Class of 2018
Teresita Gómez
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
UCLA Family Medicine Residency Program
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Dr. Teresita Gómez was raised in a big Chilean family with five other siblings. She spent the first years of her childhood living in different countries including the U.S., Argentina, Australia and Chile. Her family eventually settled in Chile, where she obtained her medical degree from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, graduating at the top of her class. During medical school, she actively participated in university volunteer projects for people in need. Her interest in research led her to co-author publications on various topics of family medicine, including a chapter for the Handbook of Liver Disease.
Given her commitment to public service and Family Medicine, after graduation, Dr. Gómez devoted her time to serve as a general physician for a local community family health center and with the urgent care unit of her university hospital. Inspired by these experiences, she completed a certificate in evidence-based medicine to improve her knowledge. Later, she took on a leadership role as medical consultant for the accountability office of a local municipality, where she oversaw the financial and administrative aspects of improving community health projects for the underserved population.
Dr. Gómez moved to the United States in 2017 and was accepted into the UCLA International Medical Graduate Program. She is excited to begin her Family Medicine residency training at UCLA.
Dr. Gómez' interests involve preventive medicine and focusing on community health for the underserved. In her spare time, she enjoys running and has successfully completed ultra marathons. She loves the mountains and any outdoor activity, cooking for her husband and going to the movies.
Gonzalo Castañeda
Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara, México
Harbor-UCLA Family Medicine Residency Training Program
Dr. Gonzalo Castañeda was born in Zacatecas, México and immigrated to the U.S. at a young age. Through hard work, perseverance, and strong family relationships, he managed to overcome adversity and become a resilient individual. His efforts earned him various merit-based scholarships, which allowed him to pursue an undergraduate degree. He graduated magna cum laude from the Oregon Institute of Technology, and became a first-generation college graduate. Thereafter, he decided to attend medical school at the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara, in México, where he continued to excel academically.
Upon his return to the U.S., he became a volunteer with the University of California San Diego Student-Run Free Clinic Project. Later, he joined the UCLA International Medical Graduate Program in 2018, while simultaneously working to complete a master’s degree in Healthcare Management at California State University, Los Angeles. Dr. Castañeda is excited to pursue his residency training with the Harbor-UCLA Family Medicine Residency Training Program, where he looks forward to continuing his work alleviating healthcare disparities and serving disenfranchised communities.
Dr. Castañeda values equality, family, and community. His professional interests include affordable healthcare, patient empowerment, and community engagement.
Yi Jiang Wang
Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland
Valley Health Team Family Medicine Residency Training Program
Dr. Yi Jiang was born in China but moved to the Dominican Republic at an early age. She attended medical school at Poznan University of Medical Sciences in Poland, making her the first generation in her family to become a doctor.
Upon graduation, she returned to the Dominican Republic to work with the underserved. With her tri-lingual and multicultural background, she was able to join an American NGO, CURE International. There she gained experience treating a wide range of congenital, acute, and chronic preventable diseases. She was able to address those illnesses, incorporate adequate patient education, and implement preventive measures.
Prior to joining her family in California, Dr. Jiang spent time at a mission hospital in rural Kenya. This strengthened her desire to pursue a career in Family Medicine to serve the underserved. She was able to relocate to California in 2016, where she volunteered in several hospitals and small private practices, and took classes in intercultural communication. In 2017, she was accepted into the UCLA International Medical Graduate Program, with the opportunity to work with a diverse patient population that she is now looking forward to serving.
Dr. Jiang's professional interests include community-based medicine, preventive medicine, and global health, while in her free time she enjoys kite surfing, snowboarding, and hiking.
Jhonatan Leal Mendoza
Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolas de Hidalgo, México
Adventist Health Glendale Family Medicine Residency Training Program
Dr. Jhonatan Leal was born and raised in Michoacán, Mexico. He attended the University of Michoacán where he received his medical degree in 2011. During his last year of medical school, he completed his social service in La Yerbabuena, Michoacán. While there, he had the opportunity to provide preventive, primary and urgent care to this small community. Dr. Leal also taught health topics to teenagers, pregnant women, and patients with chronic-degenerative diseases. At the same time, he organized recreational activities for the community designed to address alcoholism, obesity and illegal drug addiction.
After obtaining his medical degree, Dr. Leal completed two years of Internal Medicine training in Sinaloa, Mexico. This opportunity gave him clinical experience and a better understanding of primary care. Motivated to work more closely with patients, Dr. Leal moved to California to pursue professional development and U.S. licensure, and enrolled in the UCLA International Medical Graduate Program.
