Current Residents
PGY-1 NEUROLOGY PRELIM
Adnan Husein
Chicago Medical School
My name is Adnan Husein. I could not be happier to be part of the UCLA Internal Medicine community for my intern year, before I start my neurology training next year! I grew up in the Greater Toronto Area and was raised by a very loving family that instilled in me the power of handwork and the importance of serving others. I received my Bachelor of Medical Sciences at Western University, and then attended the MD program at Chicago Medical School. During the recent years of my training, I became fascinated with the neurological processes that govern who we are and how we function. As a result, I pursued neurology as my specialty and have been fortunate to have landed at an institution that boasts both elite IM and neurology programs. Outside of clinical work, I am excited to continue working on initiatives in the mentorship & education sphere, and exploring the unique role that clinicians have as change-makers in the community. The decision to move further away from family & friends on the east coast and midwest was of course not an easy one, but my experience at UCLA has been second-to-none thus far. I cannot describe how empowering it feels to be surrounded by individuals that have a fierce passion for what they do and are renowned leaders in their fields. Above all, Los Angeles is the place to be if you prioritize your well-being year-round. The near-perfect climate coupled with the unreal food scene, numerous hiking trails, and endless beaches, makes Los Angeles the ultimate place to land as a young professional.
PGY-1 NEUROLOGY PRELIM
Sebastian Green
University of Bristol, England
I was born and raised in Richmond, London to an Australian father and English-Welsh mother. I studied undergraduate medicine at the University of Bristol, England, and then earned my master’s degree in neuroscience at the University of Oxford, England. I completed my foundation training (required in the UK before being able to specialize) at University College Hospital, London. My passions lie in studying and understanding human brain and behavior, and I have been actively involved in neuropharmacology, neuroimaging, sleep, and cognition research. As a medical student I won a scholarship to complete a neurology elective in New York City, where my eyes were opened to the strength and opportunity of American graduate medical education. I am privileged to now be a part of the UCLA internal medicine community for my prelim year before my neurology residency here. UCLA IM has a real sense of patience, warmth, and collegiality, which helps me improve my patient care and medical knowledge in a safe and supportive environment. There is a huge commitment to teaching, and our faculty are actively engaged in medical education through podcasts, textbooks, and on Twitter. I work primarily at the West Los Angeles VA Hospital this year. The veteran community has very unique and often challenging healthcare needs, including a high burden of drug and alcohol abuse plus housing instability. Treating these patients is massively rewarding, and I feel a sense of pride in giving back to communities who have served. Despite the stereotypes about Los Angeles, I cycle to work every day making the most of the bike lanes across Santa Monica, Brentwood and Westwood. Outside of work you will find me basking on Santa Monica beach, hiking in Will Rogers park, or swimming in Malibu. Whilst UCLA is an academic powerhouse in medicine and I work hard, having year-round sunshine and access to the beach and mountains allows for excellent work-life balance, especially for a resident. This was one of the biggest pulling factors for me moving out to UCLA and Southern California, and it certainly hasn’t disappointed!
PGY-2 PRIMARY CARE
Dan Stokes
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
I grew up in the Boston area in a bicultural home where I would speak Portuguese with my mom and English with my dad. Each summer, we visited my grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins in central Brazil. After college, I moved to Rio de Janeiro and enrolled in a master's program in epidemiology at the Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública. In Philly, where I went to medical school, I worked with student groups on racial justice and equity and on improving medical education around substance use disorders and harm reduction. I spent an extra year working with doctors in the emergency medicine department on research utilizing natural language processing to amplify and understand patient voices and perspectives. While interviewing, I met folks at UCLA doing impressive work in all these areas. In the primary care program, I saw a community of residents who were committed to building health equity and to living full lives both within and outside of medicine. It was also important to me to work in a public safety net system, and I appreciated the opportunities I would have to work at Olive View both inpatient and outpatient through the Olive View/Santa Clarita primary care track. Moving forward, I am considering geriatrics or addiction medicine fellowships, and I hope to build a career where I can divide my time between outpatient clinical practice and community-partnered research. Outside of the hospital, I love to cook and bake, tend to my small but growing plant collection, hang with my cat Loaf, and play ultimate (Frisbee), beach volleyball, bird watch, and hike. The opportunity to spend my time outside of the hospital outdoors at all times of year was another big draw for me in choosing UCLA, and I typically bike to work when I am on rotations at the VA/SM/RR!
