Resident physician in Ophthalmology at the University of California, San Francisco
Undergrad: University of Michigan
Medical School: University of Michigan
Ajay loves spending time outdoors, skiing in the winter, and hiking or surfing when it's warm.
Ajay Kolli is currently a resident physician in Ophthalmology at the University of California, San Francisco. He earned his MD degree from the University of Michigan and his MPH from Harvard University. With experience at various prestigious institutions across the country, Ajay is well-equipped to assist applicants interested in schools in any region.
During his time at the University of Michigan Medical School, Ajay achieved 100th percentile scores on the USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 board exams, received the Charles and Phyllis Lowe Merit Scholarship, was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honors Society, and graduated with Distinction in Research Honors. He has conducted a wide array of research at both Michigan and Harvard, resulting in numerous publications and academic conference presentations in fields such as ophthalmology, epidemiology, and health economics. Ajay has also worked as a consultant in the biotechnology industry and co-founded The Lens, an educational resource for medical students interested in ophthalmology.
Ajay's strengths lie in his diverse academic interests and ability to help applicants from diverse backgrounds craft a cohesive narrative about their experiences. As an admissions coach, he is passionate about helping applicants tell their personal stories and guiding them through the application process.
MD/MBA Student at Duke University
Undergrad: University of California Davis
Medical School: Duke University School of Medicine
I rescue dogs in my free time
Alex was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She attended UC Davis as an undergrad where she got her Bachelors of Science in Cellular and Molecular Biology. After college, she spent three gap years as a research coordinator at a community hospital.
Throughout medical school, Alex has developed an interest in plastic surgery and has been involved in various leadership positions and research projects within numerous specialties. She decided to additionally pursue an MBA while in medical school after witnessing the evolving responsibilities in the role of a physician.
As the daughter of immigrants and the first person in her family to go to college, she found the medical school application process challenging and convoluted. She is passionate about making the process more accessible to students, and brought this passion into her role on the admissions committee at her medical school.
Pediatrician
Undergrad: Howard University
Medical School: Howard University College of Medicine
I played soccer for 10 years and I would like to coach a girl's team one day. I enjoy hiking and would like to go to all of the US national parks. I like baking, working out/running (I recently made my local gym's top 3 mile run leaderboard), traveling and spending time with my family. I also like gardening (trying to get better at it!)
Amita Ghuman did a 6 year combined Bachelors/MD program at Howard University in Washington D.C and graduated with a Bachelor's in Biology and Doctorate in Medicine. She then went on to complete a 3 year pediatrics residency at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Amita's first job after residency was an oncology/bone marrow transplant hospitalist at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. From there, she worked at a community hospital pediatric emergency room in Columbia, Maryland. Currently, she is employed at a pediatric urgent care in Northern Virginia where she has been. Throughout these work experiences, she has enjoyed teaching and mentoring medical students and residents. Amita has a few publications which include case reports, posters, and qualitative research on topics that range from colon cancer research, Alzheimer's and pediatric oncology. She has also won scholarship awards in medical school and residency and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha society in her fourth year of medical school.
MD candidate at Icahn School of Medicine
Undergrad: University of Pittsburgh
Medical School: Icahn School of Medicine
I'm a licensed rescue diver, a die-hard Steelers fan, and a self-proclaimed wine and chocolate expert. I enjoy going to the gym, playing video games, playing the piano, and shooting!
Andrew is a medical student at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai pursuing a career in Anesthesiology. He has a startup valued at $12 million which focuses on providing affordable vision care across the US, has >20 peer-reviewed publications, and is looking to continue to help others in their medical careers.
Originally from the greater Pittsburgh area, Andrew went to public school all his life and attended the University of Pittsburgh, where he majored in computational chemistry with a focus in biology. He conducted research through the Department of Biomedical Informatics, where he published a paper in Scientific Reports on long non-coding RNA SNHG7 and its impact on breast cancer. He graduated in three years from Pitt and went straight to medical school at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. During his first year there, he joined multiple research labs focusing on large-data analysis and machine learning.
He also co-founded Retina Technologies Inc., a company aimed to disrupt vision care by leveraging virtual reality, retinal imaging, and machine learning onto a portable platform to provide affordable, accessible, and accurate vision screening across the country. He served as the CTO of the company, spearheading four clinical trials, submitting three provisional patents and one non-provisional PCT patent, and built both the hardware and software from the ground up. He has continued his involvement in both his research and the company throughout all four years of medical school and is applying to residency programs for Anesthesiology.
Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery resident at the University of California San Diego
Undergrad: Cornell University
Medical School: Harvard Medical School (Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology Program)
Before medical school, Archana lived solo in Japan for two months and documented her time in a travel sketchbook. Her book grows as she travels more—most recently, to Iceland and Denmark!
Archana earned a BA in Neuroscience from Cornell University and her MD from Harvard Medical School in the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology Program. She is currently an Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Resident at the University of California San Diego.
During her time at Cornell, Archana conducted research in the Goldberg lab, studying neural mechanisms underlying motor control. She continued to develop neural interfaces as a summer research scholar at the Princeton Neuroscience Institute and as an intern at Neuralink. Archana's passion for understanding the multiple dimensions of health and disease led her to work at a syringe exchange in Ithaca, New York, where she witnessed the mechanics of court-based drug rehabilitation. As an admissions counselor, she enjoys listening to students' stories and helping them communicate their interests genuinely and in alignment with their values.
At Harvard Medical School, Archana received numerous scholarships and awards for her work, which centered on developing technologies to improve patients' quality of life. She has been involved in various research projects, applying biotechnology, optical imaging, and machine learning methods to study surgical outcomes and improve patients' lives after head and neck surgery. As a coach, Archana is committed to guiding prospective students through the admissions process and sharing her passion for medicine and research.
MD Candidate at Stanford Medical School
Undergrad: University of Denver
Medical School: Stanford University School of Medicine
While I am a home body at heart, I was fortunate to study abroad at the University of Glasgow, where I experienced my first cadaver lab and developed a training manual for a local community gym while exploring Scotland's eight cities. Needless to say, I was not in Colorado anymore!
Austin Johnson graduated from the University of Denver Summa Cum Laude with a B.S. in Biological Sciences and minors in Leadership Studies, Medical Physics, Chemistry, and Psychology. He scored in the 99.9th percentile on the MCAT and utilized similar study strategies to achieve a 260+ USMLE Step 1 score. Austin is currently a medical student at the Stanford University School of Medicine pursuing a research year investigating novel topical treatments for Epidermolysis Bullosa Simplex (EBS) and validating clinical severity scoring tools for future EBS interventional studies. His professional interests extend into health disparities and medical education both on campus and in the community.
Austin’s passion for mentorship has culminated in a diverse set of experiences ranging from intensive one-on-one sessions with prospective professional students to leading large group events designed to level the playing field in test-taking, research, and the admissions process as a member of the Leadership in Health Disparities and Stanford Clinical Summer Internship programs. As a future Dermatologist from a rural Colorado town with zero immediate or extended family members in healthcare, he is excited to guide the next generation of physician leaders in achieving their goals no matter their background. Outside of being a medical student, Austin loves partaking in athletics, lifting weights, becoming immersed in movies, and exploring new food spots with his future wife.
Medical College Admissions Test Instructor
Undergrad: Drexel University, summa cum laude
Medical School: Harvard Medical School
Ayush spends a good portion of his free time exercising and playing sports, including volleyball, rock climbing, and weightlifting. Ayush also loves art and music and previously competed on a semi-professional dance team. Lastly, Ayush is a big foodie on the path to becoming an amateur chef!
Ayush is an MD candidate at Harvard Medical School interested in a career as an ophthalmologist and healthcare disparities researcher. He graduated summa cum laude from Drexel University with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and minors in Art History and Business Administration.
Ayush has been directly involved in undergraduate and medical school admissions and tutoring and has gained recognition as a top tutor. With several years of professional experience in pre-medical tutoring and advising, he has helped applicants receive impressive scores on the MCAT and gain admission into top medical schools in the country. Personally, Ayush has scored in the 99th percentile on the MCAT and in the 96th percentile on the USMLE Step 1.
At Drexel and Harvard Medical School, Ayush has conducted a wide array of research leading to numerous publications and academic conference presentations in molecular biology, ophthalmology, ENT, telemedicine, and AI. He also co-founded the New Jersey chapter of a COVID-19 response organization that fills gaps in healthcare infrastructure with healthcare student volunteers.
Given these experiences, Ayush has a proven track record of success in helping various applicants achieve high test scores and medical school admission. In addition to MCAT tutoring, Ayush is passionate about mentoring Advantage students in crafting a cohesive and personal story to achieve their dreams of becoming a physician.
Medical student at Texas Tech Health Science Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine
Undergrad: University of Charleston
Medical School: Texas Tech Health Science Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine
Brandon has 2 puppies (Quinlan and Luca). They are Italian Water Dogs but do not like to go in the water.
Brandon earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology at the University of Charleston in West Virginia, where he played Division 1 Men's Volleyball and was selected as the President's Outstanding Senior of the Year. He went on to obtain a Dual Master's degree in Business Administration and Healthcare Administration from the University of Houston before starting the MD program at the Texas Tech Health Science Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine.
Brandon is a highly motivated medical student with years of experience successfully guiding students from traditional, non-traditional, and reapplication backgrounds through the medical school application process. As a coach, his greatest strength is building customized success plans based on a student's individual goals. He has a wide range of expertise, including personal statement and secondary essay brainstorming and editing, running activities writing workshops, navigating school selection processes, traditional and MMI mock interview prep for MD and DO medical schools, and CASPer success techniques.
Brandon uses a highly motivated spirit, resilient attitude, and constant communication to afford other students the opportunity of medical school acceptance. He is excited to work with students from all backgrounds and experiences to make medical school acceptance a reality.
Medical student at Baylor College of Medicine
Undergrad: University of Texas at Austin
Medical School: Baylor College of Medicine
Outside of medicine, Bryan enjoys watching NBA basketball, gaming, exploring the amazing food scene in Houston, and hanging out at the dog park with his pet corgi, Maru.
Bryan Luu is a medical student at Baylor College of Medicine currently pursuing a residency in Internal Medicine. Bryan grew up in Fremont, California before moving to Austin, Texas in high school. He attended The University of Texas at Austin where he graduated with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering with High Honors. At the University of Texas, Bryan was heavily involved in biomedical engineering research focused on improving delivery and bioavailability of chemotherapeutics through the development of nano-polymer systems. He was inducted into the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society during his junior year. During his gap year before medical school, Bryan worked as an editor and content developer for ExamKrackers, serving as a major contributor to MCAT question banks and prep books, as well as providing high-quality one-on-one MCAT tutoring.In medical school, Bryan has been extensively involved with all facets of the medical school admission process. He has served as an admissions ambassador at Baylor, and has guided dozens of premedical students through the medical school admissions process as an officer of several student-led mentorship organizations. He has also continued his passion for research, with a specific interest in the development of novel machine learning models that can be applied to the field of medicine. In recognition of academic excellence in medical school, Bryan was elected to the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha honor society.
Board-Certified Ophthalmologist
Undergrad: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Medical School: The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Carmel is unapologetically a super NERD (yeah, MIT was the perfect fit for college). Ask her about her favorite video game or anime of the moment.
Carmel Mercado is a board-certified ophthalmologist in the Seattle area with expertise in pediatric ophthalmology and comprehensive ophthalmology.
She earned her undergraduate degree in Biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she was awarded as 1 of 25 Burchard Scholars in her year for academic excellence in the arts, humanities, social sciences as well as in science and engineering. She was also inducted as an MIT Class of 2009 Community Catalyst Leader for her extensive involvement with mentoring, teaching, and developing advising workshops for freshmen.
Carmel obtained her medical degree at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. During her time in medical school, she completed a research year as an international fellow at the Keio University School of Medicine. Her research project looked at the history of traditional medicine in Japan and its integration into the modern Japanese medical system. This project was funded in part by the Johns’ Hopkins University School of Medicine Dean’s Grant and through scholarship from the International Chamber of Innovation, Commerce & Enterprise in Japan.
Carmel then completed her ophthalmology residency at Stanford University’s Byers Eye Institute in Palo Alto, California, where she was elected into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society for the Stanford Chapter. She completed her sub-specialty fellowship training in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus at the Casey Eye Institute of Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon. Carmel has held roles such as Clinical Instructor for Ophthalmology at the Casey Eye Institute and Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Head of the Diversity Committee for the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Washington. She has had experience with medical school admissions as well as ophthalmology residency and fellowship interviews in these roles.
Outside of the clinic, Carmel has traveled to multiple countries around the world, including Myanmar, the Philippines, and Belize, to help with vision screenings and to teach eye surgery and the basics of pediatric eye care as invited faculty. She is also an accomplished artist and uses her art as a medium for health literacy education and empowerment.
Carmel is excited to share her expertise and experience with medical school and residency admissions with you!
MD/PhD student at Northwestern
Undergrad: University of Maryland, College Park
Medical School: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
I am the king of budget traveling. I have spent time in 25 different countries and hope to add more!