Dr. Leal is very grateful for the opportunity to expand his knowledge and experience, and to taking care of patients with limited resources. Dr. Leal will begin his residency training with the Adventist Health Glendale Family Medicine Residency Training Program.
Daniel Raine
Universidad de Ciencias Médicas, Costa Rica
California Medical Center-USC Family Medicine Residency Training Program
Dr. Daniel Raine was born and raised in San Jose, Costa Rica. In 2006, he completed one year of biology at the University of Costa Rica but soon realized that his passion was medicine. In 2014, he graduated from the Universidad de Ciencias Médicas. During his last year of medical school, he completed part of his internship at the Hennepin County Medical Center in Minnesota, where he was exposed to the U.S. healthcare system. After graduation, he volunteered for social service in a small rural community, and it was during this year where his love for Family Medicine grew. As the head physician of a small clinic, he cared for a variety of patients with acute and chronic conditions which allowed him to gain comprehensive clinical knowledge.
In 2016, he joined the UCLA International Medical Graduate Program, where he completed his board examinations and joined various clinical rotations in different hospitals and clinics around Los Angeles. With the clinical tools acquired during his medical education, and his understanding of the diverse needs of the underserved population, Dr. Raine hopes he will be a valuable asset to his community.
Dr. Raine will begin his residency training at the California Medical Center-USC Family Medicine Residency Training Program.
Renier Rosquete Mendez
Instituto Superior de Ciencias Médicas de Camaguey, Cuba
Citrus Valley Health Partners Family Medicine Residency Training Program
Dr. Renier Rosquete was born and raised in Camaguey, Cuba. He graduated from the Higher Institute of Medical Sciences in Camaguey, receiving the Titulo de Oro, Cuba's highest academic achievement award. During his three years of social service in the community as general physician, he completed a Family Medicine residency. Afterwards, he was selected to participate in a collaborative health program where he provided medical care to underserved Venezuelan communities as a Family Medicine specialist. While there, he also taught basic sciences to medical students who were enrolled in a special program aimed at increasing the number of Venezuelan physicians who would work in areas of extreme poverty.
In 2013, Dr. Rosquete immigrated to the U.S. seeking professional growth and a safe place to raise a family. Later, he was accepted to the UCLA International Medical Graduate Program and now, as an alumnus of the program, he will begin a three-year Family Medicine residency training program with Citrus Valley Health Partners in the eastern San Gabriel Valley.
After completing residency training, Dr. Rosquete plans to work in a community clinic where he can improve the health outcomes in underserved areas. His professional interests include community health and HIV medicine, while he pursues his personal hobbies of cooking, fencing, and breeding freshwater fish.
Angela Patricia Sepúlveda
Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia
UCLA Family Medicine Residency Program
Dr. Angela Sepúlveda was born in Colombia and spent her formative years living in both Colombia and Los Angeles, California. She graduated as a general practitioner from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and proceeded to work in the town of Filandia, Colombia.,/p>
During her years of medical training, she worked with different socioeconomic populations where she became increasingly aware of limitations of the health system. She also actively participated in health fairs and published a research study on the impact of environmental factors on childhood obesity. Later, as a general practitioner, she continued to witness the impact of social determinants on her own patients and developed a profound understanding of community medicine. Such cumulative experiences encouraged her to provide comprehensive medical care and to pursue specialization in Family Medicine.
She returned to the U.S. and was accepted into the UCLA International Medical Graduate Program in 2015. As a member of the program, she has been exposed to the medical care of disadvantaged communities while furthering her medical knowledge. Currently, she is working at the UCLA Family Health Center where she has collaborated in quality improvement projects for chronic diseases aimed at closing health care gaps. Further, she also became a qualified medical interpreter through the Ronald Reagan Employee Volunteer Interpreter Program.
As a bilingual and multi-cultured Angeleno, Dr. Sepúlveda is passionate about educating, empowering, and improving the quality of life for all of her patients. She believes it is also the best way to be a role model for her beautiful daughter, Sofia, and to honor the hard work of her mother, family and husband.
Alvin Enrique Vanegas
Escuela Latino Americana de Medicina, Cuba
Loma Linda University-Hanford Family Medicine Residency Training Program
Dr. Alvin Vanegas was born in New York, New York, where he lived the first years of his life. When he was four years old, his family moved to El Salvador. Having a wide interest in science, he applied to and graduated from the Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina, Cuba, where he matured as a human being and physician. During medical school, he interacted with patients from various socio-economic backgrounds. This prepared him to be an international physician with the tools to excel worldwide.
