Office of Medical Student Affairs (OMSA)
Our mission at the Office of Medical Student Affairs is to provide comprehensive, integrated and efficient support services to medical students through partnerships throughout the School of Medicine. We are an effective and responsive team of professionals and student advocates who work collaboratively to ensure our students’ personal and academic success.
The Office of Medical Student Affairs (OMSA) is here to help you with academic and student life needs. We are your starting point for information, support and guidance and are dedicated to helping you make the most of your time here and supporting your school/life balance. Ease your transition back into school and enhance your Stanford Medicine experience.
This is your starting point for information, support and guidance. The Office of Medical Student Affairs (OMSA) team is dedicated to helping you make the most of your time here and supporting your school/life balance.
OMSA is located in the Edwards Building
300 Pasteur Drive | Suite 133 | Palo Alto, CA 94304
OMSA Divisions
Student Support
- Academic advising and tutoring
- Stanford Medicine 1st Generation Mentorship Program
- Student life/wellness advising and personal counseling
- Extracurricular advising to help you make the most of your time outside the classroom
- Advising for student leaders of the Stanford Medical Student Association, interest groups and committees, and hosts traditional and featured events
- Help with housing issues
- Information, referrals, and services for students with disabilities through the Office of Disability Resources
- Requests for student lockers (in Alway Building) and short white coat loans for away clerkship rotations
- Referrals to other Stanford Medicine and Stanford University resources
Student Life
Student Life, under the Office of Medical Student Affairs, supports current Stanford MD students and assists visiting clerkship MD students.
Applying to medical school?
Visit MD Admissions.
International student looking for visiting clerkship information?
Am I in compliance?
HIPAA & PHI Training
All medical students must be in compliance with Stanford Medicine HIPAA & PHI policies. Online training is completed through STARS in AXESS.
Computer Encryption
All medical student computers, laptops, and mobile devices used for Stanford business must be encrypted by the Stanford Data Security Program. To check your status or enroll a new device, visit Am I Encrypted (AIME)?.
Medical Student Resources
- Medical Student Lockers (Alway Bldg)
- Hospital Photo ID Services
- LKSC 4th Floor
Lane Library Support
- Additional Campus Resources
- Health Services
- Housing
- Transportation
- Campus Life
- Graduate Life Office
- Bechtel International Center
- Office for Religious Life
Click here for EPIC access (SUNet ID Required)
Medical students may be granted access to patient records at Stanford Health Care (SHC) or Lucille Packard Children's Hospital (LPCH) for faculty-led research, MedScholars projects, or clerkship rotations. The Office of Medical Student Affairs (OMSA) can grant access to MD students who are working on faculty-led research projects or are entering clinical rotations. We also assist visiting medical students doing clinical rotations at SHC and/or LPCH receive EPIC access. For more information on School of Medicine policy, see Section 3.23: Stanford Hospital Computer Access for Medical Students (EPIC).
For Stanford Medicine graduate students, the frenetic pace of learning extends through the day into night. To ensure a well-rounded lifestyle, Student Life offers areas that blend relaxation and rejuvenation into the learning experience. A variety of study, reflection, and social spaces emphasize balance - a vital aspect of a student's well-being.
In LKSC, students find places to study, work, and connect with their peers, or find a quiet moment alone to reflect. A lounge / entertainment area and a rooftop terrace create a stress-free environment to complement the study spaces. Fitness facilities let students squeeze in a workout between classes or laboratories, while a project rehearsal area provides students with a state-of-the-art space to practice key presentations.
With limited time at their disposal, students need an easily accessible retreat that nurtures a sense of community. This blended space puts work and play under one roof - a home away from home.
Please note that access to the LKSC 4th floor, student lounge and fitness center spaces is restricted to current Stanford Medicine and BioSciences graduate students, including co-terminal students. Visiting medical students, post-docs, staff, faculty and alumni are not granted access.
Student Lounge
Enjoy the comforts of home in a student shared environment. A large seating area with a flat screen TV allows you to watch your favorite sporting event or evening show in the company of your peers. For your convenience, there is kitchenette area with two full-size refrigerators, two microwaves and a dishwasher. Surf the web, check your e-mail, or work on your latest assignment at one of the four computer stations. Vending machines are also available just outside the lounge.
LKSC Fitness Center
The use of the LKSC Fitness Center is restricted to Stanford Medicine graduate students.
LKSC Fitness Center Rules
- Exercise at your own risk.
- The LKSC Fitness Center and its employees are not responsible for lost or stolen property.