Chris (he/him) is a medical student in the MD/PhD program at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He attended the University of Maryland, College Park on a full scholarship where he studied Psychology, Spanish, and Music Performance. After college, he worked as a teacher for three years before making the transition to medical school. Chris completed a yearlong Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Leticia, Colombia, and taught high school chemistry in New York City for two years. Teaching through a pandemic in the largest city in the United States reified the consequences of poor health delivery, and the policies that make these disparities possible. With this in mind, he decided to pursue medical training with an interest health policy and healthcare delivery.
Thus far, Chris has completed research rotations at the Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health & Wellbeing, the Gender Pathways Program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. He has published work with The Lighthouse Foundation - a Black queer-led justice collective - and he has attended multiple conferences including the 2022 American Medical Education Conference in Orlando, FL, and the 2022 AAMC Rise Leadership Conference in Washington, DC. He also serves as his medical school cohort's Class President, and is active in the process of meeting and recruiting MD and MD/PhD applicants to Feinberg. He is not sure of a speciality post-medical school, but he is currently interested in pulmonology/critical care, emergency medicine, infectious disease, and pediatrics.
Chris is a resident of Uptown, Chicago. In his free time he enjoys traveling, dancing, and cooking.
Dermatology resident at NYU Langone Health
Undergrad: Stanford University
Medical School: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
In his spare time, Costner loves exploring the NYC brunch scene and is an avid traveler (ask him about his trip to The Galapagos Islands)!
Costner McKenzie is currently a dermatology resident physician at NYU. Prior to residency, Costner graduated from Stanford University with a B.A. in Human Biology. While at Stanford, Costner was elected Class President, participated in several clinical trials, and counseled pre-med students as a Student Advisor.
After graduating from Stanford University, Costner took a gap year and worked at 23andMe as a Research Associate. During his gap year, Costner developed studies that empowered patients to better understand the impact of genetics on their disease.
Following his gap year, Costner enrolled at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine. While in medical school, Costner actively participated in the Office of Admissions. He served as a Senior Student Interviewer, Ambassador for the Office of Diversity & Inclusion, and member of the Queers & Allies Association. He has published numerous peer-reviewed articles on topics including health disparities, sun protection, and atopic dermatitis. Costner graduated at the top of his class and was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honors Society and Alpha Omega Alpha Honors Society.
Costner has years of experience assisting students as they seek scholarship opportunities and pursue careers in medicine and he hopes to take experience to Inspira. He is an enthusiastic member of the Inspira Team and looks forward to working with future mentees.
Executive Director of Undergraduate and Postbaccalaureate Prehealth Advising at Sacred Heart University
Undergrad: Le Moyne College
Ellen loves to read, cook, exercise and spend time with her family. When the occasion calls for it, she is always prepared to eat way too much!
Ellen is an admission and advising professional with over 30 years of experience in higher education. She was the Director of Admissions at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine for 14 years. Over the years, she screened and evaluated thousands of applications and interviewed hundreds of pre-health candidates both in person and across the US during recruiting trips.
Building on her understanding of admissions policies and strategies, she moved into the role of Assistant Dean of Students at Columbia University’s Post Baccalaureate Premedical and Pre-Health Program. She advised hundreds of students seeking admission to health professions programs, specifically medical, dental, and veterinary medicine. In addition to advising, she organized the annual health professions fair at Columbia University, building strong relationships with professional school admissions deans nationwide.
For over ten years, Ellen served as the Assistant Dean for Pre-Health Advising at Fordham University, where, working closely with students and alums, she built the pre-health program to be one of the strongest in the tri-state area. Supporting candidates seeking entrance into MD, DO, DDS, DVM, and PA programs, Ellen built a program that resulted in the strongest prehealth admissions outcomes in the university’s history.
As a member of The National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (NAAPH) and Northeast Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (NEAAHP), Ellen has been both a participant and moderator on many advising panels, delivering presentations on topics surrounding pre-health admissions and the application processes. She is also the co-author of a book chapter on The Imposter Syndrome.
Ellen is deeply passionate about guiding students through the ever-changing landscape of health profession admissions and seeing their growth throughout the process.
Neurosurgery Research Intern at Barrow Neurological Institute
Undergrad: Johns Hopkins University
Medical School: University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago
Elsa loves spending her free time playing badminton, volleyball, and archery as well as gardening and baking. Now that she's living in Phoenix, she's a novice hiker and loving every moment of it!
Elsa grew up in Naperville, IL; however, she was born in Albania and is fluent in Albanian and Spanish. She is a medical student at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago. She is currently on a gap research year conducting clinical and translational cerebrovascular neurosurgery research under Dr. Michael Lawton at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, AZ. Her clinical work involves risk stratification and outcomes of various hemorrhagic cerebrovascular diseases while her translational research focuses on novel single-cell RNA sequencing of these same pathologies. In addition to cerebrovascular research, Elsa has extensive experience in global neurosurgery, pediatric brain tumors and epilepsy, and the relationship between domestic violence and traumatic brain injuries.
While attending UIC College of Medicine as an Alumni & Friends Scholarship Recipient, Elsa has been involved in many research, advocacy, and volunteering efforts. She has over 30 publications and oral presentations at national conferences in neurosurgery, neurology, urology, obstetrics & gynecology, and female sexual medicine. She has served as a digital media intern for the Center for Global Health, a medical student advisory board member for Safe Living Space - an organization raising awareness of brain injury secondary to domestic violence, student ambassador for the AANS/CNS section on Pediatric Neurosurgery, student leader of Women in Medicine Summit, and President of the Chicago Cancer Society.
Prior to attending medical school, Elsa spent a gap year at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine working as a clinical research coordinator on a peripheral artery disease clinical trial. Even before that, she graduated first-generation with General and Neuroscience Departmental Honors from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. Furthermore, she completed her entire sophomore year of undergraduate studies at the University of Oxford in Oxford, United Kingdom studying under the Biochemistry Pre-Medicine Program.
With respect to her tutoring experience, Elsa has helped high school, undergraduate, and medical students with their courses and throughout various application cycles since 2013. At Johns Hopkins University, Elsa served as a study consultant for Academic Advising helping undergraduate students improve their academic skills. At UIC College of Medicine, Elsa continues to work as a Peer Education Program Tutor and Block Lead for the Office of Student Affairs leading one-on-one and group review sessions of pre-clinical curriculum content as well as USMLE test prep. Additionally, Elsa has informally mentored many Johns Hopkins and UIC undergraduates throughout their medical school application process. She is very excited to help more pre-medical students navigate the medical school application process through Inspira Advantage!
Medical College Admissions Test Instructor
Undergrad: University of Pennsylvania
Medical School: Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Ezra enjoys reading, baking bread, quoting 2000s comedy movies, sailing, and traveling.
Ezra is a medical student at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Originally from New York City, he grew up in Cherry Hill, NJ, before attending UPenn for undergrad. There, he studied Economics with minors in Math and Chemistry. Ezra graduated with honors, phi beta kappa, summa cum laude, and was awarded a prize for excellence in Economics. He conducted research in healthcare economics, captained the campus Medical Emergency Response Team, taught CPR, and wrote for The Pennsylvania Punch Bowl humor magazine.
Ezra applied for medical school during his senior year and received acceptances from the country’s top medical schools, such as the University of Michigan, Vanderbilt University, and Northwestern University. He decided to stay at the University of Pennsylvania for medical school because of its academic excellence and a broad array of research opportunities in healthcare services.
As a medical student, Ezra has continued working in healthcare economics research – receiving the Leonard Davis Institute summer scholarship. He also worked with Puentes de Salud, a South Philadelphia health clinic for low-income Spanish-speaking patients. Ezra is the current treasurer of the Plastic Surgery Interest Group and a former leader of the Maimonides Jewish student organization. This coming cycle, he plans to apply for a general surgery residency.
As an MCAT tutor, Ezra draws from his experiences as a student and educator, applying his in-depth knowledge of the MCAT and learning strategies to provide Advantage students with the tools they need to succeed. Personally, Ezra has scored in the top 99th percentile on the MCAT and looks forward to helping Inspira students achieve their best scores.
Physician Assistant at Duke University Health System
Undergrad: Wake Forest University
PA School: Campbell University
My mom was a top Chinese ping pong player before coming to the U.S.!
Jasmyn is a practicing physician assistant at the Duke University Health System as well as a dedicated and experienced PA admissions specialist. Jasmyn has a wealth of knowledge about the PA admissions process, PA school, and the PA career, and has successfully helped countless applicants secure a spot in top PA programs.
She grew up in New Jersey, then relocated to North Carolina for her undergraduate education at Wake Forest University, where she majored in Health & Exercise Science with secondary studies in Chinese and dance. She spent two years as a CNA in orthopedics and oncology for healthcare experience. She graduated from Campbell University’s PA program, where she mentored pre-allied-health students and chartered the pre-PA club.
Now, in addition to practicing urgent care medicine, Jasmyn serves on interview/admissions committees for PA school and mentors new-graduate APPs at her workplace. In her free time, she enjoys travel, spoiling her great pyrenees puppy, and bonding with her Big Brothers Big Sisters match.
Jasmyn’s clinical and mentorship experience has given her a unique perspective on the PA profession and the skills and qualities that are most highly valued by admissions committees. It's fulfilling and energizing to help others achieve their dreams of becoming physician assistants, and she looks forward to working with each client on their unique journey.
Medical student at Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California
Undergrad: University of Southern California
Medical School: Keck School of Medicine of USC
Jessica enjoys traveling when she is able, and studied abroad in the south island of New Zealand during college. She was lucky enough to swim in bioluminescent waters by chance one evening while backpacking, one of her favorite memories.
Jessica is a student at the USC Keck School of Medicine MD program. She will be pursuing her residency training in Psychiatry. Jessica is originally from a northern suburb of Chicago, Illinois. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s in Neuroscience with Honors. While at USC for her undergraduate degree, Jessica completed three years of research which culminated in an Honors Thesis titled, “Effects of Hormonal Contraception on Hippocampal Volume: A Neuroimaging Study.” After graduating, she obtained a position at the Stanford VA as the Clinical Study Coordinator for two Alzheimer’s disease-related neuroimaging studies. It was here that she discovered her love for clinical medicine and her desire to work with patients.
Since beginning medical school, she has served three years on the Evaluations and Selections committee and has interviewed many aspiring Keck MD applicants. She has mentored multiple students throughout their medical school admissions process, informally as well as formally through the American Medical Women’s Association. She has also served on the board of multiple student interest groups, including Ob/Gyn, Medical Students for Choice, and Lifestyle Medicine. Her programming efforts for the latter group helped them win the Outstanding Nutrition/Culinary Programming Award at the American College of Lifestyle Medicine Conference in 2021. Jessica has also worked on several research projects while at Keck, including two studies that aimed to examine racial disparities in maternal morbidity as well as the relationship between anemia and severe maternal morbidity, as well one study that examined clinical outcomes of post-placental IUD placement in the setting of chorioamnionitis. These studies have resulted in several publications. Most recently, Jessica is working on a research study that aims to improve the treatment of depression in the primary care setting by implementing psychiatric collaborative care (PCC) conferences in a primary care clinic that serves mainly underprivileged patients. This project aims to reduce disparities in psychiatric care, a cause Jessica is very passionate about.
In her free time, Jessica loves to get outside and hike/camp in the national parks of California. Jessica’s excellent communication and writing/editing skills, combined with her passion for mentorship and experience with navigating the medical school admissions process, make her a confident and capable mentor.
MD candidate at Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Undergrad: Princeton University
Medical School: Harvard Medical School
I did my first set of stand-up comedy when I was 12-years-old! I've only gotten less funny.
Jonah was born in Dallas, TX. He graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University, where he majored in Astrophysics and minored in Biophysics and Astrobiology while completing the pre-medical track. After college, he spent one gap year conducting breast cancer research at UCSF with a focus on biostatistics and bioinformatics. He then enrolled at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and is currently a fourth-year medical student.
Throughout medical school, Jonah has had an interest in surgery and applying his computational skill set to explore next-generation sequencing projects as they relate to reconstructive surgical procedures. He mentors Harvard undergraduates on medical school admissions and serves as a Non-Resident Tutor for Harvard College’s Adams House.
Jonah is a firm believer in holistic mentorship and in getting to know his applicants beyond the numbers and requirements. He enjoys long walks through Boston, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, poetry, and is an avid consumer of stand-up comedy. He is energetic and cares deeply about helping applicants achieve their goals.
MS4 at SUNY Downstate Medical Center
Undergrad: Binghamton University
Medical School: SUNY Downstate Medical School
José loves soccer, running, and sports in general. He is a foodie and dreams of visiting all continents: he has been on three so far.
