MedAspire Network

As mentors in the MedAspire Mentorship Program, we are all committed to fostering the growth and development of future physicians by providing guidance, encouragement, and insight into the realities of a career in medicine. We aim to serve as accessible and supportive role models, especially for students who may lack exposure to healthcare professionals within their networks. By sharing our experiences, offering specialty-specific advice, and helping mentees navigate academic and professional challenges, we hope to cultivate a community rooted in trust, learning, and mutual growth. Through this mentorship, we strive to inspire and empower the next generation of compassionate, skilled, and resilient physicians.

- Your Future Mentors

Our Premed Mentors:

Jessica Lewis-Owona, MS-IV

Jessica Lewis-Owona is a dedicated and resilient nontraditional medical student with a passion for mentorship, advocacy, and increasing diversity in medicine. As a Black medical student, Jessica understands the unique challenges faced by underrepresented individuals in the medical field and is committed to uplifting the next generation of aspiring physicians.

With her mentees Jessica provides valuable insights on navigating medical school as a nontraditional student while balancing personal and professional growth. Through mentorship, Jessica aims to inspire and support students in achieving their goals, reminding them that they belong in medicine and that representation truly matters.

Alex Palacios, MS-IV

Alex is a fourth-year medical student at the Kansas College of Osteopathic Medicine. Alex has worn many hats over the years, but the ones she is most proud of are being a medical student and a content creator. She started her journey in 2011, when there was no guidance or social media posts towards being a physician. Now, as a third-year medical student, Alex hopes to share all the knowledge she's gained through coming up from a 2.7 undergrad GPA, attaining a master's, and being an MCAT retaker— think of her as your premed big sis! She also hopes to help you navigate the world of being a premed because it can be very overwhelming and intense, but you don’t have to do it alone.

Truong Ho, MS-III

Truong Ho is a third-year medical student at Kansas City University. Having a great mentor has been an invaluable part of his journey so he'd love to pay it forward and be that support for someone else. Troung was born and raised in Vietnam and moved to the U.S. at 18, where he pursued Biochemistry and Math before working as a pharmaceutical scientist. Now in medical school, he is excited to support and connect with others. If you ever need guidance or just someone to talk to, he is happy to help.

Edilynn Clermont, MS-IV

Edilynn Clermont is a rising 4th-year medical student at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Class of 2026. She is interested in applying for Psychiatry. Outside of school, Edilynn enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with family & friends. She is committed to mentoring and supporting fellow students as they navigate their path in medicine.

Jahnvi Rajput, MS-IV

Jahnvi Rajput is a medical student at William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Class of 2027, with a background in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Houston. Her journey into medicine has been shaped by diverse experiences as a hospital volunteer, ER scribe, research assistant, and medical assistant in a reproductive endocrinology clinic. Through these roles, she’s developed a strong appreciation for compassionate, patient-centered care.

Samin Durrani, MS-III

Samin Durrani is a third-year medical student from Buffalo, NY with a passion for surgery. Outside of medicine, she loves creating art, hanging out with my cat, and playing video games. Samin is excited to mentor future medical students and share what she's learned on her journey!

Brandon Chow, MS-IV

Brandon is an MS-IV at the Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Chow is an Arizona native and U.S. Army HPSP scholar committed to serving as a future military physician. He is passionate about women’s health and currently pursuing a career in OB/GYN with a focus on compassionate, evidence-based care.

Cynthia Shahbandeh, MS-IV

Cynthia is a first-generation Armenian medical student from Los Angeles, currently part of the KCU College of Osteopathic Medicine Class of 2027. Being the first in her family to navigate this path, she understands how overwhelming it can be and how much of a difference it makes when even one person believes in you. That’s why she is so passionate about mentorship and creating space for others to feel seen and supported. Cynthia is also deeply involved in community health work and loves finding ways to connect with and give back to the people around her.

Eddie Yang, MS-III

Eddie is a third-year medical student at Kansas City University. Originally from South Korea, he moved to the U.S. at 18 and graduated from Georgia State University. Before medical school, Eddie worked as an emergency medicine scribe in Atlanta. He’s currently considering Internal Medicine and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R). Eddie believes in enjoying every moment of med school and is passionate about the gym, drawing, and sports. Having lacked mentorship himself, he’s eager to be a supportive guide for others.

Monica Rubi Aspra, MS-IV

I’m Monica is a rising 4th-year medical student at Kansas City University, College of Osteopathic Medicine. She loves working on research that connects public health and policy, especially when it starts from a simple idea and grows into something meaningful. She also really enjoys the creative side of building a project from scratch and thinking about how it can make a real impact. She is excited to serve as a mentor and learn alongside her mentee’s.

Jamie Francisco, MS-IV

Jamie is a first-generation medical student who immigrated from the Philippines at a young age and was raised in a low-income community. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Biology from the University of California, Irvine, and went on to complete a Master’s in Medical Science. She is currently pursuing her medical degree in St. Louis. Having personally navigated the unique challenges faced by underrepresented and low-income students, Jamie is deeply committed to increasing equity and access in medicine. In addition to her academic pursuits, she is a passionate dancer and content creator, using her platform to inspire and empower future physicians. Through her advocacy and storytelling, Jamie aims to show others that with resilience and support, achieving a career in medicine is possible—regardless of background.

Our Resident Mentors:

Amandeep Kaur, D.O.