PGY-3 CATEGORICAL
Olu Akinrimisi
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
I was born in Lagos, Nigeria and raised in Long Beach, California. I have an M.S. in Healthcare Management from Johns Hopkins and an M.D. from UC San Diego. I chose to pursue a healthcare management degree because of my interest in quality improvement and problem solving in larger scales. Moreover, I am also passionate about educational inequality and a big advocate of bringing light to populations that are regularly ignored in academia. I chose UCLA because...who wouldn't? Los Angeles is just a phenomenal city. This city is truly home for me and I am happy to be here. What really sold me was the unity and camaraderie I felt among faculty and residents. I knew this would be a space where I can cultivate my strengths and expand my interest in medicine with so much support. Also, the passion and dedication to diversity played a huge role on why I came here. I wanted a program where I could advocate for social inequities, while stressing the positive impact a diverse workforce plays in healing our communities.
PGY-3 PRIMARY CARE
Thaís Salles Araujo
UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DE MINAS GERAIS (UFMG) FACULDADE DE MEDICINA
Oi! My name is Thaís, I grew up in Brazil, in the small town of Timoteo in the inland state of Minas Gerais. I completed medical school at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) in 2015 and my internal medicine residency at the Instituto da Previdencia dos Servidores do Estado (IPSEMG) in 2018, both in the state capital Belo Horizonte, Brazil. My particular interests are integrative health and humanistic care and during my residency I completed a medical acupuncture fellowship and came to UCLA for a rotation at the Center for East-West Medicine. Here in Los Angeles I found my soulmate, who is now my husband, and along the way fell for the city’s culturally diverse communities, beautiful beaches and amazing healthy food scene. During my interview I felt right at home with the welcoming residents and faculty that I met and I chose the Olive View – Santa Clarita Primary Care track because I want to provide longitudinal care for under-served patients from many cultural backgrounds. Outside of medicine, I love being in nature, travelling, bicycling, enjoying the beach, trying new recipes and spending time with my family and friends.
PGY-3 CATEGORICAL
Tara Townes
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES DAVID GEFFEN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
Hi! My name is Shatara Townes, but everyone calls me Tara. I’m what some people call a "Bruin-4-Lifer" having had all of my post-secondary education here at UCLA, including undergrad, medical school, and now residency! One of the reasons I love UCLA is because during my time here I have felt empowered to be my truest self, advocating for those who come from similar backgrounds, having experienced poverty and lack of access to care. I am proud to say that who I am today is a result of my upbringing, my environment, my culture, but also my education and the rewarding experiences I have had at UCLA. Honestly, it was an easy choice to continue on this journey at the place I call home! I’m not exactly sure what I want to do after residency, but I find that I have a passion for Infectious Diseases, particularly those infections affecting our immunocompromised patients. A goal of mine during residency is to work with the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee to strengthen our pipeline programs and forge new relationships with students in the LAUSD public school system, with the goal of planting and nourishing the seeds of young Los Angeles minds aspiring to be future physicians, as I once was.
PGY-3 PRIMARY CARE
Kaahukane Leite-Ah Yo
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII, JOHN A. BURNS SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
My name is Kaahukane. A name I proudly share with my grandfather which was given to him by his pure-blooded Hawaiian grandmother. My last name is Leite-Ah Yo, a combination of my mother and father’s families ties to Portugal and China. I am what many of us from Hawaii affectionately call a “mixed plate”. Growing up in a small Hawaiian town made me a firm believer of the sentiment, it takes a village to raise a child. While interviewing at UCLA, I attended one of its Equity, Diversity and Inclusion socials and I felt the feeling of community, support and diversity which reminded me a lot of home. Paired with its history of academic excellence there was no doubt in my mind that UCLA would best develop my mindset, skills, and advocacy to most affect the diverse and underserved populations I wish to serve in the future as a primary care physician. I am passionate about indigenous health, primary care, social determinants of health, and preventative medicine. During my free time, I enjoy playing beach volleyball, surfing, or finding new places to eat delicious food.