José is a graduate of Binghamton University where he double-majored in Biological Sciences and French language and literature. At Binghamton, he began building his impressive teaching credentials by holding many positions such as molecular biology TA, Biochemistry tutor, and Mechanisms of Evolution tutor. He is currently a medical student at SUNY Downstate where he has further expanded his teaching experience as a medical knowledge and anatomy tutor, as well as an MCAT tutor. As a member of the Medical Educator Pathway, he has extensive experience in curriculum development. He has also served as a member of the admissions committee for applicants to the medical school. The extent of accomplishments at Downstate, which also includes numerous publications, has seen him inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.
MD candidate at the Yale University School of Medicine
Undergrad: University of Southern California
Medical School: Yale University School of Medicine
Karthik enjoys backpacking in the mountains, gardening, tennis, and ultimate frisbee in his free time. Last summer, Karthik went backpacking in the Eastern Sierra's of California and explored some really refreshing hot springs and even a Hot Creek!
Karthik earned an MS in Stem Cell Biology and a BS in Neuroscience with a minor in Health Care Studies from the University of Southern California. He is presently an MD candidate at the Yale University School of Medicine.
During his undergrad, Karthik worked as a synaptic electrophysiology research assistant, an ambulance EMT, and a vice president for a student-run veteran’s rehabilitation organization. During summers, he would return to his hometown and work as a private tutor for high school and pre-med students. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was a clinical case investigator to triage outbreaks in the LA Unified School District.
During his Master’s, Karthik explored the prospect of new stem-cell-based methods for use in antifibrotics and next-generation (CAR) cell therapy. While he worked as a lab assistant for kidney organoid research at USC, Karthik started and led his non-profit SROA to tackle stem cell treatment fraud. More recently, Karthik worked at City of Hope as a clinical genetics assistant, supporting genetic counseling and precision medicine for patients facing cancer. As a current medical student, Karthik is interested in clinical trial equity, cancer outcomes, immuno-oncology therapeutics, and the power of venture capital in advancing medicine.
Resident Veterinarian at the University of Washington School of Medicine- Department of Comparative Medicine
Undergrad: Presbyterian College
Veterinary School: University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine
I am working toward earning a Private Pilot Certificate at a local flight school here in the Pacific Northwest.
Kristen Peagler is from Lithonia, Georgia. She received her B.S. from Presbyterian College where she played Division 1 soccer. Directly after graduating from Presbyterian College, she attended the University of Georgia College of Veterinary medicine and graduated. During her time at the University of Georgia, she was a mixed animal emphasis, became the first veterinary extern at NASA under the guidance of NASA’s Chief Veterinarian and was the first veterinary student to complete NASA’s Aerospace Medicine Clerkship. In addition, Peagler has taken part in several community initiatives through the college including Dawg Trails Tour, the This is How We Role Grant, as well as the Georgia National Fair. Peagler has also assisted Vets for Pets and People in a Lip Sync battle fundraising event for Project Safe.
Peagler is currently a resident in the Department of Comparative Medicine at the University of Washington and will return to NASA for an internship. She hopes to make significant contributions to the field of aerospace medicine as it pertains to laboratory animal medicine upon completion of the University of Washington’s residency program.
Outside of her Comparative Medicine interests, Peagler has been heavily involved in her community and has helped educate and guide future generations of veterinarians of all ages. She was recently accepted into the Washington Veterinary Medical Association’s “Power of 10 Leadership Academy”. She is also a mentor for students at a local Black Pilots of America chapter called “the Red-Tailed Hawks”. Peagler’s interests include aerospace medicine, neurology, musculoskeletal diseases, and translational research. She enjoys fishing, hiking, all things space, herpetology, and is currently working toward completing flight school training in the Seattle area.
Dr. Peagler has many connections and experiences within the field of Veterinary Medicine and aims to work with you to achieve your veterinary dreams and provide support in what can be a stressful, but exciting time.
Executive Director at Greenwich Hospital
Nursing School: Saint Mary’s College School of Nursing
Master's: Gonzaga University
Doctor of Nursing Practice: Baylor University
I am a huge foodie and avid home chef, with a vast collection of cookbooks. My ideal weekend is spent dining at a new restaurant or in the kitchen preparing new recipes for my husband and 3 kids.
Lauren Stoerger is an experienced registered nurse and healthcare leader. She began her career in 2004 as a critical care nurse in the Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit at NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center. She gained additional clinical experience working in multiple critical care areas, including surgical trauma, burn, cardiac and as a procedural nurse in interventional neuroradiology, where she was recognized with the Helen S. Tanenbaum Clinical Excellence Award. As a healthcare leader, Lauren has held progressive leadership roles, including as Director of Emergency, Critical Care and Medical-Surgical Nursing Services at NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital during the height of COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. She is currently the Executive Director of Clinical Operations and Perioperative Services at Yale-New Haven Health System - Greenwich Hospital.
Lauren received her BSN from Saint Mary’s College (Notre Dame, IN), MSN in nursing education from Gonzaga University and graduated from Baylor University with a DNP in Executive Nursing Leadership. She has co-authored publications in The Journal of Nursing Administration, Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare and Journal of Critical Care Medicine and holds certifications in critical care and nursing administration.
Lauren has a passion for nursing and for mentoring others to pursue their calling to this profession. She is detail oriented and looks forward to guiding you through the process of nursing school admissions.
Medical student at University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Undergrad: Washington University in St. Louis
Medical School: University in Miami Miller School of Medicine
Born in Medellin, Colombia. Studied abroad in Rennes, France and Santiago, Chile. Cultural competency is extremely important for life and medicine! Ran a marathon in St. Louis and love working out as a way to relieve stress and stay healthy!
Manuela is a MD/MPH student at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Manuela attended Washington University in St. Louis for her undergraduate degree where she majored in Romance Languages and Literatures and minored in Biology. She took a gap year between undergraduate and medical school where she did research on intermittent theta burst stimulation for depression and executive dysfunction and scribed for a hepatologist in St. Louis. She believes that the best way to succeed in the medical school process is to be a well-rounded applicant. During college and throughout medical school, she has been involved in various volunteer, clinical and research experiences focusing primarily on helping underserved communities. Her research experience is focused on public health and gastroenterology. She has also dedicated time to student groups and organizations that foster a sense of community and well-being at these institutions. She is currently interviewing for internal medicine residency with the plan to specialize in gastroenterology during fellowship.
Associate Veterinarian at Saint Francis Veterinary Center of South Jersey
Undergrad: Saint Louis University
Masters: University of Minnesota
Veterinary School: University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
a Philly sports fan, enjoys reading, lives in Philadelphia with his wife and daughter, two dogs named Obi and Stella, and a russian tortoise named Phil
Dr. Jedlinski, a native of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, earned his BS in Cell Biology and Physiology from Saint Louis University in 2016. While an undergraduate student, he completed a research internship at the Saint Louis Zoo Institute for Conservation Medicine, studying Three-Toed Box Turtles and their health in urban environments.
After graduation, he matriculated to the University of Minnesota where he earned a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology, focusing on foodborne and zoonotic diseases. While in graduate school, Dr. Jedlinski was employed by the State of Minnesota Department of Health Foodborne Illness Epidemiology Unit. Additionally, he completed a specialty internship with the Zoonotic Disease Epidemiology Unit with the Department of Health. His master's thesis was an epidemiological study of the risk of Salmonellosis among agricultural workers in Minnesota.
After graduate school, Dr. Jedlinski moved to the East Coast to attend the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, from which he received his VMD in 2022. While at PennVet, Dr. Jedlinski completed a research fellowship through the Boehringer-Ingelheim Veterinary Scholars Program and worked to develop a point-of-care, portable PCR diagnostic for equine infectious diseases.
His clinical interests include small animal internal medicine, soft-tissue surgery, preventative medicine, infectious diseases, and public health. He is a Fear Free Certified Practitioner and currently practices in Southern New Jersey.
Student at Keck School of Medicine of USC
Undergrad: University of Southern California
Medical School: Keck School of Medicine of USC
Outside the classroom or lab, Nate has been a yoga instructor for four years at a few Los Angeles studios.
Nate is a student at the USC Keck/Caltech MD-PhD Program, having completed the preclinical years of his medical education, and is beginning his first year of the USC Neurosciences Graduate Program with interest in functional neuroimaging. He graduated magna cum laude in 2019 with a Bachelor’s in Health Promotion and a Master’s of Science in Global Medicines as a Trustee Scholar, having received a full-ride merit scholarship to attend USC. During his gap year, he worked as a clinical research coordinator at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in endocrinology and neonatology. He is strongly interested in a career in a pediatric subspecialty.
Since beginning medical school, he has served three years on the Evaluations and Selections committee and one year on the Admissions and Recruitment committee. Additionally, he has held several leadership roles at the medical school, including Student Body President, and served on the board of the LGBTQ+ medical student interest group. During his medical school tenure, he participated in the NIH-funded USC/CHLA Summer Oncology Research Fellowship and was recognized as a UH Guild-Darlene Dufau Reid Endowed Scholar for his future potential in the field of oncology. He has acted formally and informally as a mentor to dozens of students interested in STEM and the pre-health fields since his undergraduate.
Nate combines his extensive experience working in admissions with his passion for mentorship and is exceptionally skilled in strengthening the voice of applicants and providing wisdom in navigating critical and personal decisions in applying to medical school.
Dermatology Resident at New York University Langone Medical Center
Undergrad: University of Notre Dame
Med School: University of Michigan
I love tennis, playing it and watching it. I was formerly a nationally-ranked junior, but now love playing whenever I get a chance! If you ask me about tennis, the conversation may not end. I also love to travel, and really enjoy learning about new cultures; I've visited 20+ countries, and hiked a trail in almost all of them! Also ask me about food and cooking; I'm an avid home chef and a consumer of cooking shows, so NYC's food scene is like a dream for me.
Neil Jairath is a graduate of the University of Michigan Medical school, class of 2021. He graduated #1 in his class there, receiving the Charles and Phyllis Lowe Merit Scholarship (awarded to fourth-year medical students of highest academic standing), the Academic Achievement Award, and the Academic Recognition Award. Neil was also awarded the Paul DeWolf Award and Patrick John Niland Award, was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honors Society and Alpha Omega Alpha Honors Society, and graduated with Distinction in Research Honors. He was actively involved in leadership initiatives and interdisciplinary research, including the utilization of artificial intelligence as a means of augmented physician diagnosis and biostatistical projects and clinical research investigating various oncologic theories, especially pertaining to the intersection of immunology and oncology. He served as an interviewer and admissions representative for three years during his time at Michigan. Neil has 20+ published articles and has presented his team's work 30+ times at national and international conferences. He is pursuing a residency in dermatology at New York University starting July 2022, following an intern year at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego.
Prior to pursuing medicine, Neil attended The University of Notre Dame, where he studied medicine and computer science, with minors in philosophy and the AL/SC Honors Program. There, he founded a healthcare technology startup, worked in investment banking, and eventually found his way to falling in love with the practice of medicine. Neil is looking forward to helping you achieve your goals of doing the same!
Pablo is a Pharmacokineticist at the FDA.
Undergrad: Montclair State University
Medical School: Rutgers Medical School
Pablo is a first degree black belt in Goju-ryu.
Pablo obtained his BS in Biology and Chemistry from Montclair State University and his MD from Rutgers Medical School via the BS/MD program. He is trained in internal medicine, and his research areas include pulmonary rehabilitation in war veterans (VHA) and hypotensive shock (NIH). He has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals, including the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Critical Care Medicine, and Academic Medicine.
Pablo has extensive admissions experience, having served as a mentor and student advisor for the Health Careers Program at Montclair State University, The Northeast Regional Alliance (NERA) MedPrep Scholars Program at Rutgers University, and the Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP) at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ (UMDNJ). In all these roles, he assisted aspiring physicians from disadvantaged backgrounds in academia, applications, interview skills, and resume building.
As a first-generation Hispanic American, Pablo provides a unique and diverse perspective on the medical school application process. He is passionate about accessibility and ensuring the admissions process is easy to navigate for every student he works with. Pablo firmly believes in the power of hard work and determination and thoroughly enjoys helping students from all backgrounds craft application materials that tell their stories.
As a coach, Pablo’s greatest strengths are helping students prepare for interviews, build confidence, improve their overall academic profiles, and write stellar personal statements. He has assisted dozens of students in creating strong and unique essays for medical and dental school. Pablo feels that having a disability and having been a non-traditional student enables him to be in tune with the needs and perspectives of minority/diverse applicants. He also enjoys helping students navigate interviews by organizing elevator pitches, baseline responses, approaches to interview questions, and conducting mock interviews.
MD candidate at Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine
Medical School: Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine
Undergrad: University of Pennsylvania
My goal is to visit 7 continents before I turn 40!
Pearl's previous experiences include working in Health Economics and Outcomes Research at Pfizer Oncology and the diabetes information company Close Concerns. She has spoken as a patient advocate at the FDA and conducted research at prestigious institutions, including the National Institutes of Health, Mt. Sinai Medical Center, Perelman School of Medicine/Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Northwell Health Cohen Children's Medical Center, and JFK Hospital Hackensack Meridian Health. Pearl has published numerous abstracts and manuscripts in multiple journals and presented at National Conferences, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Neurological Association, and American Society of Radiation Oncology Annual meetings.