- Proper workout attire is required. Jeans, scrubs, cargo pants, slacks, skirts, dresses, sport bras alone, speedos, open toe/heel shoes or bare feet are not permitted.
- Bags of any type or personal belongings are not allowed on the gym floor or near the equipment. Please use the lockers to store all personal belongings.
- Please wipe down exercise equipment after use.
- Please put weights and equipment back in its proper place when done.
- Please report any facility related injuries or incidents to the staff on duty or fitness center manager.
- All doors must be kept closed at all times.
- Use of the facility stereo equipment is not permitted for patron use. You are encouraged to bring your own personal music players with headsets for your enjoyment.
- Only Stanford Medicine medical and biosciences graduate students are allowed to use the facility. Bringing in guests who do not otherwise have access is not permitted.
Failure to comply with any of the above policies may result in temporary or permanent loss of Fitness Center privileges.
LKSC 4th Floor Contacts
LKSC Fitness Center questions?
Email the LKSC Fitness Center staff or call the front desk at (650) 724-0449.
Medical student needing access?
Contact the Office of Medical Student Affairs at stanfordomsa@stanford.edu
Biosciences student needing access?
Contact the Office of Graduate Education at oge-helpme@stanford.edu
Resources
Study Spaces
- Designated classrooms: CCSR0235, 0236, 0237, 0245, LK304/305, LK308
- Available times: Weekdays - M, Tu, We, Th - 8pm to 5am; Weekends - Fri 8pm to Sun 5am
- No blocks over spring break, summer quarter, winter closure, or holiday weekends
- Students are expected to:
- leave the room in the condition/layout in which they find the room
- not move furniture from one room to another and to keep the layout as they find it
- use only the rooms that have been designated
- not exceed maximum room capacities
- follow current masking requirements, when applicable
- Students may also submit requests for other times/spaces using the Student Study Space Request Form.
Please refer to Section 3.24: School of Medicine Learning Spaces & Study Spaces for additional resources available to medical students.
OMSA Events
OMSA Partners
Contact Information
- Mijiza Sanchez-Guzman, MPA, EdD
- Associate Dean, Office of Medical Student Affairs
- Schedule Appointment; (650) 497-9594; mijizamsanchez@stanford.edu
- Oversees the Office of Medical Student Affairs
- Directs the planning of three milestone events for medical students (Match Day, Graduation & Orientation)
- Advocates for student success, access and support of all medical students during their matriculation at Stanford Medicine
- Hobbies: Photography, reading, travel, yoga, and hiking & wine tasting
- N. Nounou Taleghani, MD, PhD
- Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine
Associate Dean for Academic Advising - (650) 723-6576; nounou@stanford.edu
- Ray Jackman
- Associate Director, Advising
- (650) 724-9622; rayj@stanford.edu
- Coordinates the Residency application process
- Connects students with their academic advisors
- Provides logistical support to Stanford Medicine students
- Hobbies: Hiking, Biking, Running
- Hallen Chung
- Assistant Dean for MD Financial Aid
- hchung5@stanford.edu
- Responsible for oversight of institutional and federal student aid programs for students pursuing the MD degree including need-based institutional grant forecast, establishing and monitoring student eligibility, programmatic policy recommendations, and distribution of student aid funds
- Abera Y. Metaferia
Financial Aid Counselor - (650) 724-3181; abera.metaferia@stanford.edu
- Determines financial aid eligibility
- Counsels and advises students on financial aid
- Reviews and revises financial aid awards
- Hobbies: Running, walking, and reading
- Lawson Roberts
- Associate Director of Financial Aid
- (650) 723-6958; lawsonr@stanford.edu
- Processes Financial Aid applications
- Processes Federal and SU Loans
- Provides guidance on any general financial aid questions about loan and scholarship eligibility, outside scholarships, awards, and disbursements.
