Meet MIC

 
Felicity Kelly, Chair

Felicity Kelly, Chair
University of Texas Medical School at Houston

Born and raised in Buffalo, N.Y., I attended undergrad there majoring in biology and Spanish. After graduation, I moved to Austin, Texas, where I obtained a position with SSA. I enjoyed my job tremendously but after meeting many of the physicians that I worked with there, and my previous exposure to the medical field, I applied for medical school. Now, I am happily attending UT-Houston Medical School where I will complete my medical education in 2010. I am interested in public health, cultural awareness related to treatment of patients, and instilling the excitement we med students have about science in young children. This is my second year participating in the work of MIC, and this year I am so excited to be Chair. I cannot wait to see what we will accomplish this year.

 
Enrico Castillo, Vice Chair

Enrico Castillo, Vice Chair
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

I was born and raised in a small, rural town in southwestern Virginia and attended the University of Virginia, where I majored in English lit. At UVa I first got in touch with Asian-American social issues via the Asian Student Union and the Organization of Young Filipino-Americans. I also worked with the UVa's Minority Rights Coalition - a collection of GLBT, women, African-, Hispanic-, and Asian-American leaders. Now as an MS4 at the University of Pittsburgh, minority health is my major driving force both in the AMA and in my future career. This is my third year in the MIC, having served as last year's committee Chair. My main goals within MIC are to increase our collaborations with the AMA Minority Affairs Consortium, other national minority health organizations, and other MSS standing committees. Outside of work, I enjoy running, tennis, reading non-medical lit, tinikling.

 
Justin Taylor, Vice Chair

Justin Taylor, Vice Chair
University of New Mexico School of Medicine

Born and raised in San Antonio, N.M. (not Texas), I graduated from Socorro High School before attending the University of New Mexico. I graduated from UNM summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in biology. During my undergraduate years I did research at UNM Cancer Research and Treatment Center and at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md. I studied genetic susceptibility to oral cancer in Puerto Ricans, survival of breast cancer in New Mexican women and the causes of the mental retardation syndrome, Fragile X. I will soon be starting my second year of training at the UNM School of Medicine, and I now have a new research project. I won a small grant from the UNM Institute of Public Health to study disparities in health care and I am looking at the difference in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia mortality rates between Hispanics and non-Hispanics in New Mexico. Last year I was elected to be president of the Association for the Advancement of Minorities in Medicine, a group that provides social support for minorities at UNM, reaches out to premed and high school minority students interested in medicine, and strives to have a positive impact on the community through service. Our biggest project for the last few years has been to provide free physical exams to immigrants applying for citizenship. As part of my position, I have been lucky enough to have been made a full board member of the New Mexico Hispanic Medical Association.

 
Angel Brown

Angel Brown
University of Mississippi School of Medicine

I was born and raised in the small town of Dover, N.J. I attended the William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J., where I majored in Nursing. Shortly after graduating I relocated to Jackson, Miss. where I worked as a critical nurse for several years prior to being accepted into medical school. I am a fourth year medical student at the University of Mississippi, and I am very much interested in public health and health care disparities. It was not until I relocated to Mississippi and started medical school that I first noticed discrepancies in health care that seemed to be divided along racial lines and educational levels. Since starting medical school I have served on university’s Multicultural Enhancement Committee, the dean’s minority students recruitment committee, and I served as intern for the Harvard School of Public Health’s office of public health practice. I will complete medical school in May 2009. I am very excited to be working with MIC this year. I know we will do great things together.

 
Dairon Garcia

Dairon Garcia
Duke University School of Medicine

I was born and raised in Miami, Fla. My parents came from Cuba during the Mariel movement, just a few days before I was born. I became motivated to pursue medicine after first, witnessing the difficulties my family faced (and continue facing) in attaining adequate health care due to our socioeconomic status, and second, after being introduced to biomedical research during undergrad and grad school. I went to MIT for undergrad and obtained a Bachelor's and Master's in electrical engineering, concentrating in biomedical engineering. After completing my Master's, I worked at an independent health care research firm in NYC while applying to medical school, and I am now a second-year at Duke SOM. At Duke, there is a group of us Latino students who are trying to change the face of Duke med by increasing the number of Latino medical students, increasing awareness of the underrepresentation of Latinos in medicine, and reaching out to underserved Hispanic populations in the community. It's an honor to work with such motivated members of the Latino medical community.

 
Katie Palumbo

Katie Palumbo
University of Texas Medical School at Houston

I’m a third year medical student at University of Texas at Houston, and am really excited to be a member of the Minority Issues Committee. This year, I look forward to working with committee members to address different issues that minorities face and coming up with viable solutions. I enjoy traveling, reading at Barnes and Noble, and participating in and watching sports. I live in Houston with my fiancé, Chris, who I thank for all of his support.

 
Sarah Park

Sarah Park
Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine

I was born in South Korea but moved to the states when I was just a month old. I grew up in a small town in Ohio and after graduating from high school, went on to attend the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine BS/MD program, where I graduated from undergraduate with a major in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. In college, I researched the proteomics of Rippling Muscle Disease associated with Myasthenia gravis, and tested Mitochondrial DNA in Saccharomyces cerevisiae to exhibit DNA replicating mechanisms. I am currently conducting a study on the non-pharmaceutical treatment plans of autistic children and adolescents. My current interest in minority issues was inspired by my love for traveling and the experiences I have gone through, involving different cultures. Through my involvement, I hope to incorporate strategies of disease prevention for minorities and help work on medical school curricula to ensure better treatment of minorities in the future. In addition to AMA, I am actively involved in AMWA, APAMSA, and AAMC-OSR. I am really looking forward to serving on the committee this year.

 
Brent Wise

Brent Wise
University of Florida College of Medicine

Born and raised in Harrisburg, Pa. and a product of a family rich in diversity and culture, I have always had a profound cultural awareness and an appreciation for the value of unique perspectives. I received my undergraduate education at the Pennsylvania State University where I earned my B.S. in Science and minored in Biology. As a member of the Penn State football team, I furthered learned the importance of uniting a diverse group in order to strive towards a common goal. I am now a second year at the University of Florida College of Medicine, where I have enjoyed experiencing a different region of the country, meeting new people, and learning more about myself in the process. I currently serve on our AMA-MSS chapter executive board, and I am our delegate in the Florida Medical Association. I have always been interested in public health, and I believe that in order to best improve the wellness of our country, we need a health care system that is representative of our increasingly diverse population. I look forward to working with the Minority Issues Committee this year to increase minority representation in the AMA and advocate for the health of the minority population.