At ZSOM, she is part of the selective IMPACcT and KLAR Leadership programs, President of the American Medical Association chapter, is in charge of the Education and Local Outreach/Partnerships for the Community Service Committee, and a youth mentor in the Medical Science Youth Program. She is pursuing a Humanities in Medicine concentration through the GOLD foundation and is an EMT.
During her undergrad at the University of Pennsylvania, she was involved in tour guiding, the Professional Women's Alumni Alliance, Fox Leadership Fellowship Program, Puentes de Salud bilingual after school literacy program, was a Calculus tutor, and a part of Penn's Global Initiatives Abroad Team, as well as a member of the Penn Association for Gender Equity. She is a life-long Girl Scout and has earned her Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards.
At Inspira, Pearl is excited to work with pre-medical students through the challenging yet rewarding journey of becoming a physician.
Resident Physician, Neurosurgery at Cleveland Clinic
Undergrad: Johns Hopkins University
Medical School: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
I am a big supporter of the veterans and it's one of my passions – I can talk about Green Berets and how amazing those men are all day long! Another fun fact is that I am a native French speaker.
Dr. Kessler was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA and attended the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD for her undergraduate studies in pre-med and French. While at Johns Hopkins, she led the JHU Medical Ethics Discussion Panel, and worked in a neurology and neurosurgery research lab. She then attended the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in NYC and graduated in 2021 with distinction in research. While at Mount Sinai, Dr. Kessler was the recipient of numerous awards, including a merit-based tuition scholarship all four years of medical school. She has authored almost 30 papers related to neurosurgery and neurology published in national medical journals (see pubmed.gov), and was the only US medical student to be awarded a national grant from the Congress in Neurological Surgeons in 2018–2019 for her work in spinal cord injury research.
While in medical school, Dr. Kessler founded the Special Forces Neurosurgery Collaborative (www.sfneurosurgery.org) with neurosurgeons from Mount Sinai, Cleveland Clinic, and the leadership of the US Green Beret Foundation, which is an organization that spearheads neurosurgery research initiatives geared towards addressing the unique healthcare needs of America's Special Forces warriors. Dr. Kessler has given over a dozen lectures on her research at national conferences and is currently a medical editor and reviewer for the Journal of Special Operations Medicine and MyHealthTeams, LLC.
She was previously a reviewer for World Neurosurgery journal and has authored five textbook chapters in major neurosurgical textbooks. In 2021, Dr. Kessler matched into neurosurgery residency at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, OH. She has extensive experience teaching and tutoring undergraduates, and assisting in medical school and residency applications. I look forward to working with you and helping you to achieve your goals in a career in medicine!
MD/PhD candidate at Yale School of Medicine
Undergrad: Rice University
Medical School: Yale School of Medicine
I am obsessed with cool houseplants; there are hundreds of rare tropical plants in my (tiny) apartment and I started my own plant company in medical school!
Ruchi is an MD/PhD candidate at the Yale School of Medicine. Ruchi is originally from Houston and graduated from Rice University with a degree in Chemistry with Distinction in Research and Creative Works. During her time at Rice, Ruchi was awarded several scholarships, research fellowships, and the highest recognition of undergraduate academic achievement by the Chemistry department. She served as the Editor in Chief of the Catalyst Undergraduate Research Journal, the President of Pancakes for Parkinson’s, and founded and led Rice’s chapter of the American Physician Scientists Association. She was actively involved in research at both McGovern Medical School and Rice University, and her work has culminated in multiple publications and poster presentations at national conferences.
Ruchi was accepted into many MD, 5 year MD, and MD/PhD programs, and ultimately was deciding between a full ride scholarship to UT Southwestern, a full ride scholarship to the Cleveland Clinic Lerner School of Medicine, or the Yale MSTP program. She chose Yale because of the flexibility afforded by the Yale System, the renowned immunology department, and the warmth and kindness of the student body and faculty. In medical school, Ruchi has led the Women in Medicine and Cancer Student Interest Groups and has worked for two years with the Yale Health Professions department as a personal statement reviewer and mock interviewer.
Working closely with dozens of students at all stages of the application cycle has given Ruchi significant insight into the medical school admissions process for both MD and MD/PhD applicants. She is passionate about helping students convey their unique stories and personalize their life experiences, and has extensive experience with building a strong school list, essay editing, and preparing for interviews. Ruchi is very excited to join the incredible team at Inspira, and her biggest goal is helping other students get into their dream medical school.
Founder at GoodVets
Undergrad: University of Illinois - Urbana–Champaign
Veterinary School: University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine
I was born in Hong Kong and am half Chinese, half Australian. I’m passionate about interior design and am an avid home chef with dreams of being the next Masterchef!
Sabrina attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she graduated with a B.S. in Animal Science. While an undergrad, she founded Animal Allies, a volunteer project within the state’s largest student-run volunteer organization. Sabrina also worked as a lab research assistant in the University’s swine genetics laboratory under the supervision of Dr. Jon Beever, who is most known for providing the first completed sequence of the swine genome. During school breaks, Sabrina worked as a veterinary technician in a small animal clinic in the suburbs of Chicago. She was able to marry her love of travel with her love of animal health and interned at wildlife sanctuaries in Hong Kong, Sydney, Australia, and Chiang Mai, Thailand. At these different locales she studied environmental toxicology and participated in education programs promoting wildlife management to the public.
Sabrina obtained her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine. There, Sabrina tracked for a career in small animal medicine. She held positions as a veterinary school radiology technician and was an on-campus pharmaceuticals representative for Fort Dodge and Boehringer-Ingelheim. She also pursued a conservation externship in South Africa, and externed at various small animal private practices and specialty clinics throughout the Midwest. Sabrina was also an active member of the veterinary professional fraternity, Omega Tau Sigma.
Sabrina began her career as a veterinarian at a large, full-service, walk-in hospital in downtown Chicago. After two years as an associate veterinarian, Sabrina became the medical director, where she built out a veterinarian training program with a focus on new-graduate mentorship. Her leadership role gave her an understanding of the pitfalls and successes of operating a modern animal hospital in an urban setting. In 2017, Sabrina co-founded a veterinary management company called GoodVets, where she acted as the Chief Medical Officer. The company challenged the practice “norm” and introduced a tech-centered business with a people-centric approach to the leadership team. There she established the core process and procedures of a successful franchise model that built the basis for repeatable action that the company is still successfully thriving on.
Sabrina is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration and a professional certification in data analysis and project management.
Throughout her career, Sabrina has worked in every position across a veterinary hospital and has always had a strong passion for teaching and mentorship. Helping others thrive in their own career is especially purposeful and rewarding to her. Sabrina is excited to work alongside her clients to help them create a strong, personalized application that will get them one step closer to a fulfilling career in veterinary medicine.
UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry
Undergrad: The University of Texas at Austin
Dental School: UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry
When Sana isn’t tutoring Advantage students, you can find her in a fitness class, traveling, or studying at a coffee shop. She loves trying new things and regularly changing up her hobbies. Currently, she is into pilates.
Sana has an Honors Bachelor of Science in Psychology from The University of Texas at Austin and is pursuing her DMD at UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry.
During her undergrad, she was president of two long-standing pre-health organizations and spent most of her time volunteering and conducting research. She accumulated over 350 hours at Dell Children’s Hospital and over 200 shadowing hours under multiple dental specialties. She also conducted research at a cognitive science lab and interned at Mayo Clinic.
Sana has years of experience as an educator and has always been passionate and driven to help others–having taught elementary school children abroad and served as a teaching assistant for Austin ISD students through the UTeach program.
Sana understands that every student takes a different approach to learning and is extremely passionate about going above and beyond to help each student achieve their goal DAT score. As a DAT tutor, she excels at catering to each Advantage student’s individual needs and strengths. With her diverse background and expertise, she has guided many applicants to their dream dental schools, having gained acceptance into the country’s top dental programs.
MD candidate at Stanford University School of Medicine
Undergrad: UC Santa Cruz
Medical School: Stanford University School of Medicine
I have four older brothers and am a die-hard Lakers fan! In my time that is not spent studying or working, I enjoy spending time with my seven nieces & nephews and sleeping as much as possible!
Sidney graduated undergrad with a degree in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. During her time at UCSC she held several positions in education and became one of the highest-rated tutors within her major. She was brought on by the head of the genetics department to help revamp a course with one of the highest failure rates in the department and achieved great success. Sidney also spent two years performing basic science research focused on RNA processing. Following completion of her undergraduate degree, Sidney went on to serve as an AmeriCorps fellow working with unhoused communities at Lifelong Nonprofit Health Center in Berkeley, California. Simultaneously, she continued to work in education as an elementary and high school tutor but also as a medical assistant at a concierge pediatrics clinic in Oakland, all while building her application to medical school. Sidney applied to 17 medical schools, of which she received 12 interviews, 10 of which she would attend, receiving acceptances to all but one. Ultimately, Sidney settled on Stanford University School of Medicine, where she plans to pursue a joint MD/MBA and eventually a career in pediatrics or internal medicine.
MD candidate at the Keck School of Medicine of USC
Undergrad: Occidental College
Medical School: Keck School of Medicine of USC
Stephanie hates all fruit, once had a pet goat that lived in her house named Sunday, and loves to crochet! She is currently working on a blanket.
Stephanie has a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Occidental College and is currently an MD candidate at the Keck School of Medicine at USC. Originally from Portland, Oregon, she moved to Los Angeles to play varsity softball at Occidental College. There, she fell in love with research while studying giant sea snails and later conducted breast cancer research at OHSU.
While at USC, Stephanie has published multiple research papers, presented at a national conference, and was elected to the student council, all while still finding time to enjoy life in LA. She is set to graduate in the top 10% of her class, with membership in the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and the award of Distinction in Research. Stephanie hopes to match into a pediatric residency and to pursue either a hospitalist medicine or PICU fellowship.
Resident Physician, Emergency Medicine at Mount Sinai Morningside West
Undergrad: Cornell University
Medical School: University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
In her free time, Dr. Tardino loves to be outdoors, draw and paint, hang out with friends and go for long runs around her neighborhood. She ran her first full marathon this past year!
Dr. Tardino is an emergency medicine resident at Mount Sinai Morningside West in New York City. She grew up in Massapequa, NY, and attended Cornell University as a first-generation college student. There, she studied Human Development, Spanish, and Gerontology. While at Cornell, she completed a public health study abroad program in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and became fluent in Spanish.
After graduating from Cornell, Dr. Tardino took a gap year and worked as an Emergency Department Medical Scribe in Houston, TX. She also volunteered her time teaching weekly ESL classes to recent immigrants and refugees. She was then accepted to the competitive, combined 4-year dual degree MD-MPH program in Miami, Florida.
She was involved in multiple community service projects and leadership roles during her medical school career. She spearheaded a COVID-19 hotline volunteer effort during the pandemic, launched a free mobile wound care clinic for patients who inject drugs, and served as president of the Emergency Medicine Student Interest Group. During her senior year, she was inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society and actively participated in her school’s admissions committee.
Dr. Tardino is eager to help students achieve their dreams of becoming physicians. You can trust her to make sure you shine throughout the application process.
Medical student at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
Undergraduate: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Medical School: Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
Vivek is obsessed with donuts and great coffee!
Vivek has a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from UNC Chapel Hill. During undergrad, he was an active volunteer with multiple organizations and was a teaching assistant for many courses in his program. He also participated in research within the field, including a research internship at the National Institute of Health. After his undergraduate degree, Vivek completed a post-baccalaureate program in Graduate Health Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University. After completing this program, he remained at VCU to serve as a program administrator,–advising students on optimal study habits and helping them craft their personal statements, perfect their activity descriptions, and prepare for their interviews.
Vivek is pursuing his MD at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine and has served on the admissions committee for two years. He is set to graduate this year and is currently applying for a radiology residency. Vivek has extensive experience coaching students through the medical school application process. He is incredibly passionate about helping Advantage students make the most of their med school applications and achieve their goals!
Undergrad: UCLA
Medical College Admissions Test Instructor
Ahmed is a huge fan of anime and manga. His favorites are Chainsaw Man and Berserk, and he’s currently watching the anime adaptation of Chainsaw Man and re-watching Death Note with his girlfriend.
Ahmed has a track record of excellence on standardized tests; he received the National Merit Finalist scholarship after scoring in the 99th percentile on the PSAT and scored a 521 on the MCAT.
During his studies at UCLA, Ahmed has achieved several accomplishments. He has a 3.7 GPA and worked as a Research Assistant for two years at a neuroimmunology lab at UCLA Resnick Psychiatric Hospital. There, he conducted several interviews and coordinated test trials to test the effects of immune system activation on depression in young women. Additionally, Ahmed has extensive training and experience in mental intervention as well as a deep passion for emotional and mental health. He has volunteered for the Crisis Textline, received training for over two years in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy through UCLA’s STAND program, and spread mental health awareness as the co-director of two committees at UCLA’s Active Minds chapter over two years.
