Class of 2009
Maria Christina Acosta
New Granada Military University School of Medicine
USC-California Family Medicine Residency Program
Maria Cristina was born in Colombia and attended medical school at the Universidad Military Nueva Granada in Bogotá, Colombia. After graduation in 1997, she served as a primary care physician at the Bogotá Department of Health.
Dr. Acosta was accepted to the UCLA IMG Program in 2007 and completed the program in March 2008. During this time, she co-authored a medical Spanish-language manual and created an accompanying DVD for the 2008-2009 Medical Spanish Selective course at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. In addition, she served as co-instructor for the course and completed a cost-analysis for patients with depression in collaboration with the UCLA Vice Chair for Clinical Research. Further, she enhanced her clinical skills by volunteering at the Olive View/UCLA Medical Center Adult Walk-in Clinic. Dr. Acosta will be joining the USC/California Hospital Medical Center Family Medicine Residency Program in Los Angeles, CA in June 2009.
Patricia Cabrera
University of El Salvador
Loma Linda Hanford Family Medicine Residency Program
A native of El Salvador, Patricia graduated from the Universidad de El Salvador in 2005. She completed her social service in a public health clinic located in Guazapa, San Salvador evaluating and educating pregnant women about methods to prevent HIV infection. She immigrated to the U.S. in 2005 and worked diligently to complete the requirements for U.S. licensure including completion of the USMLE-Step 3 examination.
Dr. Cabrera was accepted into and successfully completed the UCLA IMG Program in October 2008. She continued to refine her U.S. clinical experience by working at LA Biomed, the research arm of the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, as well as, working as a medical assistant. Dr. Cabrera will join the Loma Linda University rural track in Hanford, CA in June 2009 where there is a tremendous need for Hispanic bilingual/bicultural physicians.
Miguel Casillas
Autonomous University of Baja California, Tijuana
UC San Diego Family Medicine Residency Program, Chief Resident
Miguel was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco and grew up in Tijuana, Baja California and San Diego. He earned his medical degree in 2006 from the Universidad Autonoma de Baja California. After graduation, he moved to San Diego and worked as a medical assistant in a Federally Qualified Health Center providing patient education to the clinic's Spanish-speaking patients.
Dr. Casillas was accepted to the UCLA IMG Program in 2007 and completed the program in 2008. During the program he co-authored a medical Spanish training manual which included an accompanying DVD for the 2008–2009 Medical Spanish Selective Course at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and served as co-instructor for this course. After completing the program he has been working with the Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs analyzing population-based care improvement data for diabetic patients utilizing the Chronic Care Model. Dr. Casillas will begin his three year Family Medicine Residency at the University of California San Diego in June, 2009.
Nallely Flores-Lazcano
Autonomous University of the State of Morelos
Pomona Valley Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program
Nallely was born and raised in Mexico. In 2004 she received her medical degree from the Autonomous University of Morelos. The following year she moved to the U.S. and immediately immersed herself in studying for the USMLE examinations and passed all steps including the USMLE Step 3.
Dr. Flores-Lazcano was accepted to the UCLA IMG Program in 2007 and after a leave of absence, she completed the program in 2008. Since then, she has been working at the Harbor-UCLA Emergency Department which serves a largely uninsured and underinsured population of which 60 percent are Spanish-speakers. Dr. Flores-Lazcano will begin a three year Family Medicine Residency Program at Pomona Valley Hospital, a UCLA affiliated program in June 2009.
Mileidys Gomez-Gonzalez
Higher Institute of Medical Sciences of Havana
UCSF-Fresno Family Medicine Residency Program
Originally from Cuba, Mileidys graduated in July 2001 from the Havana Institute of Medical Sciences and completed a Family Medicine residency program in 2004 at the Calixto Garcia Hospital in Havana City. She immigrated to the U.S., became a medical assistant instructor and then worked as a medical assistant at a Federally Qualified Health Center in Los Angeles, California while studying for the USMLE examinations. Dr. Gomez-Gonzalez was accepted to the UCLA IMG Program and completed it in November 2007. She will begin her post graduate training in the UCSF-Fresno's rural track Family Medicine residency program where she will provide the much needed services to a large migrant farm worker community beginning in June 2009.