After graduating medical school in 2013, he returned to the U.S. to work and study English as a second language, and to pursue a specialty in Family Medicine. In 2016 he was accepted into the UCLA International Medical Graduate Program. During his clinical rotations, he observed the many challenges faced by the underserved populations, including Spanish-speaking immigrants, and he is committed to helping them and others who face health inequities. Dr. Vanegas will begin Family Medicine residency training at the Loma Linda University-Hanford Family Medicine Residency Training Program.
Dr. Vanegas’ professional interests include community medicine and public health. During his free time, he enjoys traveling, climbing, hiking, and dancing.
José Velasquez
Escuela de Medicina Universidad CES, Colombia
Citrus Valley Health Partners Family Medicine Residency Program
Dr. José Velasquez was born and raised in Medellin, Colombia. He grew up hearing stories of his great grandfather who was a rural doctor in the Colombian mountains, and how he devoted his life to caring for underserved communities. José, whose parents and siblings are all lawyers, made the decision to become a doctor at a very early age. He was fortunate enough to study at the prestigious CES Medical University in Medellin, which encourages their students to pursue professional development outside of Colombia. Once he finished medical school, Dr. Velasquez practiced in a private clinic providing health care services. In 2014, he moved to Houston, Texas, to pursue postdoctoral studies in clinical and basic science at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. After completing two years of research with multiple publications, Dr. Velasquez decided to acquire U.S. licensure. To finance his goal, he worked as an administrative assistant in a private practice of an experienced family doctor in Katy, Texas. During this time, he fell in love with Family Medicine and primary care.
In June 2017, Dr. Velasquez was accepted into the UCLA International Medical Graduate (IMG) Program. After successfully completing the program, Dr. Velasquez began working with the UCLA IMG Program. Dr. Velasquez is driven by his will to serve and protect underserved communities as his great grandfather did.
Dr. Velasquez is excited to begin his Family Medicine residency training at Citrus Valley Health Partners in the eastern San Gabriel Valley.
Roberto Alejandro Velazquez Amador
Universidad de Guadalajara, México
Rio Bravo Family Medicine Residency Training Program
Dr. Roberto Velazquez was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, but was raised in the town of Union de TVLA, Jalisco, where his family still resides. During high school, he worked for community programs, educating the people of the small town about chronic diseases and sexually transmitted infection prevention. In 2002, he began medical school at the University of Guadalajara. During his social service year, he had the opportunity to treat and advocate for a rural community in Jalisco, Mexico. He enjoyed working with patients of all age groups and became very active in patient education aimed at disease prevention.
After graduating medical school in 2008, he started a residency program in Medical Genetics at the Old Civil Hospital of Guadalajara. During these years, he enjoyed working for the underserved population of his state. This experience prepared him to care for a wide array of medical conditions. After graduating as a medical geneticist, he immigrated to the United States with a goal of becoming a licensed doctor. In 2016, he joined the UCLA International Medical Graduate Program.
Dr. Roberto Alejandro Velazquez Amador will begin his training with the Rio Bravo Family Medicine Residency Training Program in Bakersfield. As a bicultural doctor, he has the opportunity to provide high-value care to the underserved. He is proud of being Hispanic with deep roots in rural Mexico, and he is also grateful for the education that his family and his community provided him. In his free time, Dr. Velazquez enjoys hiking, swimming, playing rugby, and watching foreign movies.
Idalberto Zalidivar-Galves
Facultad de Ciencias Médicas do Las Tunas, Cuba
Citrus Valley Health Partners Family Medicine Residency Training Program
Dr. Zaldivar-Galves was born and raised in Las Tunas, Cuba where he graduated from the Higher Institute of Medical Sciences in Camaguey. After one year of social service, he completed a Family Medicine residency program. Later, he worked as an attending physician and member of the Family Medicine Program Faculty at Gustavo Aldereguia Medical Center in Las Tunas. In 2009, he was assigned to participate in an official government humanitarian health mission to provide medical care for the underserved in a jungle in Central America. At the end of 2010, Dr. Zaldivar-Galves was granted political asylum and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. Once in the U.S., he worked while studying for the United States Medical Licensing Examinations. In 2017, he was accepted into the UCLA International Medical Graduate Program.
Dr. Zaldivar is a passionate and dedicated international physician who is excited to begin residency training with the Citrus Valley Health Partners Family Medicine Residency Training Program in the eastern San Gabriel Valley. In addition to his professional interests in teaching and cardiovascular diseases, Dr. Zaldivar also pursues his personal hobbies of photography, technology, and cooking.