In his free time, Ahmed enjoys reading through philosophy and Religious scriptures/theology ranging from Zoroastrianism and Taoism to Buddhism and modern Abrahamic Religions. The linguistic properties of the languages and the translation, interpretation, validation, verification, and contextualization of these ancient texts are of particular interest to him. His appetite for dissecting dense and archaic literature and philosophy makes him extra proficient on the CARS section of the MCAT. Other subjects that pique his interest include biochemistry, organic chemistry, and general chemistry.
Ahmed recognizes the importance of regulating emotional and physical health when studying for the MCAT. His study period was in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and spanned a time of great personal hardship for him. It was only through patience, humility, discipline, consistency, and self-compassion that he was able to strike a balance between efficient work and rest. This balance was crucial to fostering the clarity and insight that allowed him to stay cool as he navigated the study process and the test itself.
Through tutoring, Ahmed has helped many satisfied students make significant point score improvements in a month and sometimes even a week, breakthrough long-time score plateaus, and achieve scores above and beyond their initial goals. Many students have excitedly reached out to him months later when they receive interviews at top MD schools.
Undergrad: Drexel University, summa cum laude
Medical School: Harvard Medical School
Medical College Admissions Test Instructor
Ayush spends a good portion of his free time exercising and playing sports, including volleyball, rock climbing, and weightlifting. Ayush also loves art and music and previously competed on a semi-professional dance team. Lastly, Ayush is a big foodie on the path to becoming an amateur chef!
Ayush is an MD candidate at Harvard Medical School interested in a career as an ophthalmologist and healthcare disparities researcher. He graduated summa cum laude from Drexel University with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and minors in Art History and Business Administration.
Ayush has been directly involved in undergraduate and medical school admissions and tutoring and has gained recognition as a top tutor. With several years of professional experience in pre-medical tutoring and advising, he has helped applicants receive impressive scores on the MCAT and gain admission into top medical schools in the country. Personally, Ayush has scored in the 99th percentile on the MCAT and in the 96th percentile on the USMLE Step 1.
At Drexel and Harvard Medical School, Ayush has conducted a wide array of research leading to numerous publications and academic conference presentations in molecular biology, ophthalmology, ENT, telemedicine, and AI. He also co-founded the New Jersey chapter of a COVID-19 response organization that fills gaps in healthcare infrastructure with healthcare student volunteers.
Given these experiences, Ayush has a proven track record of success in helping various applicants achieve high test scores and medical school admission. In addition to MCAT tutoring, Ayush is passionate about mentoring Advantage students in crafting a cohesive and personal story to achieve their dreams of becoming a physician.
Undergrad: Concordia College
Cancer Researcher at North Dakota State University
Bretton is based out of Minnesota, where he was educated on a full-ride scholarship at Concordia College in Minnesota.
Bretton is an MCAT expert who has helped over 500 students achieve their MCAT goals and has dedicated thousands of hours to understanding, mastering, and simplifying the test. He has received training from and provided MCAT expertise to the leading test-prep company, Kaplan. He has extensive practice providing online tutoring and curates a world-class experience for each student. Each lesson will be tailored to the individual's needs to make sure they reach their goals, he will respond to all communications within 24 hours (typically sooner), and stack the odds in your favor.
Bretton is based out of Minnesota, where he was educated on a full-ride scholarship at Concordia College in Minnesota. He pursued a triple science major in neuroscience, chemistry, and biology. He applies his multidisciplinary expertise to make difficult to understand MCAT topics into something easily understood. He has represented his college’s research output to the state of Minnesota and participated in Mayo Clinic’s exclusive Mayo Innovative Scholars Program on behalf of Concordia.
Bretton currently works part-time in a research laboratory where he conducts groundbreaking cancer and neuroscience research. He is part of the PhD program at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in the Cellular and Molecular Biology program. Bretton’s passion for science and dedication to his students makes him an ideal MCAT tutor for students at all levels.
Undergrad: University of Pennsylvania
Medical School: Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Medical College Admissions Test Instructor
Ezra enjoys reading, baking bread, quoting 2000s comedy movies, sailing, and traveling.
Ezra is a medical student at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Originally from New York City, he grew up in Cherry Hill, NJ, before attending UPenn for undergrad. There, he studied Economics with minors in Math and Chemistry. Ezra graduated with honors, phi beta kappa, summa cum laude, and was awarded a prize for excellence in Economics. He conducted research in healthcare economics, captained the campus Medical Emergency Response Team, taught CPR, and wrote for The Pennsylvania Punch Bowl humor magazine.
Ezra applied for medical school during his senior year and received acceptances from the country’s top medical schools, such as the University of Michigan, Vanderbilt University, and Northwestern University. He decided to stay at the University of Pennsylvania for medical school because of its academic excellence and a broad array of research opportunities in healthcare services.
As a medical student, Ezra has continued working in healthcare economics research – receiving the Leonard Davis Institute summer scholarship. He also worked with Puentes de Salud, a South Philadelphia health clinic for low-income Spanish-speaking patients. Ezra is the current treasurer of the Plastic Surgery Interest Group and a former leader of the Maimonides Jewish student organization. This coming cycle, he plans to apply for a general surgery residency.
As an MCAT tutor, Ezra draws from his experiences as a student and educator, applying his in-depth knowledge of the MCAT and learning strategies to provide Advantage students with the tools they need to succeed. Personally, Ezra has scored in the top 99th percentile on the MCAT and looks forward to helping Inspira students achieve their best scores.
Undergrad: Binghamton University
Medical School: SUNY Downstate Medical School
MS4 at SUNY Downstate Medical Center
José loves soccer, running, and sports in general. He is a foodie and dreams of visiting all continents: he has been on three so far.
José is a graduate of Binghamton University where he double-majored in Biological Sciences and French language and literature. At Binghamton, he began building his impressive teaching credentials by holding many positions such as molecular biology TA, Biochemistry tutor, and Mechanisms of Evolution tutor. He is currently a medical student at SUNY Downstate where he has further expanded his teaching experience as a medical knowledge and anatomy tutor, as well as an MCAT tutor. As a member of the Medical Educator Pathway, he has extensive experience in curriculum development. He has also served as a member of the admissions committee for applicants to the medical school. The extent of accomplishments at Downstate, which also includes numerous publications, has seen him inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.
Undergrad: University of California, Los Angeles
Medical College Admissions Test Instructor
Keana loves running and cheering on his favorite team, the Philadelphia Eagles!
Keane studies Biochemistry at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he is conducting molecular toxicology research in the Allard Lab Group. In his research, he focuses on the impact of environmental toxicants on behavior in C elegans. Additionally, Keane works as a clinical research associate at Ronald Reagan Hospital, helping to improve the care of Code Stroke patients as a member of the Student Stroke Team. Outside of academics, Keane serves as a camp counselor for Camp Kesem, mentoring children affected by a parent's cancer.
Through his experiences in tutoring and mentorship, Keane has helped students succeed in various courses at UCLA. Personally, Keane has scored in the 99th percentile on the MCAT and aims to use his experience with the exam to help Advantage students find success. He is very passionate about helping students do well on the MCAT to help them get into their dream medical school.
Undergrad: Washington University in St. Louis
Medical School: Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
MD student at the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
Madeleine is passionate about global health! She majored in the subject in college and has plans to do a research project based in Sierra Leone.
Madeleine has a Bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis, where she majored in Anthropology – Global Health and the Environment. She is a medical student at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, planning to pursue pediatrics.
Madeleine scored in the 100th percentile in all sections of the MCAT (526 total), making her highly qualified to work with students in all domains of test preparation. She has several years of MCAT tutoring experience with over 30 clients, making her well-versed in all manners of learning, test-taking, and study strategies.
As a member of the Inspira team, Madeleine is passionate about helping students gain acceptance into their dream medical schools. She has a kind and personable demeanor and takes pride in working with each student to develop a highly-personalized plan to accommodate their individual needs. There is no one-size-fits-all approach!
Undergrad: University of Virginia
Dental School: Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Medical School: Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Oral and maxillofacial surgery resident at Mount Sinai Health System
Owen has a pet dog named Lulu who loves to cuddle. In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball, snowboarding, attending music festivals, playing COD mobile, and discovering new restaurants.
Owen has an undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia, a DMD from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and an MD from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He is an accomplished oral and maxillofacial surgery resident at Mount Sinai Health Systems in New York City. His research interests include implementing augmented reality in surgical education and treatment and exploring vascular malformations of the head and neck.
Throughout his academic journey, Owen has always found joy in teaching and guiding others to achieve their educational goals. As a mentor in Harvard's Pre-Health Advising Program, he supported students in developing successful applications and improving their interview skills. Owen has also served as a private tutor at the University of Virginia, helping students prepare for the SAT and DAT. These experiences have honed his ability to connect with students, create engaging learning environments, and support student success.
Owen's academic journey, transitioning from a computer science major at the University of Virginia to a dental and medical school applicant, reflects his aptitude for helping Inspira applicants craft compelling narratives in their applications. His comprehensive guidance and support for clients seeking admission to dental and medical schools are further strengthened by his enthusiasm, work ethic, and passion for helping future colleagues succeed. Owen is excited to help students achieve their academic goals and get them into their dream dental or medical school!
Undergrad: The University of Texas at Austin
Dental School: UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry
UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry
When Sana isn’t tutoring Advantage students, you can find her in a fitness class, traveling, or studying at a coffee shop. She loves trying new things and regularly changing up her hobbies. Currently, she is into pilates.
Sana has an Honors Bachelor of Science in Psychology from The University of Texas at Austin and is pursuing her DMD at UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry.
During her undergrad, she was president of two long-standing pre-health organizations and spent most of her time volunteering and conducting research. She accumulated over 350 hours at Dell Children’s Hospital and over 200 shadowing hours under multiple dental specialties. She also conducted research at a cognitive science lab and interned at Mayo Clinic.
Sana has years of experience as an educator and has always been passionate and driven to help others–having taught elementary school children abroad and served as a teaching assistant for Austin ISD students through the UTeach program.
Sana understands that every student takes a different approach to learning and is extremely passionate about going above and beyond to help each student achieve their goal DAT score. As a DAT tutor, she excels at catering to each Advantage student’s individual needs and strengths. With her diverse background and expertise, she has guided many applicants to their dream dental schools, having gained acceptance into the country’s top dental programs.
Undergrad: Occidental College
Medical School: Keck School of Medicine of USC
MD candidate at the Keck School of Medicine of USC
Stephanie hates all fruit, once had a pet goat that lived in her house named Sunday, and loves to crochet! She is currently working on a blanket.
Stephanie has a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Occidental College and is currently an MD candidate at the Keck School of Medicine at USC. Originally from Portland, Oregon, she moved to Los Angeles to play varsity softball at Occidental College. There, she fell in love with research while studying giant sea snails and later conducted breast cancer research at OHSU.
While at USC, Stephanie has published multiple research papers, presented at a national conference, and was elected to the student council, all while still finding time to enjoy life in LA. She is set to graduate in the top 10% of her class, with membership in the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and the award of Distinction in Research. Stephanie hopes to match into a pediatric residency and to pursue either a hospitalist medicine or PICU fellowship.
Undergrad: Duke University
Medical School: Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
Radiology resident at Mayo Clinic
Loves coffee, espresso, and trying new coffee shops. Is also a fan of trail running and cycling.
Aditya is a current radiology resident at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. He attended Duke University for undergrad, majoring in neuroscience, and attended the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine for medical school. He has had significant research experience, ranging from computational neuroscience in undergrad to artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and health services research in medical school.
Aditya has published extensively on these topics and continues to be academically productive in these areas. He has formally mentored several premedical and pre-physician assistant students through the admissions process and is also well-versed in residency applications.
Undergrad: University of Michigan
Medical School: University of Michigan
Resident physician in Ophthalmology at the University of California, San Francisco
Ajay loves spending time outdoors, skiing in the winter, and hiking or surfing when it's warm.
Ajay Kolli is currently a resident physician in Ophthalmology at the University of California, San Francisco. He earned his MD degree from the University of Michigan and his MPH from Harvard University. With experience at various prestigious institutions across the country, Ajay is well-equipped to assist applicants interested in schools in any region.
During his time at the University of Michigan Medical School, Ajay achieved 100th percentile scores on the USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 board exams, received the Charles and Phyllis Lowe Merit Scholarship, was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honors Society, and graduated with Distinction in Research Honors. He has conducted a wide array of research at both Michigan and Harvard, resulting in numerous publications and academic conference presentations in fields such as ophthalmology, epidemiology, and health economics. Ajay has also worked as a consultant in the biotechnology industry and co-founded The Lens, an educational resource for medical students interested in ophthalmology.
Ajay's strengths lie in his diverse academic interests and ability to help applicants from diverse backgrounds craft a cohesive narrative about their experiences. As an admissions coach, he is passionate about helping applicants tell their personal stories and guiding them through the application process.
Undergrad: Pomona College
Medical School: The Ohio State University College of Medicine
Research fellow at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush
Andrew recently moved to Chicago and is enjoying the summer. He joined a Sunday soccer rec-league and, being a former two-time intramural champion, he has high expectations for the season!