PGY-3 CATEGORICAL
Mary Obasi
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS
I am a Bay area native from Richmond, CA. I am also Nigerian (Igbo Kwenu!). I went to UC Berkeley for undergrad, Harvard for my Master’s Degree in Public Health, and UC Davis for medical school. I’m excited that I get to continue my training on the West Coast in a city with similar diversity as the Bay Area, but with warmer weather. UCLA had all that I was looking for in a residency program—camaraderie amongst residents, clinical rigor, and support for career development. Additionally, attending the EDI Open House really confirmed that this institution is striving for equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice. I knew that I would receive diverse clinical training while also being supported to explore my interests in women’s health and addressing health disparities (globally and locally). In my free time I enjoy cooking, trying new restaurants, attending group exercise classes, and practicing African hair braiding.
PGY-3 CATEGORICAL, COUPLES MATCH
Claire Drolen
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
Hi there! My name is Claire, and I’m from Pasadena, California. A Californian at heart, I’m glad to be back in LA after spending many years on the East Coast. I attended Penn for medical school where I met my partner, Beda, across the anatomy table. You could say it was love at first sight – but really I just needed someone with a strong stomach who could handle the saw. We ended up couples matching at UCLA after falling in love with the program on the interview trail. We were impressed by how welcoming and fun the residents and faculty were on interview day and felt that the large program and university affiliation would ensure that we would both find everything we needed to grow as individuals throughout residency. My own interests are in bioethics and medical education, and I’m planning to pursue a career in oncology. Beda, on the other hand, is set on a career in academic cardiology, loves QI, and is a total EKG nerd. UCLA has given us the resources to explore all of these interests and we feel so lucky to have joined the incredible UCLA residency community. Outside of the hospital I spend my time hiking, reading by the pool, baking for co-residents and friends, and exploring LA.
Beda Cha
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
I was born and raised in Maryland, then went to college in Massachusetts and medical school at Penn, where I met my partner, Claire. She’s originally from California, so when it came time to couples match into residency, I knew I may need to leave the familiar confines of the Northeast I-95 corridor. I didn’t think twice about leaving the East Coast after Claire and I both fell in love with UCLA on the interview trail. UCLA stood out to us because of the diversity of opportunities the program has to offer – a huge asset when you’re trying to make a couples match work. I was drawn to the medical education career track and the program’s robust quality improvement curriculum. As a wannabe surfer, I was also stoked to be so close to the ocean (you can see the Pacific from the Reagan workroom on a clear day!). Claire was excited to find a program that’s strong in bioethics and also has a book club and a weekend hiking group. In our time here so far, UCLA has done a great job supporting these individual interests and also supporting us as a couple. I’ve also loved getting to know Los Angeles as my new hometown and have particularly appreciated the city’s unrivaled food scene. Favorites include the noodle houses of Koreatown, neighborhood donut shops in Santa Monica, and Persian food in Westwood.
PGY-3 MEDPEDS
Julian Lejbman
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
Hi! I'm originally from Las Vegas and have been planning my escape since, with part one being attending college at the University of Pittsburgh then spending two years doing TBI research at the NIH. As a medical student at the University of Pennsylvania, I worked to improve access to primary care among pediatric patients experiencing homelessness, build a mental health resource network at a gender clinic for trans and gender non-conforming youth, and spent time at Puentes de Salud, a clinic for undocumented Latinx immigrants in Philadelphia. I wanted the ability to care for these communities across the lifespan and chose Med-Peds, and came to UCLA because of the diverse patient population and the opportunity to train at county and community hospitals in addition to the traditional academic medical center. I'm also motivated to serve as a mentor for other first generation, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ trainees, and wants to ensure trainees feel a sense of belonging and support in medicine. Despite my desert upbringing, I have no tolerance for heat and am grateful every day for the West LA breeze. I enjoy bike rides along the beach, surfing with co-residents, and group boba breaks at work in the name of “team building.”
UCLA INTERNAL MEDICINE RESIDENTS 2021-2022
PGY-3
PGY-2
PGY-1