- Hobbies: Watching and playing soccer and baseball, and overlanding (4x4 glamping)
- Lisa Medoff, PhD
- Learning Strategies Specialist
- lmedoff@stanford.edu
- Helps students with study skills, time & stress management
- Provides planning for Step 1 studying
- Provides general academic/emotional support
- Academic interests: Adolescent mental health and sexuality
- Hobbies: Musicals, Shakespeare, and cats
- Dennis J Bua
- Administrative Co-Director
- (650) 723-6176; dbua@stanford.edu
- Program Operations
- Strategy on T32 grant
- Advise student on program progress
- Assist students in applying for funding opportunities
- Hobbies: Coffee, Disc golf, and spending time with my family
- Tony Tieu
- Administrative Co-Director
- tonytieu@stanford.edu
- Recruit for dual-degree MD-PhD students
- Advise on all programmatic milestones
- Co-manage student funding
- Co-manage program budget
- Co-manage and coordinate departmental events
- Hobbies: Spending leisure time with my family, skateboarding, photography, hiking
- Carleigh Kude, MPA
- Director, Disability Resources
- carleigh.kude@stanford.edu
- Subject matter expert in disability access and inclusion in postsecondary education
- Oversees reasonable accommodation processes for MD and MSPA students enrolled at the School of Medicine
- Supports ongoing education and programming around disability issues in academia, medicine, and technology
- Hobbies: Celebrity memoirs, bicycling (road and mountain), and travel. I love to cook for my family and watch classic films
- Anita Honkanen, MD, MS, FAAP
- Associate Dean of Wellness and Student Life Advising and Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology
- Confidential resource for students
- Point of contact for students regarding sensitive or personal topics
- Available for advice to students on non-academic issues
- Help students resolve personal issues affecting their academic life
- Assists with oversight and planning of wellness related events and programs
- Hobbies: Playing classical flute and piano, biking, weight lifting/yoga, hiking, walking/playing with dogs, reading, movies; spending time with daughters, sons-in-law, and grandson
- Margaret Govea
- Director, Office of Medical Student Wellness
- (650) 721-3963; govea@stanford.edu
- Serves as the point person for faculty, staff, and students with wellness concerns, and for university and school policies related to medical student health
- Implements recurring medical student wellness events and programs
- Works with student wellness leaders to initiate relevant programs; evaluate programmatic effectiveness
- Oversees revisions to medical student wellness website and manage other technology to enhance business processes
- Hobbies: Cooking, racewalking, renovating my home, music, and reading biographies and memoirs
- Celeste Fowles Nguyen, EdD, EdM
- Assistant Dean, Medical Student Affairs
- (650) 723-5085; celeste.nguyen@stanford.edu
- Manages School of Medicine Registrar’s Offices
- Hobbies: Reading new fiction, walking and running, exploring parks and neighborhoods, dining out, spending time with family.
- Kyra Lui, MEd
- Associate Registrar
- Schedule Appointment; (650) 724-5518; kyralui@stanford.edu
- Responsible for monitoring and tracking medical students’ academic progress from matriculation through graduation
- Approves medical students for graduation
- Serves as the contact for questions regarding preclerkship and clerkship enrollment and grading
- Hobbies: Reading, organizing, & traveling
- Rita Balian
- Visiting Student Manager
- (650) 725-5798; balian@stanford.edu
- Manages Stanford Clinical Opportunity for Residency Experience (SCORE) program
- Plans and directs the International Visiting Students (IVS) Elective Clerkship program
- Coordinates activities for Underrepresented in Medicine for SCORE
- Ambassador for visiting international MD students
- Hobbies: Traveling, reading, hiking, yoga, and tracking stars
- Caroline Cheang, MBA
- Senior Associate Director of Clerkship Administration
- (650) 498-7619; cheang@stanford.edu
- Manages all School of Medicine (SoM) clerkship scheduling for MD students and visiting students (domestic, SCORE and international)
- Oversees the Medical Education Platform (MEP) Clerkships system and the Clerkship Scheduling Website
- Manages the clerkship enrollments in One45 for evaluation generation
- Orchestrates the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE/Dean’s Letter) Creation and Generation Process
- Oversees the transmission of MSPEs and transcripts to the Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS), SF Match, American Urological Association (AUA), CentralApp, Plastic Surgery Common Application (PSCA), ResidencyCAS, and military Match for residency applications
- Serves as the School Administrator for National Resident Matching Program (NRMP)
- Oversees Stanford SoM Match data, creates and designs the annual Match lists and Match statistical reports
- Hobbies: Hiking and traveling
- Jessica Goudy
- Assistant Registrar – Courses
- (650) 724-8668; jessicagoudy@stanford.edu
- Manages the curriculum for the School of Medicine Departments
- Approves and creates new academic courses & makes changes to existing courses
- Creates and publishes the School of Medicine Academic Calendar
- Hobbies: Enjoys family, food, and exploring the central coast.
- Tanicia Perry, MEd
- Student Life Manager
- (650) 725-3777 (voice mail only); tanicia@stanford.edu
- Event manager for Orientation, Match Day, and Graduation
- Processes EPIC access requests for Stanford medical students
- Provides advising and support for Stanford Medicine student organizations and major events
- Liaison between students and main campus offices and resources
- Hobbies: Dancing, cooking, sci-fi/fantasy/horror/romance audiobooks, hiking, sports, music, and spending as much time as I can with my kids while they spend time with the cat