Andrew is completing his medical studies at The Ohio State University while simultaneously participating in a prestigious year-long research fellowship at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush. Andrew has a rich academic background with a degree in Neuroscience and a minor in Mathematics from Pomona College. While at Pomona, Andrew displayed his leadership skills as the captain of the varsity football and baseball teams. He also held various leadership positions on campus and participated in neuroscience research through the David Prober lab at Caltech.
Andrew's gap year after graduation saw him gain more clinical and research experience. He scribed in an emergency department and worked at start-ups within two medical specialties: radiology and ophthalmology. As a medical student, Andrew discovered a new passion for orthopedics and orthopedic research, leading him to serve as president of the OSU American Medical Association chapter, president of the Honors and Professionalism Council, and a peer tutor. His exemplary work made him a member of the Gold Humanism Honors Society.
As a coach, Andrew has successfully guided pre-med students through their application process. His strengths lie in his ability to communicate effectively, strategize, and provide objective feedback to applicants. He is passionate about sharing the knowledge he has gained over the years and hopes to continue doing so. Andrew looks forward to working with you and helping you achieve your dreams!
Undergrad: University of Pittsburgh
Medical School: Icahn School of Medicine
MD candidate at Icahn School of Medicine
I'm a licensed rescue diver, a die-hard Steelers fan, and a self-proclaimed wine and chocolate expert. I enjoy going to the gym, playing video games, playing the piano, and shooting!
Andrew is a medical student at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai pursuing a career in Anesthesiology. He has a startup valued at $12 million which focuses on providing affordable vision care across the US, has >20 peer-reviewed publications, and is looking to continue to help others in their medical careers.
Originally from the greater Pittsburgh area, Andrew went to public school all his life and attended the University of Pittsburgh, where he majored in computational chemistry with a focus in biology. He conducted research through the Department of Biomedical Informatics, where he published a paper in Scientific Reports on long non-coding RNA SNHG7 and its impact on breast cancer. He graduated in three years from Pitt and went straight to medical school at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. During his first year there, he joined multiple research labs focusing on large-data analysis and machine learning.
He also co-founded Retina Technologies Inc., a company aimed to disrupt vision care by leveraging virtual reality, retinal imaging, and machine learning onto a portable platform to provide affordable, accessible, and accurate vision screening across the country. He served as the CTO of the company, spearheading four clinical trials, submitting three provisional patents and one non-provisional PCT patent, and built both the hardware and software from the ground up. He has continued his involvement in both his research and the company throughout all four years of medical school and is applying to residency programs for Anesthesiology.
Undergrad: Cornell University
Medical School: Harvard Medical School (Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology Program)
Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery resident at the University of California San Diego
Before medical school, Archana lived solo in Japan for two months and documented her time in a travel sketchbook. Her book grows as she travels more—most recently, to Iceland and Denmark!
Archana earned a BA in Neuroscience from Cornell University and her MD from Harvard Medical School in the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology Program. She is currently an Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Resident at the University of California San Diego.
During her time at Cornell, Archana conducted research in the Goldberg lab, studying neural mechanisms underlying motor control. She continued to develop neural interfaces as a summer research scholar at the Princeton Neuroscience Institute and as an intern at Neuralink. Archana's passion for understanding the multiple dimensions of health and disease led her to work at a syringe exchange in Ithaca, New York, where she witnessed the mechanics of court-based drug rehabilitation. As an admissions counselor, she enjoys listening to students' stories and helping them communicate their interests genuinely and in alignment with their values.
At Harvard Medical School, Archana received numerous scholarships and awards for her work, which centered on developing technologies to improve patients' quality of life. She has been involved in various research projects, applying biotechnology, optical imaging, and machine learning methods to study surgical outcomes and improve patients' lives after head and neck surgery. As a coach, Archana is committed to guiding prospective students through the admissions process and sharing her passion for medicine and research.
Undergrad: University of Georgia
Medical School: Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Resident physician at Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Ben is a former amateur boxer who has had the chance to box in Georgia and Vietnam.
Ben is an incoming resident physician in general surgery at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center and will be pursuing Diagnostic Radiology after his intern year. He earned his medical degree from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and his Bachelors of Science in Microbiology and Psychology from the University of Georgia (UGA).
Throughout his educational journey, Ben was deeply involved in a variety of academic, leadership, and humanitarian initiatives. As an undergraduate at UGA, he displayed exceptional commitment to leadership and research, distinguishing himself as one of the top 1% of graduating students. He also showed an interest in international healthcare through various experiences in South Korea, Spain, and Vietnam. During his medical training at Vanderbilt, Ben continued to demonstrate leadership, particularly in improving patient care and mentoring fellow students. He also maintained a strong commitment to research, completing a dual research fellowship in Plastic Surgery and Hematology/Oncology, and contributing to several important international studies.
With a proven track record in academic excellence, leadership, and medical research, Ben is well-equipped to support pre-health applicants from various backgrounds. His robust knowledge of the medical field, and his firsthand experience with competitive applications, enable him to provide valuable guidance to those pursuing a career in healthcare.
Prior to joining Vanderbilt, Ben worked as a research coordinator at the Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute and served as a medical school admissions consultant for Atlantis. He has extensive experience in patient care, research, and admissions, which helps him guide prospective medical students.
Undergrad: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Medical School: The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Board-Certified Ophthalmologist
Carmel is unapologetically a super NERD (yeah, MIT was the perfect fit for college). Ask her about her favorite video game or anime of the moment.
Carmel Mercado is a board-certified ophthalmologist in the Seattle area with expertise in pediatric ophthalmology and comprehensive ophthalmology.
She earned her undergraduate degree in Biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she was awarded as 1 of 25 Burchard Scholars in her year for academic excellence in the arts, humanities, social sciences as well as in science and engineering. She was also inducted as an MIT Class of 2009 Community Catalyst Leader for her extensive involvement with mentoring, teaching, and developing advising workshops for freshmen.
Carmel obtained her medical degree at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. During her time in medical school, she completed a research year as an international fellow at the Keio University School of Medicine. Her research project looked at the history of traditional medicine in Japan and its integration into the modern Japanese medical system. This project was funded in part by the Johns’ Hopkins University School of Medicine Dean’s Grant and through scholarship from the International Chamber of Innovation, Commerce & Enterprise in Japan.
Carmel then completed her ophthalmology residency at Stanford University’s Byers Eye Institute in Palo Alto, California, where she was elected into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society for the Stanford Chapter. She completed her sub-specialty fellowship training in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus at the Casey Eye Institute of Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon. Carmel has held roles such as Clinical Instructor for Ophthalmology at the Casey Eye Institute and Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Head of the Diversity Committee for the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Washington. She has had experience with medical school admissions as well as ophthalmology residency and fellowship interviews in these roles.
Outside of the clinic, Carmel has traveled to multiple countries around the world, including Myanmar, the Philippines, and Belize, to help with vision screenings and to teach eye surgery and the basics of pediatric eye care as invited faculty. She is also an accomplished artist and uses her art as a medium for health literacy education and empowerment.
Carmel is excited to share her expertise and experience with medical school and residency admissions with you!
Undergrad: University of Rochester
Medical School: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
MD candidate at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Collin loves Marvel movies, picking up very heavy things, and is definitely a mountains-over-beach guy.
Collin earned a Magna Cum Laude BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Rochester before receiving a Master's in Radiation Biology from the University of Oxford. He is currently an MD candidate at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
Throughout his academic journey, Collin has held various roles in admissions, worked as a neurology tutor for the preclinical curriculum, and has over 20 research publications and abstracts in the fields of neurology, neurosurgery, and radiology. He also received a highly competitive offer to work in medical consulting at Boston Consulting Group between his third and fourth years of medical school and will be applying to radiology during his fourth year.
Collin is passionate about helping others become the best version of themselves while achieving their dream of becoming a physician. As an admissions coach, he brings his extensive experience and dedication to supporting students in reaching their goals.
Undergrad: Stanford University
Medical School: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Dermatology resident at NYU Langone Health
In his spare time, Costner loves exploring the NYC brunch scene and is an avid traveler (ask him about his trip to The Galapagos Islands)!
Costner McKenzie is currently a dermatology resident physician at NYU. Prior to residency, Costner graduated from Stanford University with a B.A. in Human Biology. While at Stanford, Costner was elected Class President, participated in several clinical trials, and counseled pre-med students as a Student Advisor.
After graduating from Stanford University, Costner took a gap year and worked at 23andMe as a Research Associate. During his gap year, Costner developed studies that empowered patients to better understand the impact of genetics on their disease.
Following his gap year, Costner enrolled at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine. While in medical school, Costner actively participated in the Office of Admissions. He served as a Senior Student Interviewer, Ambassador for the Office of Diversity & Inclusion, and member of the Queers & Allies Association. He has published numerous peer-reviewed articles on topics including health disparities, sun protection, and atopic dermatitis. Costner graduated at the top of his class and was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honors Society and Alpha Omega Alpha Honors Society.
Costner has years of experience assisting students as they seek scholarship opportunities and pursue careers in medicine and he hopes to take experience to Inspira. He is an enthusiastic member of the Inspira Team and looks forward to working with future mentees.
Undergrad: University of Tennessee
Med School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine
Resident Physician at New York-Presbyterian of Queens
My twin sister is a choir conductor because she got all the musical genes. As for me, I stick to science and hope my dog is the only one listening to me playing my ukelele.
Deanna is a general surgery resident at New York-Presbyterian Queens - Weill Cornell Medicine. She graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. After her undergraduate education, she attended medical school at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Carolinas Campus. Deanna is originally from the Northeast and made her way back by matching at NYPQ for general surgery residency. Within her residency program, she was nominated as a member of the Residency Council, responsible for acting as a liaison between the residents and administration to improve resident life. While in medical school, she acted as a mentor to first-year medical students. She would help them with time management, study tips, and tutoring in the anatomy lab. Before medical school, Deanna worked in a high school as a special education inclusion aid, helping students keep up in class by hosting small group teaching sessions and individualizing approaches to meet the students' personal needs for success. Deanna is approachable and ready to help you achieve your dreams.
Undergrad: University of Connecticut
Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine
Tufts University School of Medicine
In his free time, Dike enjoys weightlifting, tennis, meditating, martial arts, anime, and video games. He also loves dancing and singing, especially at late-night karaoke with friends. Lastly, Dike enjoys making content for Instagram & TikTok.
Dike is an MD candidate at Tufts University School of Medicine with plans to work as a Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist. He was born in Nigeria, raised in Dallas, Texas, and completed his undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Connecticut.
Dike is the middle child of five siblings and is the first of his family to earn a college degree. During his undergrad, he excelled academically while working full-time, earning him a spot on the dean's list over consecutive semesters. He later completed an intensive internship at Yale University School of Medicine in preparation for his application process.
With this diverse collection of experiences, Dike brings a unique perspective as a coach. He is easily able to connect with students from various backgrounds. He aims to build a strong alliance with Advantage students, working hand in hand to set them up for success as they embark on their own personal journey into medicine.
Undergrad: Vassar College
Medical School: Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell
Internal Medicine Resident (PGY-1) at North Shore/Long Island Jewish Medical Center
Matched at Brigham and Women’s Hospital for Anesthesiology Residency
Specialty:
Preliminary Internal Medicine Resident (PGY-1) at North Shore/Long Island Jewish Medical Center
Anesthesiology Resident at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Eric was a saber fencer for eight years and was on the Division III NCAA Men’s Fencing team at Vassar College!
Eric has graduated from the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell is currently a preliminary internal medicine resident (PGY-1) at his home program at North Shore / LongIsland Jewish Medical Center. He has matched into an advanced anesthesiology residency position at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, one of Harvard Medical School’s teaching hospitals.
Before medical school, Eric graduated with departmental honors in Biology from Vassar College, where he was also Captain of the EMS agency. During his gap year, he worked as are search assistant at Northwell Health in Thoracic Surgery, managing a lung cancer database and publishing a paper on the benefits of robotic surgery for lung cancer. At the Zucker School of Medicine, Eric was as an interviewer for the BS/MD Combined 4+4 Program and served on the admissions committee for the MD program.
Eric has a passion for medical education and helping students achieve their goals. As an admissions coach, he has mentored numerous pre-medical students at all points of preparing for the application process. Eric specializes in taking a holistic approach to help students display their unique strengths beyond their academic record or metrics, allowing medical school admissions committees to fully appreciate their individuality. Additionally, Eric brings first-hand insight to the CASPer test, having taken it as both a pre-medical and medical student, recently scoring in the top quartile. For residency applications, Eric has mentored numerous students applying into anesthesiology and helps students from the initial application process all the way to developing their rank list.
With Inspira Advantage, he hopes to continue helping even more students on their journey to become a physician and to help those in medical schools match into their top residency programs!
Undergrad: University of Texas at Dallas
Medical School: Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin
Research fellow at UT Southwestern
Jack is a skilled drummer with 16+ years of experience. He particularly enjoys playing rock, funk, punk, and metal drums.
