Meet the Residents
Giovanni Botten, MD, PhD
PGY Level: PGY-1
Hometown: Santa Clarita, CA
Undergraduate: University of California Irvine
Medical School: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Favorite Hobbies/Weekend Activities: Spending time with family and friends, cooking, tennis, gardening, hiking
Favorite LA Restaurant: Holbox, Bestia, Jeong Yuk Jeom, Sushi Gen, Carousel, Moo's Craft BBQ
Pathology Interest(s): Molecular Pathology, Hematopathology
Cody Forsyth, DO
PGY Level: PGY-1
Hometown: El Monte, CA
Undergraduate: Pennsylvania State University - University Park
Medical School: Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine
Favorite Hobbies/Weekend Activities: Eating, sunsets, plants in nature, cooking, hanging with friends and family
Favorite LA Restaurant: So many!
Pathology Interest(s): Bone and Soft Tissue, Neuropathology, Hematopathology, Molecular and others
Eevee Hojberg, MD
PGY Level: PGY-1
Hometown: Anaheim, CA
Undergraduate: American Jewish University
Medical School: Western Michigan University
Favorite Hobbies/Weekend Activities: Anime, gaming, dancing
Favorite LA Restaurant: KazuNori, Angel's Tijuana Tacos
Pathology Interest(s): Undecided
Maggie Tsang, MD
PGY Level: PGY-1
Hometown: San Mateo, CA
Undergraduate: University of California Berkeley
Medical School: UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine
Favorite Hobbies/Weekend Activities: Hiking with my dog, thrifting, ceramics/pottery, road trips, sleeping, reality TV
Favorite LA Restaurant: Pine & Crane, Jus' Poke, Ginger's Divine Ice Creams, Coffee Connection, Santa Monica Brew Works
Pathology Interest(s): Undecided
Ken Zhu, MD
PGY Level: PGY-1
Hometown: Houston, TX
Undergraduate: Dartmouth College
Medical School: UT Southwestern Medical Center
Favorite Hobbies/Weekend Activities: Running, cooking, traveling, pottery/ceramics, discovering new music and making playlists
Favorite LA Restaurant: Izakaya Akatsuki (subject to change as I try more)
Pathology Interest(s): Gastrointestinal Pathology, Hematopathology, Molecular Pathology
Mahmuod Abdeljaber, MD, PharmD
PGY Level: PGY-2
Hometown: Dyer, Indiana
Undergraduate: Purdue University
Medical School: Western Michigan University
Favorite Hobbies/Weekend Activities: Exploring LA, cooking
Favorite LA Restaurant: Tatsu Ramen
Pathology Interest(s): Undecided
Chao Chen, MD, PhD
PGY Level: PGY-2
Hometown: Luohe, China
Undergraduate: Jilin University
Medical School: Norman Bethune health Science Center of Jilin University
Favorite Hobbies/Weekend Activities: Cooking, yoga, painting, hiking, playing with my kids
Favorite LA Restaurant: Newport Seafood, Dong Ting Chun, Chengdu Taste
Pathology Interest(s): Cardiovascular Pathology, Cytopathology, and Dermatopathology
Benjamin Emert, MD, PhD
PGY Level: PGY-2
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Undergraduate: University of California Los Angeles
Medical School: University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine
Favorite Hobbies/Weekend Activities: Hiking, running, yoga, visiting family and friends
Favorite LA Restaurant: Shamshiri, Sage, Tatsuya, Hoy-Ka Thai Noodle, Salt's Cure
Pathology Interest(s): Molecular, Hematopathology, Bone and Soft Tissue, Digital Pathology
Cullen Lilley, MD, MS, MA, MB(ASCP)
PGY Level: PGY-2
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Undergraduate: Loyola University New Orleans
Medical School: Loyola University Chicago
Favorite Hobbies/Weekend Activities: Hiking, going to the beach, watching bad reality TV, hanging out with my dog
Favorite LA Restaurant: Meizhou Dongpo and Toranj
Pathology Interest(s): Dermatopathology, Medical Renal Pathology, Microbiology
Heather Ross, MD
PGY Level: PGY-2
Hometown: Burbank, CA
Undergraduate: Cornell University
Medical School: Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University
Favorite Hobbies/Weekend Activities: Running, tennis, and trying new restaurants
Favorite LA Restaurant: Gracias Madre and Castaway
Pathology Interest(s): Gastrointestinal Pathology and Dermatopathology
Hiro Ross, MD
PGY Level: PGY-2
Hometown: Edmonton, AB
Undergraduate: University of Oregon
Medical School: Oregon Health and Science University
Favorite Hobbies/Weekend Activities: Reading, writing, climbing, music, weird museums and dogs
Favorite LA Restaurant: Sushi Sasabune so far, but open to recs
Pathology Interest(s): Forensics
Ruoji Zhou, MD, PhD
PGY Level: PGY-2
Hometown: Kunming, China
Undergraduate: Not Applicable
