Track: Adult Categorical
Medical School: Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine
Residency: Oregon Health & Science University (Internal Medicine)

Erynn was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Oregon. Prior to medical school she worked in transitional and behavioral programs for justice involved youth which informed and inspired her love of communication and patient relationships. She attended Oregon Health and Science University for medical school and Internal Medicine residency, completing a Chief Residency year. While in residency she explored the associations between modes of care delivery and patient populations, with a special focus on rurality. She also held several leadership positions to improve care experiences for patients and create a compassionate learning environment. As she grows her career, Erynn plans to build meaningful patient relationships within palliative care, where she can also continue love of teaching and leadership. She aims to continue exploring how patients experience care and improve structures to support their experience. Outside of medicine, Erynn enjoys spending time with her loved ones, rooting for her local sports team, trying new food and exploring cities (accepting recommendations!), and practicing Pilates. 

What is the best piece of advice you've been given?
“No matter who sits across from you, you can always find a shared experience or something in common.” ​​

Track: Geri-Pal
Medical School: Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Residency: UCSF (Internal Medicine)

Cat grew up in Norwich, Vermont and traveled just across the state to Middlebury for college, where she studied environmental policy. After college, she worked as a research assistant in Boston before attending medical school at Dartmouth. She left her little corner of New England to come to UCSF for residency, where she was in the UCPC Primary Care track. She completed a chief resident year at the SFVA, where she enjoyed learning from the veteran population, working with residents and medical students, and eating lunch overlooking the bay. She is completing an integrated fellowship in geriatrics and palliative care. She ultimately hopes to practice geriatric primary care and remain active in medical education. Outside of fellowship, you can find her hiking, biking, crafting, and hanging out with her husband, daughter, and beagle pup.

What is the best piece of advice you've been given? “Joy is not made to be a crumb.” (Mary Oliver)

Track: Adult Categorical
Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine
Residency: University of Tennessee (Emergency Medicine)

Isabel was born and raised in the Bay Area before heading off to Boston for undergrad and med school at Tufts University where she completed her MD/MPH. She was then coupled matched to the University of Tennessee, where she completed her emergency medicine residency, but also, importantly, adopted two cats. Her extracurricular activities have involved health workshops for incarcerated individuals, anti-racism initiatives, and advocacy for folks experiencing homelessness. She cares deeply about health equity and enjoys the outdoors, dancing, traveling, eating, and community building in whatever form it may take.

What is the best piece of advice you've been given? If you can’t understand why someone seems to be acting against their own self-interest, try to help however you can while also taking a moment of gratitude for the experiences and resources you’ve had that allow you to move through life differently.

Track: Pediatrics
Medical School: Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell
Residency: Stanford University (Pediatrics)

Helen was born in Flushing, NY, and attended Bowdoin College in Brunswick, ME. Before medical school, she served as a Community Health Education Peace Corps Volunteer with Peace Corps Cambodia as well as a development intern with Women for Afghan Women. She attended medical school at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and completed her pediatrics residency at Stanford University. After residency, she was a PICU hospitalist and is currently completing a Pediatric Hospital Medicine Fellowship at UCSF. She currently engages in projects on the topics of medical education, narrative medicine, DEI, patient safety, and trainee wellness. Outside of work, Helen loves board games, hiking, and eating. Though much of her time right now is spent walking outside very slowly with her toddler and spouse, and admiring all the buses and construction equipment along the way.

What is the best piece of advice you've been given? You don’t have to eat everything in one sitting; you can save some for later.

Track: Adult Categorical
Medical School: University of Chicago, Division of the Biological Sciences, The Pritzker School of Medicine
Residency: Denver Health (Emergency Medicine)

Maya Nolan (Rhine) was born and raised just over the Golden Gate Bridge in Mill Valley, CA. She went to UC Davis for undergrad, where she majored in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior. The first in her family to go into medicine, she moved to halfway across the country for medical school at the University of Chicago, where she met her (now) husband, Bobby. They completed residency together in Emergency Medicine at Denver Health/University of Colorado. She is thrilled to return to the bay for fellowship, where she hopes to continue to explore how to better integrate palliative care in the Emergency Department, bringing calm and patient-centered care to an often chaotic environment.

Outside of the hospital, Maya loves skiing, yoga, running, dancing, and hiking, but is most often found cozy on the couch, cheering on the Golden State Warriors.

What is the best piece of advice you've been given? “Let it go, let it go” *sung in Frozen voice* by a wise attending when I was spending far too much time after shift mulling over every decision I had made.

Track: Adult Categorical
Medical School: New York University Grossman School of Medicine
Residency: Cook County (Emergency Medicine)

Alejandro was born and raised in Chicago, IL. He attended the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he earned a degree in Biological Sciences with a minor in French and Francophone Studies. He then made the move to New York City where he completed medical school at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, before returning to Chicago to complete his residency in Emergency Medicine at Cook County Hospital.

During his residency, while caring for critically ill patients, he developed a deep appreciation for the importance of end-of-life care. He recognized the profound value of the life we live as death is approaching and the vital role physicians can play during this time for patients and their families.

In his free time, he enjoys riding his bike, walking without a destination in mind, going to live music events, language learning, and trying new restaurants.

What is the best piece of advice you've been given? “Always show others the same level of compassion you wish to receive on your most difficult days.”

Track: Adult Categorical
Medical School: Stanford University School of Medicine
Residency: University of Washington (Family Medicine)

Jenny grew up on the beautiful Salish and Kootenai Reservation in Polson, MT. She is a proud Little Shell Chippewa and Métis person. She studied art and feminist studies at Stanford before taking a winding road to medicine that included letterpress printmaking on a hundred-year-old press, running a pie stand at the farmers market (featuring little bison on the crusts with cinnamon-shaded humps), and working as a medical assistant at Planned Parenthood. After medical school at Stanford, she attended the University of Washington Family Medicine Residency. She has special interests in narrative medicine (and has a Nocturnists episode called The River Styx), caring for people with intersecting needs in the fields of addiction medicine and palliative medicine, care of Indigenous Relatives, and the very big tent of reproductive justice.    

What is the best piece of advice you've ever been given? “Instructions for living a life. Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.” ― Mary Oliver

A beloved patient once told me never to go to the Emergency Room without your lipstick on.