Jack graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Texas at Dallas with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. He earned his MD as part of the inaugural class at Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin, where there was a <1% acceptance rate. Taking full advantage of the accelerated Dell Med curriculum, Jack earned an MPH during his third year at medical school. He then matched to an integrated vascular surgery residency at UT Southwestern in Dallas, Texas. After completing two years in the program, Jack decided to change course and pursue a career in radiology. Since then, he has taken a research fellow position at UT Southwestern and is actively transitioning to a radiology residency.
Jack first discovered his passion for academic consulting while mentoring high school students. He has since gained extensive experience tutoring numerous science disciplines and mentoring students from high school to medical school, as well as surgical residents who were under him in training. Jack is extremely committed to the students he works with and enjoys assisting them throughout the application process.
One of Jack’s greatest strengths as a coach is his all-inclusive approach. As someone who came from humble beginnings and was raised in a hard-working blue-collar environment, Jack believes anyone can achieve their dreams through dedication and commitment. He is a first-generation college graduate, which forced him to forge his path to medical school the hard way. Due to this experience, Jack empathizes with those who need guidance and will go above and beyond to ensure Advantage applicants feel supported throughout the admissions process.
Undergrad: Saint Louis University
Medical School: Mayo Clinic School of Medicine Arizona
Medical Student at Mayo Clinic School of Medicine
I am a lover of the world. I thoroughly enjoy meeting new people and learning about different cultures and new languages. I have traveled to 20+ countries and my goal is to someday reach over 100. If I could learn one new skill in the next three years it would be to fly a two-seater plane so I can take myself to many different places. Of course, my two favorite games to play include Language Guesser and Geo Guesser.
Jay is a medical student at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Arizona. He was born in Bulgaria and later immigrated to St. Louis, Missouri with his family at the age of six. Jay graduated from Saint Louis University with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering and an emphasis in Engineering Mathematics. While at Saint Louis University, he spent four years conducting research in the spheres of soft tissue engineering and microfluidics, in addition to founding the Engineering Health Collaborative, an organization focused on the development of low-cost medical devices for medically underserved countries. He was also a pre-medical fellow with the Atlantis Project in Athens, Greece during the summer and worked on a new entrepreneurial venture to develop a novel preventative medical device for catheter-associated urinary tract infections.
Later on, he became a Fulbright Scholar at the Medical University of Warsaw in Poland. While there, he spent two years teaching at the university level in the premedical sphere and was blessed with the opportunity to be a speaker on the stage of TEDx Warsaw. After, he moved on to Paris, France where he worked as Biomedical technology startup analyst through Hello Tomorrow, devoting time to accelerating radical solutions to improve human and planetary health by leveraging the power of deep tech.
He is currently in medical school with an interest of pursuing either OBGYN or Urology. He has served on the admissions committee and has done freelancing work to help prepare undergraduate students with AMCAS application editing and traditional mock interviews. As a first-generation college student, he is a huge proponent of helping applicants to make their life story shine through the application and make them stand out in addition to their academic endeavors. Although grades and MCAT scores play one part in the application process, it's the human aspect that makes the application a whole.
Medical School: Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
Undergrad: University of Chicago
MD Candidate at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
In college I tutored for a family in Hyde Park who lived down the street from the Obamas… sometimes I would see President Obama drive by in his motorcade!
Jennifer is a resident in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Duke University. Within her residency program she is involved in medical student education and community advocacy. She studied medicine at the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine and graduated in 2022. Jennifer has mentored dozens of pre-medical, medical, and PA students on research, academic writing, networking, career planning, and medical school, PA school, and residency applications. Her clients have interviewed at programs across the country. She has experience with school selection, primary and secondary applications, essay editing, and mock interviewing.
Jennifer is originally from Ohio and graduated with honors from the University of Chicago with a degree in psychology and biology. After graduation, Jennifer served in the Peace Corps in Paraguay. After completing her service, Jennifer worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator for the Univ. of Washington on various projects in general surgery and vascular surgery.
Jennifer’s strengths are in service, advocacy, and education. During her time at the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Jennifer was elected national president-elect of the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA), has published nine peer-reviewed publications on women’s health and medical education, and was interviewed by Reuters Health and ABC News for her curriculum on Human Trafficking for medical students. Between her third and fourth year of medical school, she completed a Master’s in Public Health in Population and Family Health at Columbia University.
As a non-traditional med student, Jennifer brings a wealth of life and work experience to her perspective as an admissions expert. As a first-generation medical student, she is also personally familiar with scholarship application processes. Jennifer is super excited to work with you on your application!
Undergrad: Amherst College
Medical School: Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
MD candidate at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
Jingwen loves trying new food places, especially in New York, and has a bucket list of places she'd like to visit before possibly moving away for her residency. She also enjoys staying active by lifting at the gym, biking through the city, or playing tennis with her friends.
Jingwen earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Amherst College, where she completed a thesis and developed a keen interest in journalism, the history of medicine, and Asian American studies. Currently, she is a medical student at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.
As an undergraduate student, Jingwen showed her passion for education by serving as a teaching assistant for various biology and statistics courses. She also provided guidance to aspiring medical professionals as a pre-health peer mentor. Demonstrating her commitment to helping others achieve their educational goals, Jingwen worked part-time as a college admissions essay advisor.
Following her time at Amherst, Jingwen ventured into the field of medical writing during a gap year in Boston. During this period, she also made significant contributions to her community by volunteering as a facilitator for a youth program designed specifically for Asian American high school girls.
At Columbia, Jingwen has been instrumental in providing free healthcare to those in need as a volunteer at a local clinic. She also served as a former Chapter President of the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA) and continued her love for teaching as a senior student teacher for pre-clinical students. Jingwen has also made her mark in the field of scientific research and medical journalism with several published articles to her name.
Upon completing her medical studies, Jingwen plans to begin her residency training in internal medicine, where she'll apply her skills and knowledge to provide quality care to her patients.
Undergrad: New York University
Medical School: State University of New York Downstate College of Medicine
Board-Certified Dermatologist and Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Kunal loves to bond with his dog Cricket and loves taking him to Central Park. He is currently refining his cooking skills and is an avid traveler and novice photographer.
Kunal is a board-certified Dermatologist and native New Yorker who completed his undergraduate studies in Chemistry at New York University, where he graduated as a Dean's Scholar. He earned his MD with highest distinction from the State University of New York- Downstate College of Medicine and received numerous honors and awards. Throughout his educational journey, Kunal has been an active mentor, serving as an instructor for the MCAT and a USMLE tutor, as well as a Resident Advisor during medical school.
Kunal's passion for research led him to complete a year-long research fellowship studying inflammatory skin diseases jointly between the prestigious Rockefeller University and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He went on to complete his internship in Internal Medicine at Northwell Health System and his residency in Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where he was selected as the Chief Resident based on his outstanding performance and commitment to excellence.
Currently, Kunal serves as the Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where he shares his extensive knowledge and experience by teaching residents and medical students. As an accomplished researcher, Kunal has conducted significant research in medical dermatology, with his work being widely published in high-profile journals in his field.
Undergrad: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Medical School: Duke University School of Medicine
Director of Clinical Engagement at Rhino Health
Malhar lives in New York City with his wife and dog and enjoys hikes (both nature and urban), playing sports, beer, and traveling.
Dr. Malhar is a dedicated medical professional and coach, committed to guiding aspiring medical school applicants towards success. With an impressive background and a passion for helping others reach their full potential, Malhar brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to his coaching role. He excelled academically, earned his MD from Duke University School of Medicine, and completed a year of internal medicine residency training at Northwestern University.
In addition to his medical career, Malhar ventured into management consulting for McKinsey & Company, broadening his skill set and developing a strong sense of structure and organization. Currently, Malhar is an integral part of Rhino Health, a healthcare AI startup specializing in federated learning, while continuing to practice medicine part-time.
Malhar's coaching style is highly structured, organized, and logical, reflecting the skills he gained during his time at McKinsey and his medical training. What sets him apart is his empathy and understanding, which allows him to connect with his clients on a personal level. With an exceptional track record, including scoring in the 99th+ percentile on the MCAT and USMLE exams, and securing admission to over 10 medical schools with multiple full-ride scholarship offers, Malhar is well-equipped to guide aspiring medical school applicants towards their goals.
Undergrad: Washington University in St. Louis
Medical School: University in Miami Miller School of Medicine
Medical student at University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Born in Medellin, Colombia. Studied abroad in Rennes, France and Santiago, Chile. Cultural competency is extremely important for life and medicine! Ran a marathon in St. Louis and love working out as a way to relieve stress and stay healthy!
Manuela is a MD/MPH student at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Manuela attended Washington University in St. Louis for her undergraduate degree where she majored in Romance Languages and Literatures and minored in Biology. She took a gap year between undergraduate and medical school where she did research on intermittent theta burst stimulation for depression and executive dysfunction and scribed for a hepatologist in St. Louis. She believes that the best way to succeed in the medical school process is to be a well-rounded applicant. During college and throughout medical school, she has been involved in various volunteer, clinical and research experiences focusing primarily on helping underserved communities. Her research experience is focused on public health and gastroenterology. She has also dedicated time to student groups and organizations that foster a sense of community and well-being at these institutions. She is currently interviewing for internal medicine residency with the plan to specialize in gastroenterology during fellowship.
Undergrad: Touro College
Medical School: Touro University of Nevada
Neurology resident at Case Western Reserve University/UH Cleveland Medical Center
Marshall is an avid hiker and has a soft spot for the national parks in the American West. He also takes great pride in successfully juggling his demanding medical career with his responsibilities as a devoted parent.
Marshall is a distinguished coach with an extensive background in the medical field who holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Touro College, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. He continued his medical journey at Touro University of Nevada, exceling academically by ranking 6th out of 140 students. His mastery of the medical sciences was further reflected in his high percentile scores on both the USMLE and COMLEX exams, and his top shelf exam scores in Pediatrics and Family Medicine.
Marshall's medical journey didn't stop there. He pursued a competitive Neurology residency program, which he chose as his first preference. During his tenure, he was recognized with the "co-intern" of the year award for his exemplary dedication and patient-centered care. Marshall's commitment to teaching and advocacy earned him the Medical Student Teaching award and the Patient Advocacy and Professionalism award in the second year of his residency.
Apart from his remarkable medical expertise, Marshall has a passion for teaching and mentorship. His strength lies in simplifying complex medical concepts and guiding students and physicians through each step of the application and training process. As a coach, Marshall successfully leverages his medical knowledge and experience to offer personalized and effective mentorship.
One of Marshall's proudest accomplishments is the successful balance he has achieved between the intense demands of pre-med, medical school, and residency, and his role as a dedicated parent.
Undergrad: The University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Medical School: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Resident Physician in Urology at the University of Pennsylvania
Matthew loves meal-prepping, playing drums or guitar with friends, and going on long walks with his chihuahua named Roo. He is also an avid skier and a lifelong fan of the New York Rangers.
Matthew began his educational journey at the University of Michigan, where he graduated with the highest distinction and a degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology. His pursuit of excellence continued at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he demonstrated outstanding performance on his USMLE Step exams, participated in extensive clinical research, and served on the school's Committee on Admissions.
While at the University of Michigan, Matthew's passion for academia earned him recognition as a James B. Angell Scholar and membership in both Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Societies. He dedicated himself to helping his peers by tutoring, mentoring, and leading various educational programs. Furthermore, Matthew volunteered as a music therapist at Michigan's Hospital, playing acoustic guitar for patients and their families.
As a medical student at Johns Hopkins, Matthew achieved impressive scores on his USMLE exams while engaging in numerous research projects. He was named a Lester Persky, MD Urologic Research Scholar and even served as the Principal Investigator of a study sponsored by the Sexual Medicine Society of North America. In addition to his academic accomplishments, Matthew was actively involved in the school's community, founding the Music and Medicine Interest Group and serving on the Liaison Committee on Medical Education.
Matthew's extensive experience as a medical admissions counselor, combined with his commitment to supporting and mentoring others, makes him a valuable resource for aspiring healthcare professionals seeking guidance in the admissions process.
Undergrad: Barnard College, Columbia University
Medical School: University of California, Irvine
Resident Physician at the University of California, San Diego
Michaela is a former competitive equestrian showjumper!
Michaela is thrilled to be a part of the Inspira Advantage team as an admissions counselor. She completed her undergraduate studies at Barnard College, majoring in English, and further pursued her passion for literature by obtaining her Master's degree in English and Comparative Literature from Columbia University. Realizing her love for medicine and mental health, Michaela successfully completed the Scripps College Postbaccalaureate Program and went on to join the UC Irvine School of Medicine, where she recently graduated.
Throughout her academic journey, Michaela has been dedicated to tutoring and mentoring, starting from her time at Barnard College, where she worked at the Barnard Writing Center. At UC Irvine, she took on the role of a student interviewer and mentored undergraduate pre-med students. Michaela is particularly passionate about helping students find structure and clarity in their thoughts and experiences, enabling them to build confidence and truly shine.