Luz Selene Lozano
Autonomous University of Baja California, Tijuana
UCLA Family Medicine Residency Program
Selene was born in Mexico and lived in San Diego until her sophomore year in high school when she returned to Tijuana, Baja California. She attended the Universidad Autonoma de Baja California and received her MD in 2006. After graduation, Dr. Lozano practiced as a primary care physician in Tijuana and worked as a health educator at a San Diego community clinic providing services to the underserved.
Dr. Lozano-Velasco was accepted to UCLA IMG Program in June 2007 and completed the program in August 2008. Since September 2008, she has been working as a physician in Mexico City and will return to the U.S. to begin a three year Family Medicine residency at the UCLA Family Medicine Residency Program - Mid Valley community medicine track in June 2009.
Jorge Mercado
University of Guadalajara School of Medicine
UCI Whittier Family Medicine Residency Program
Jorge was born in Guadalajara, Mexico and raised in Delano, California, a large farming community in California's central valley. He returned to Mexico and graduated from the Universidad de Guadalajara in 2007 and concurrently received his medical degree and a certificate from the Department of Foreign Languages. This certification allowed him to teach English medical language to Mexican ESL-students.
Dr. Mercado was accepted to the UCLA IMG Program and successfully completed the program in January 2009. In June 2009, he will begin the Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program, a UC Irvine affiliated program.
Nidia Payan
Autonomous University of Sinaloa
UCSF-Fresno Family Medicine Residency Program
Nidia was born in Sinaloa, Mexico and graduated in 2003 from the Universidad Autonoma de Sinaloa School of Medicine. Shortly thereafter she moved to the U.S. to pursue a medical license and residency training. While studying at night, she worked as a medical assistant and a comprehensive prenatal health worker in Los Angeles.
Dr. Payan was accepted to the UCLA IMG Program in 2006 and successfully completed the program in October 2008. Since completing the program, she has been providing care to a frail gentleman suffering with a neurologic disorder and studying for the USMLE Step 3 examination. In June 2009, she will begin her Family Medicine residency training at the UCSF-Fresno rural track in Selma providing care to migrant farm worker families in California's central valley.
Marcela Perez
University of Colima School of Medicine
UCLA-Riverside Family Medicine Program
Marcela was born in the U.S. and moved back to Mexico with her parents at the age of 12. She attended medical school at the Universidad de Colima and graduated in 2004. After completing the required social service year, she returned to the U.S. in 2005 where she worked as a medical assistant to pursue her goal of working in a U.S. underserved Hispanic community as a U.S. licensed physician.
Dr. Espinoza de los Monteros was accepted to the UCLA IMG Program in 2006 and completed the program in 2008. Since graduating from the program, she has been working in a Federally Qualified Health Center in rural New Mexico. She will begin a three year family medicine residency training at the Riverside County Regional Medicine Center, a UCLA affiliated program, in June 2009.
Wendy Rosensweig
Autonomous University of Puebla
UCLA-Riverside Family Medicine Program
Wendy was born in Mexico and immigrated as a child to the U.S. where she completed high school and earned a degree in respiratory therapy in 1995. She elected to return to Mexico to pursue medical studies and received her medical degree in 2003 from the Benemerita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla. After graduating, she taught English to Mexican businessmen and also worked as a respiratory therapist in various U.S. academic hospitals.
Dr. Rosensweig was accepted to the UCLA IMG Program in 2007 and completed the program in February 2008. Since March 2008, she has been working as a respiratory therapist in a community-academic hospital's intensive care unit. Further, she found time to volunteer at the Wilmington Family Health Center, a Los Angeles County clinic. Dr. Rosensweig will join the Riverside County Regional Medical Center's Family Medicine Residency Program, a UCLA affiliated program, in June 2009. Her bilingual and bicultural skills will be of great value to improve the quality and safety of care to Spanish-speaking patients.
Cira Patricia Welvaert
University of the North
UCSF-Fresno family Medicine Residency Program