COMET Alumni

Eugenia Jernick

Originally from the Bay Area, I have spent my last four years in the gateway to the west attending Saint Louis University from 2012-2016. There I obtained a B.S. degree as a Health Sciences major. While jumping from one pre-professional track to the next, I landed on my true passion: medicine. To me, being a physician means providing the best care to whoever is in need and treating the whole person, with an emphasis on healthy living. The classes that I took as a Health Sciences major opened my eyes to patient-centered health care and issues that are prevalent in the health care system today. I want to pursue a career in as a physician who will be an advocate for patients, helping them feel welcomed and heard.

One of my most notable moments in college was being a part of the Global Brigade to Nicaragua. There, we ran a clinic for communities in need and provided them with proper medical care that was otherwise very scarce. We also educated the families on proper lifestyle choices, including dental hygiene and nutritional facts. This experience rooted my desire to help and educate others through the field of medicine.

The COMET Fellowship is a unique opportunity that will highlight many of my interests in health care. As a fellow, I will be able to engage in research and explore Family Medicine with the outstanding medical staff at Stanford.

Jimmy Yao

I am from Los Angeles and came up to the Bay Area to complete my undergraduate education at University of California, Berkeley. I double majored in molecular cell biology and psychology, and  through studying how these two fields intersect, I became motivated to explore psychosocial determinants of health along with biological determinants. During my time at UC Berkeley, I explored these determinants by volunteering as a Health Advocate in the Alameda County Health System, through which I helped patients at Highland Hospital in Oakland assess their socioeconomic needs and navigate community resources. I was also a research assistant in the department of Psychology under the supervision of Dr. Aaron Fisher, under whom I completed an undergraduate thesis examining how depression and rumination can affect autonomic cardiac control and cardiovascular health.

Ultimately, I hope to complete a medical education and become a physician who aims to improve the patient experience by assessing not just the disease I am presented with, but also assessing other needs in the patient’s life that could potentially lead to other negative health outcomes. The primary care and preventative medicine interests of the COMET faculty could allow me to explore in depth how to approach this goal.

In my free time, I enjoy cooking, music, and photography. I especially like to take long walks in nature or in the city, bringing with me an open mind and stomach to try any new things and a camera to take as many scenic photographs as possible.

Michelle Tay

I originally grew up in Lima-Peru and moved to San Francisco at 12 years old to seek for a better education opportunity. I am now finalizing my last semester at San Francisco State University to obtain a B.A degree in General Biology. In the 9 years of living in the Bay Area, I have always had a passion for activism regarding immigration issues, education and helping the low-income community. As a first-generation student I had to learn my way through the American educational system on my own, and while I was discovering new paths I realized how interested I was on the health care field. As I volunteered at the San Francisco Free Clinic and the Charlotte Maxwell Complimentary Clinic, I became more passionate and driven to work with patients as my career plans. I am currently applying to several Masters of Nursing programs as I hope to become a Nurse Practitioner in the future to help the underserve community. When I am not studying you can find me playing with my husky, Mia.

Tuan Anh Nguyen

In 2012, I was blessed with the opportunity to treat a young girl’s laceration in Po Thum, a small village in Cambodia. It was a simple first aid procedure, but I could see worry in her eyes. Familiar with that feeling as a child, I took out a Care Bear band aid and bandaged her. Her frightened look seamlessly turned into a smile. Effortlessly, I began to smile too, and since then, that smile has stayed with me. From that day on, I’ve made it my life’s mission to heal others and leave them with that exact same smile.

I dream to become a pediatrician and provide quality healthcare to children from all walks of life. My dream is daunting but I’ve recently overcome one of my biggest obstacles, obtaining my Bachelor’s in Physiology from San Francisco State University. Throughout my undergraduate career, I’ve gained incredible support as President of the Pre-Health Professions Student Alliance and also, as a student of the Stanford Summer Health Career Opportunity Program. Complemented with the support as an advisor for Our Lady of La Vang Leadership, a nonprofit Christian youth group, my passion to serve is continuously nurtured by the hearts and minds of the people I work with.

Through COMET, by working alongside physicians who improve the quality of life for many, inspire communities to revolutionize healthcare, and heal patients with both medicine and compassion, I hope to be further molded into the physician that I dream to become, one the world needs.

Xibin Wu

I am a first-generation American. After graduating with a Bachelor in Electrical Engineering degree, I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Over the next eight years, I progressed from a private to a lieutenant leading 30 Marines. In the process, I learned that I am at my best when collaborating with others.

I became motivated to pursue a career in medicine after overcoming an illness that resulted from an intense training session. I traveled to Peru to help Dr. Lazzara treat ill and underserved children before enrolling in Mills College’s post-baccalaureate pre-medical program in 2014. I also took on a surgical internship at the University of California, Davis that allowed me to interact with and observe physicians in the Department of Surgery. I was inspired by the attending physician’s abilities to make crucial treatment decisions, but my passion remained with Dr. Lazzara’s holistic approach.

Motivated by a desire to cultivate impactful relationship with patients, I began volunteering as a health advocate at Highland Hospital in 2015. Over the past year, delivering direct patient care and reducing health disparities increased my desire to become a family medicine physician. The COMET Fellowship provides me the opportunity to further develop my ability to deliver care centered on education, wellness, and preventative medicine.