As an admissions counselor, Michaela brings her strengths in communication, organization, and empathy to her work with students. She is committed to helping them navigate the often-challenging journey toward their healthcare careers, providing guidance and support every step of the way.
Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine
Undergrad: UCLA
Surgery Resident at New York Presbyterian Queens - Weill Cornell
I am an avid traveler. My mother works for the airline industry, and so I have been traveling the globe since I was a child. Some places I have visited include Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, Morocco, Australia, Mexico, Honduras, and Europe. As a surgical resident, my time is more limited. However, I always enjoy planning the next place to explore.
Nakia is currently a senior General Surgery Resident at New York-Presbyterian/Queens - Weill Cornell. She obtained her Bachelor's in Science at UCLA and graduated with honors majoring in Physiological Sciences and a minor in Global Studies. Before medical school, she pursued a Master's of Science at Keck Graduate Institute with an emphasis on biotechnology, focusing on device and diagnostic development. Nakia worked with many biotech/pharmaceutical companies on projects involving clinical applicability and the impact of therapeutic options. She completed her medical school education at Touro College of Medicine as a member of the Sigma Sigma Phi National Honors Society, graduating in the top 10% of her class. Nakia also has a vested interest in global medicine and started a new Global Brigades chapter in her graduate program with medical trips to Central America. Throughout this journey, she has been heavily involved in research, presenting at national conferences such as CHEST and publishing manuscripts.
Nakia also has extensive experience with mentorship since 2013. She served as a tutor and mentor to both pre-med and medical students in order to help them achieve their career goals. Duties included assistance with coursework, extracurriculars, test prep, and applications. During medical school, she was a member of Med-Achieve, an organization dedicated to mentoring high school students interested in pursuing medicine. In addition, she is familiar with the admissions process. Nakia was previously a Graduate Admissions assistant and has served on the admissions committees in both her master's and medical school programs. She hopes to continue to counsel prospective students and appropriately guide them to attain their professional aspirations.
Undergrad: University of Notre Dame
Med School: University of Michigan
Dermatology Resident at New York University Langone Medical Center
I love tennis, playing it and watching it. I was formerly a nationally-ranked junior, but now love playing whenever I get a chance! If you ask me about tennis, the conversation may not end. I also love to travel, and really enjoy learning about new cultures; I've visited 20+ countries, and hiked a trail in almost all of them! Also ask me about food and cooking; I'm an avid home chef and a consumer of cooking shows, so NYC's food scene is like a dream for me.
Neil Jairath is a graduate of the University of Michigan Medical school, class of 2021. He graduated #1 in his class there, receiving the Charles and Phyllis Lowe Merit Scholarship (awarded to fourth-year medical students of highest academic standing), the Academic Achievement Award, and the Academic Recognition Award. Neil was also awarded the Paul DeWolf Award and Patrick John Niland Award, was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honors Society and Alpha Omega Alpha Honors Society, and graduated with Distinction in Research Honors. He was actively involved in leadership initiatives and interdisciplinary research, including the utilization of artificial intelligence as a means of augmented physician diagnosis and biostatistical projects and clinical research investigating various oncologic theories, especially pertaining to the intersection of immunology and oncology. He served as an interviewer and admissions representative for three years during his time at Michigan. Neil has 20+ published articles and has presented his team's work 30+ times at national and international conferences. He is pursuing a residency in dermatology at New York University starting July 2022, following an intern year at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego.
Prior to pursuing medicine, Neil attended The University of Notre Dame, where he studied medicine and computer science, with minors in philosophy and the AL/SC Honors Program. There, he founded a healthcare technology startup, worked in investment banking, and eventually found his way to falling in love with the practice of medicine. Neil is looking forward to helping you achieve your goals of doing the same!
Undergrad: University of Arizona
Medical School: Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
MD candidate at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
Nicole has a profound love for art and music, demonstrated by her ability to play six different musical instruments! She also has a background in competitive dance and holds a deep passion for film photography. You might want to ask her about her impressive collection of film cameras!
With a strong academic background in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science and Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Arizona, Nicoleis presently pursuing her MD at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine.
Throughout her time as an undergraduate student, Nicole made significant contributions to neuroscience research at the Evelyn McKnight Brain Institute, where she worked on an honors thesis exploring aging and its effects on white matter tracts, cognition, and sensory function. She gained practical exposure to the medical field by volunteering extensively with local and international medical organizations, providing care to underserved communities. This experience ignited her passion for medicine and paved her path to medical school.
During her time at Mayo Clinic, Nicole has not only excelled in her studies, but also emerged as a leader. She has been involved in multiple school organizations, notably as the President of the neurosurgery interest group and the Vice President of the student chapter of the American Medical Women's Association. Furthermore, she has devoted her time to mentoring premedical students, helping them with applications, and facilitating connections with medical students at Mayo Clinic. This dedication showcases Nicole's ability to guide and support others in their journey to medical school.
Nicole's experiences have extended beyond academia. As an author of multiple publications in clinical research, her work predominantly revolves around treatment outcomes in neurosurgery, emphasizing her dedication to improving patient care. Presently, she is in the process of applying to a neurosurgical residency, reinforcing her passion and commitment to the field.
Undergrad: UC Davis
Med School: UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine
MD Candidate at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine
I love being in the outdoors, and spend most of my free time hiking, snowboarding, and climbing.
Nikhil is a resident physician at the University of Utah, training in Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery. He attended UCLA for medical school and UC Davis for his undergraduate studies. As an undergrad, he had a strong interest in working with low-income populations, education and health literacy, and community health. This continued in medical school, where he led a clinic serving populations experiencing homelessness in LA. He also has a strong interest in global health and clinical research. As a resident, he is interested in further sub-specializing in head and neck cancer surgery and microvascular reconstruction.
Undergrad: Vanderbilt University
Medical School: Emory University School of Medicine
Neurology resident at the University of California, San Francisco
Onye is really good at Super Smash Bros. He knows how to juggle and loves to longboard in his free time.
Onye holds a Bachelor of Arts in Neuroscience from Vanderbilt University and an MD from Emory University School of Medicine, where he graduated cum laude. He is currently a first-year neurology resident at the University of California, San Francisco.
With a strong interest in traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury, Onye's research has focused on the recovery process and the development of implantable devices that can aid in patients’ rehabilitation and improve their quality of life. During his time at Emory, Onye also explored the negative effects of stress, particularly racism, on the white matter architecture of the brain. Before medical school, he worked as a clinical trials coordinator in the neurology department at Vanderbilt Medical Center, further solidifying his passion for medicine, neurology, and research.
Onye brings a unique perspective to his medical school admissions counselor work. As a former student interviewer, he understands the importance of the application narrative. He focuses on weaving together each applicant's different traits and strengths, especially when addressing a low GPA or MCAT score. As a member of a group underrepresented in medicine, Onye approaches each situation with empathy, compassion, and a focus on finding solutions. He is dedicated to helping students navigate the application process and reach their fullest potential, making this daunting task more accessible and instilling confidence.
Undergrad: The College of New Jersey
Medical School: Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Internal Medicine resident at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Parth is a dedicated fan of Liverpool FC and holds a black belt in karate.
Parth graduated from the honors program at The College of New Jersey, where he was awarded a Bachelor's degree in Biology, complemented by a minor in Economics. Following his time there, he spent a year in Queens, NY, supporting ninth-grade students in a high school setting via the City Year AmeriCorps program. Prior to his enrollment at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS), Parth attained a Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences at Rutgers University. In his medical school journey, he served as a student doctor at the Promise Clinic, providing care for uninsured patients in the local community. His academic accomplishments extend to his publications and presentations at both national and international conferences. Parth is currently an Internal Medicine resident at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.
Parth is deeply passionate about teaching and mentoring. His previous experiences include teaching for the Princeton Review for both the SAT and MCAT. His teaching venture also led him to tutor inmates preparing for the GED at a correctional facility during college. Additionally, he coordinated the mentorship program between master’s students in the Biomedical Sciences program and first-year medical students at Rutgers RWJMS.
Parth strongly believes in the power of individuality and unique achievements in the medical school application process. He has guided numerous applicants to success since joining Inspira Advantage and continues to support applicants in showcasing their unique stories and driving factors.
Undergrad: Duke University
Med School: UC San Diego School of Medicine
Anesthesiology Resident Physician at Weill Cornell Medical Center
Spent my second semester under a tarp in the pouring rain two years in a row to get Duke v. UNC tickets (well worth it!).
Rahul graduated magna cum laude with distinction from Duke University, majoring in neuroscience and minoring in biology and chemistry. He then spent a gap year at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, MD. Rahul spent a year as an NIH IRTA fellow, investigating the roles of vasopressin (Avp) and oxytocin (Oxt) in the central nervous system using mouse models. He completed his MD at the UC San Diego School of Medicine. While in medical school, Rahul published over 24 PubMed-indexed manuscripts, including both journal articles and book chapters. Rahul is currently completing his residency in Anesthesiology at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell, where he has already begun publishing within the department. He currently conducts academic research in pain medicine, perioperative care, and healthcare disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For several years, Rahul has served as a member of Duke’s Medical Advisory Program (MAP) and UC San Diego School of Medicine’s Premedical Advisory Program. He has helped many students succeed throughout medical school and residency application processes. As a well-published author, he has extensive experience producing high-quality, professional essays, which have helped countless students throughout the admissions process.
Undergrad: Johns Hopkins University
Medical School: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Resident Physician, Neurosurgery at Cleveland Clinic
I am a big supporter of the veterans and it's one of my passions – I can talk about Green Berets and how amazing those men are all day long! Another fun fact is that I am a native French speaker.
Dr. Kessler was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA and attended the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD for her undergraduate studies in pre-med and French. While at Johns Hopkins, she led the JHU Medical Ethics Discussion Panel, and worked in a neurology and neurosurgery research lab. She then attended the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in NYC and graduated in 2021 with distinction in research. While at Mount Sinai, Dr. Kessler was the recipient of numerous awards, including a merit-based tuition scholarship all four years of medical school. She has authored almost 30 papers related to neurosurgery and neurology published in national medical journals (see pubmed.gov), and was the only US medical student to be awarded a national grant from the Congress in Neurological Surgeons in 2018–2019 for her work in spinal cord injury research.
While in medical school, Dr. Kessler founded the Special Forces Neurosurgery Collaborative (www.sfneurosurgery.org) with neurosurgeons from Mount Sinai, Cleveland Clinic, and the leadership of the US Green Beret Foundation, which is an organization that spearheads neurosurgery research initiatives geared towards addressing the unique healthcare needs of America's Special Forces warriors. Dr. Kessler has given over a dozen lectures on her research at national conferences and is currently a medical editor and reviewer for the Journal of Special Operations Medicine and MyHealthTeams, LLC.
She was previously a reviewer for World Neurosurgery journal and has authored five textbook chapters in major neurosurgical textbooks. In 2021, Dr. Kessler matched into neurosurgery residency at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, OH. She has extensive experience teaching and tutoring undergraduates, and assisting in medical school and residency applications. I look forward to working with you and helping you to achieve your goals in a career in medicine!
Undergrad: University of Florida
Medical School: Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Anesthesia resident at Stanford University
Tina is within the top 1% of listeners on Spotify!
Tina is a graduate from the University of Florida who holds a dual degree in Economics and Biology. Following her academic interests, she was privileged to participate in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Summer Research Program. During her tenure there, she contributed her skills to one of the world's leading bioengineering labs.
Fascinated by the dynamic field of bioengineering, Tina relocated to Boston post-college, continuing her bioengineering research journey at MIT. Driven by her passion for medicine, she later joined the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. As a medical student, she channeled her academic prowess into several publications, which appeared in eminent journals like Nature, Science Advances, and the Annals of Surgery.
Tina's passion for mentorship aligns with her interest in helping students achieve their academic goals. With her extensive experience and knowledge in bioengineering and medicine, she serves as an invaluable guide to her students, aiding them in navigating the complex pathways to medical school.
Tina is set to continue her professional journey as an anesthesia resident at Stanford, after completing her preliminary residency in Baltimore. Her commitment to her field and dedication to students defines her unique approach as an admissions coach.
Undergrad: Rutgers University
Medical School: Thomas Jefferson University
Family Medicine resident at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
Toni loves all things fitness, health, and fashion. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, especially when food is involved. Toni is also a huge music fan with a wide range of interests.
Toni is a family medicine resident at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, with current career interests in women's health and working with marginalized patients. She graduated from Rutgers University with a BA in Biological Sciences and a minor in French before attending medical school at Thomas Jefferson University.
While in medical school, Toni became closely involved in the admissions process and advocated for greater diversity and inclusion in the medical field. She also worked as an admissions consultant, using her experiences to help guide and support several pre-medical students on their path to success. Toni is passionate about teaching others and demystifying the medical school admissions process, making it more accessible and transparent for all.
As an admissions consultant, Toni believes that every applicant is unique and can use their different experiences to highlight their application to medical school. Her guidance aims to help prospective students navigate the admissions process effectively and successfully.