Dr. Amandeep Kaur is a 1st-year family medicine resident in Chicago. She majored in biology at university, then got her masters in biomedical sciences and went to medical school at Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine, where she graduated in 2024. She was inspired by so many individuals throughout her journey to becoming a doctor. That inspiration and her resilience are what brought her to where she is in her career. Her goal is to inspire future doctors and provide mentorship so that they can live their dream of becoming a doctor.

Dan Sequeria, M.D.

Dr. Dan Sequeria is a 3rd year PM&R resident at UofT Medical Center. He is passionate about helping patients be their best selves physically and emotionally. He is an avid runner, and singer, and values nothing more than the people in his life.

Olivia Johnson, D.O.

Dr. Olivia Johnson is an incoming urologic surgery intern passionate about mentorship and advocacy. As a first-generation high school graduate and a low-stat, low-income premed, she overcame significant barriers on her path to medicine. She earned her medical degree from the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine and will begin her urology residency at Mayo Clinic, Arizona, summer of 2025. Olivia credits much of her success to the unwavering support of her family, friends, and selfless mentors. Now, she is committed to paying it forward by guiding and empowering the next generation of future physicians.

Lane Blasius, MD

Dr. Lane Blasius completed his undergraduate degree and graduated from South Dakota State University. He was accepted to medical school at the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine and graduated there in 2023. Lane chose to pursue the specialty of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) and is currently about halfway done with 4 years of residency. Afterwards, he plans to return to South Dakota following the completion of residency, but is unsure where or what that might look like at this time. He is interested in all things sports, most specifically wrestling, and enjoys spending time with family and friends.

Nico Scigliano, DO

Dr. Nico Scigliano is a PGY-1 orthopedic surgery resident at HCA Research Medical Center/KCU-GME. He is from Des Moines, Iowa, and went to undergraduate at Iowa State University, where he majored in Kinesiology. After graduating from college, he then attended Kansas City University here in Kansas City. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with my family, playing golf, and watching Iowa State athletics.

Brandalynn Mathis, DO

Dr. Brandalynn Mathis is an incoming PGY3 Orthopedic Surgery Resident in KC, MO, starting in July of 2025. She is excited to get this opportunity to mentor and encourage aspiring and current medical students. She is originally from Clarksville, TN, and went to Murray State University for her undergraduate degree in Chemistry - "Go Racers!". Before medical school, she did a one-year Master's program in Biomedical Science at KCU. Between her 2nd and 3rd year of medical school at KCU (Joplin), she had the opportunity to be an anatomy fellow. She enjoys sports (basketball and football), listening to music, and spending time with her friends and family. She is an open book and understands the sacrifices, anxiety, and pressures that come with being a doctor, so do not hesitate to reach out. Looking forward to working with you all.

Donia Momen, M.D.

Donia is an incoming family medicine resident at UCSF. She was a student athlete in college, playing D1 water polo, and then in medical school, she was the student dean and actively involved in women’s health initiatives and community work. She loves her plants and her cat Louis, and being outdoors whenever she has time away from the hospital.

Shelly Jain, M.D.

Shelley is a general surgery resident at a community program in Central Pennsylvania with an interest in medical education. She is currently completing a post doctoral research fellowship in fetal and pediatric surgery at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She graduated from SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in 2020 as part of the Gold Humanism Society. In her free time, Shelley works with medical students and pre-medical students on their medical school and residency applications and interview preparation. She enjoys mentoring students to share their story in their most authentic way.

Our Physician Mentors:

Dr.Aleea Gupta, M.D.

Dr. Gupta is a board-certified family physician who completed her undergraduate education at Duke University, medical degree at University of Florida and residency at Overlook Hospital/Columbia University. She has worked in multiple settings in the past 25 years, including as an assistant professor at the University of Southern California, as a partner physician at Southern Permanent California Medical Group, and as a staff physician at Doctors Immediate Care, Illinois. These varied experiences led her to become disillusioned with the US healthcare system and unhappy with the way that physicians are forced to practice. In 2018, she learned about the direct primary care (DPC) model from a colleague and decided to open the first DPC practice in her county. After working in an urgent care setting for 5 years, she did not have a patient or referral base in her town, and thus had to build her DPC practice from the ground up. The process of growing her practice rekindled her passion for family medicine and allowed her to learn new skills related to being a small business and independent practice owner. She is passionate about spreading awareness about the DPC model, both to her community and to medical students and residents.

Thinh Mai, MD

Dr. Mai, born in Vietnam in 1972 and raised in the United States, earned a BA in Molecular Biology with a minor in Psychology from UCSC, an MS in Cytogenetics from Roswell Park Cancer Institute, and an MD from Michigan State College of Human Medicine. He completed his psychiatry residency at the University of Southern California, serving as chief resident and conducting research in psychiatric genetics. His career includes roles as a staff psychiatrist with the California Department of Corrections, private practitioner, and Chief Medical Officer of an inpatient psychiatric hospital, and he is currently CEO of South Bay Behavioral Health. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Mai is deeply committed to serving the Vietnamese community through leadership roles in finance, technology, grant writing, and youth programs, including board service with the Vietnamese Physician Association of Northern California. His diverse experience and dedication to community service inform his patient-centered approach to high-quality psychiatric care.

Tim Truong, DO

Dr. Tim B. Truong is a board certified pediatrician in Milpitas, California. He was born in Vietnam and immigrated to the United States at an early age. Dr. Truong received his undergraduate degree at UC San Diego and medical degree from Touro University California and has been in practice for more than 20 years. During his free time, Dr. Truong likes to explore the outdoors, hike, and meditate.

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