Medical School: Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University
Graduate School (PhD): MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Favorite Hobbies/Weekend Activities: Ballet dancing and playing electric bass
Favorite LA Restaurant: TBD, exploring
Pathology Interest(s): Undecided
Erica Fermon, MD
PGY Level: PGY-3, Chief Resident
Hometown: San Francisco, CA
Undergraduate: University of Washington, Bothell
Medical School: Meharry Medical College
Favorite Hobbies/Weekend Activities: Listening to music, wine tasting, hanging out with friends
Favorite LA Restaurant: Anything new and delicious
Pathology Interest(s): Transfusion Medicine
Joseph Giessinger, MD
PGY level: PGY-3
Hometown: Westlake Village, CA
Undergraduate: University of California San Diego
Medical School: A.T. Still University
Favorite Hobbies/Weekend Activities: Weightlifting, TV/Film, Professional Champagne Connoisseur, Baking
Favorite LA Restaurant: Craig's, Hotel Bel-Air
Pathology Interest(s): Dermatopathology and Molecular Pathology
Joel Raqueno, DO
PGY Level: PGY-3
Hometown: Buena Park, CA
Undergraduate: UC Riverside
Medical School: Kansas City University
Favorite Hobbies/Weekend Activities: Listening to music, working out, video games, basketball, going out to eat, watching shows
Favorite LA Restaurant: Sun Nong Dan, Anju House
Pathology Interest(s): Hematopathology
Yuan Shui, MD
PGY Level: PGY-3
Hometown: Wuhu, China
Medical School: Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, China
Graduate School (PhD): Capital Medical University, China
Favorite Hobbies/Weekend Activities: Spending time with my family, trying new food
Favorite LA Restaurant: Northern Hotpot, Tsujita
Pathology interest(s): Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Pathology, Cytology
Rosa Valencia, DO
PGY Level: PGY-3, Chief Resident
Hometown: Corona, CA
Undergraduate: California State University - San Bernardino
Medical School: Western University of Health Sciences - College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Favorite Hobbies/Weekend Activities: Watching TV shows and movies, reading, baking, cake decorating, spending time with friends and family
Favorite LA Restaurant: Gracias Madre, Monty’s Good Burger
Pathology Interest(s): Forensics
Weibo Yu, MD
PGY Level: PGY-3
Hometown: Henan, China
Medical School: Xinxiang Medical University (MBBS), Peking Union Medical College (MD)
Favorite Hobbies/Weekend Activities: Hiking/Road trips/Outdoor Adventuring, cooking, watching movies, listening to music
Favorite LA Restaurant: In-N-Out, Meizhou Dongpo Restaurant
Pathology Interest(s): Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Pathology
Taylor Howard, MD
PGY Level: PGY-4
Hometown: Las Vegas, NV
Undergraduate: University of Pennsylvania
Medical School: University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine
Favorite Hobbies/Weekend Activities: Powerlifting, playing with and walking my dog, hiking, reading, watching TV/movies, podcasts and good food
Favorite LA Restaurant: Dialog Cafe
Pathology Interest(s): Forensic Pathology
Alex Oliveira-Kowaleski, MD
PGY Level: PGY-4
Hometown: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Medical School: Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
Favorite Hobbies/Weekend Activities: Taking my birds for a walk
Favorite LA Restaurant: House of Meatballs (Westwood), MOC (coffee), Afters (ice cream)
Pathology Interest(s): Pediatric Pathology and Cytology
Joshua Pierce, MD, PhD
PGY Level: PGY-4, Chief Resident
Hometown: Lubbock, TX
Undergraduate: Texas Tech University
Medical School: UT Southwestern Medical Center
Favorite Hobbies/Weekend Activities: Tabletop Games, video games, running, eating
Favorite LA Restaurant: Pitfire Pizza, anything in Sawtelle
Pathology Interest(s): Dermatopathology, Bone and Soft Tissue
Rakshit Tyagi, MD
PGY Level: PGY-4, Chief Resident
Hometown: Hicksville, NY
Undergraduate: Cornell University
Medical School: SUNY Upstate
Favorite Hobbies/Weekend Activities: PC gaming, musical jam sessions, cars, biking, running, hiking, balisong flipping
Favorite LA Restaurant: Domino's Pizza
Pathology Interest(s): Informatics
Amanda Zand, MD
PGY Level: PGY-4
Hometown: Laguna Niguel, CA
Undergraduate: University of California Irvine
Medical School: University of Missouri School of Medicine - Columbia
Favorite Hobbies/Weekend Activities: Hiking, going to the pool, cycling, shopping
Favorite LA Restaurant: Bicyclette
Pathology Interest(s): Gastrointestinal Pathology