileged women in Iran, president of American Medical Student Association, hopes to advocate for those without a platform and promote health equity
- Myrna Gonzalez Arellano, Indiana University School of Medicine: From Chula Vista, CA, dedicated to working with underserved Hispanic cultures during medical school and for many years prior, volunteer at a Tijuana, Mexico, clinic and hospital since 2008, president of medical Spanish Society of Latinos, committed to bridging the language gap for the Latino community
- Chloe Kupelian, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine: From Canyon Country, CA, has helped underserved, diverse populations in Los Angeles, San Diego and Nicaragua, worked with patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder in research and as a behavioral analyst, strives to become a compassionate advocate for patients and promote a whole family’s health and wellbeing
- Kevin Nguyen, UC Davis School of Medicine: From El Dorado Hills, CA, served as a teacher/mentor for underprivileged students interested in the medical profession, co-founder of Gender and Sexual Diversity Interest Group, advocate for Southeast Asian health disparities, goal to become a mentor and advocate for community change
- Daniel Orellana, UCLA/Drew Medical Education Program: From Downey, CA, keynote speaker at “Mi Mentor Health Careers Conference” at his college, Adelante Young Men’s Conference presenter, volunteer with America Upward Bound program that teaches disadvantaged children, has goal to conduct clinical and basic science research while actively educating patients and families about health
- Mitchell Platter, Touro Univ. College of Osteopathic Medicine - California: From Fair Oaks, CA, Dedicated to supporting the health of all children in his community through years of volunteering, Minds and Hearts Program leader, hopes to overcome socio-economic gaps in healthcare
- Karla Sherwood, Touro Univ. College of Osteopathic Medicine – California: From Aptos, CA, committed to working in Central Valley due to healthcare disparities, studied access to Sexually Transmitted Infection services as it relates to the development of cervical cancer, interested in care for the whole patient and pursuing social justice for her patients’ sakes
- Crystal Takada, MD, UC Davis School of Medicine: From Sacramento, experienced teacher, Planned Parenthood health educator and policy advocate for teen sexual and reproductive health, interested in school-based clinics to improve access to care and mitigate healthcare disparities for children, advocate for the lives of vulnerable populations and positively influence behavioral change
- Keenia Tappin, MD, Keck School of Medicine at USC: From Glendale, CA, collected data in an obesity multidisciplinary clinic for children, worked in several underserved areas of Southern California, helps patients navigate public resources, goal to work with underserved communities and to continue to go the extra mile for her patients and families
- Maria Teruel, Touro Univ. College of Osteopathic Medicine – California: From Vallejo, CA, launched a Baby Box program for families who don’t have cribs, interested in working with underserved populations locally and globally, hopes to become a community advocate and provide educational outreach
- Aashay Vyas, UC Irvine School of Medicine: From Westminster, CA, Team Kid Power program chair (which addressed obesity among children and implements programs for nutrition education and exercise in schools), has a passion for meditation and implementing physician/resident wellness programs, wants to focus on disease prevention through early intervention
“It’s an incredible feeling to know that for a second year the work we put into the development of this program is paying off with new doctors who want to learn and train here, with our current residents, with staff and with our kids,” said Program Director Dr. Karla Au Yeung. “This is an exciting experience for all of us, and we cannot wait to start training another group of future pediatricians.”
In addition to Valley Children’s affiliation with Stanford University School of Medicine, the pediatric residency program also features partnerships with hospitals and medical groups throughout the area. Valley Children’s residents will rotate at partner locations – including Kaiser Permanente and Saint Agnes Medical Center in Fresno and Dignity Health – and local pediatricians’ offices.
Valley Children’s Hospital continues to serve as a teaching site for more than 210 residents and medical students in a dozen other programs, including those based at Kaweah Delta Health Care District in Visalia, Mercy Medical Center in Merced and Clinica Sierra Vista in Fresno.
The residency program is nationally accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). The ACGME is a nonprofit council that oversees graduate medical training programs in hospitals throughout the country.
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