Class of 2027
Melissa Arias-Pelayo, MD
Medical School: Rush Medical College
Undergraduate School: Utah State University
Languages Spoken: English, Spanish
Who/what inspires me? My parents and their bravery, perseverance, and work ethic.
Favorite place/places in LA? I’m new to LA and haven’t had the chance to explore the area, but I’m very excited to explore the food scene. I’m always on the lookout for good recs!
A little about me, why medicine and/or why Harbor-UCLA Family Medicine? I was drawn to Harbor because of the strong focus on health equity, social justice, and advocacy. I wanted to be a part of a program that strives to do better for the communities it serves, and I feel Harbor emphasizes just that.
Alison Butler, MD, PhD
Medical School: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Graduate School: Carnegie Mellon University
Undergraduate School: The Ohio State University
Languages Spoken: English, Spanish
Who/what inspires me? My family, my patients 🙂
Favorite place/places in LA? Bluff Creek Trail (in Playa Vista), Will Rogers State Park, Playa del Rey
A little about me, why medicine and/or why Harbor-UCLA Family Medicine? Communication with compassion – I am constantly striving for new ways to build this goal into my future practice. I value understanding each person’s motivations, meeting them where they are in their journey, and empowering them toward well-being. Harbor FM provides an ideal training foundation for me to accomplish these goals in an environment focused on compassionate and innovative pathways to address healthcare barriers in diverse, underserved populations. I am so excited to practice medicine here and to learn from my patients, colleagues, and mentors every single day!
Wonder Edem, MD
Medical School: University of California, Riverside School of Medicine
Undergraduate School: University of California, Los Angeles
Who/What inspires me?Pursuing medicine has come with challenges but also may feats. Since the beginning, my mom and faith have been by rock. My mom always uplifts me and it’s so easy to feel inspired by her because she came into this country with my dad, who has since passed away may he rest in peace, and made a beautiful life for me and my siblings. She always has a way of finding the light in every challenge and staying hopeful when things are tough. My mom also knows how to celebrate all the accomplishments, even the ones I think are small. Having faith is a constant area of inspiration to me because, if we look hard enough there are so many instances and situations that people have overcome that may have seemed impossible. My siblings and my husband are constant reminders of the beauty in learning and growing, and also inspire me to keep being my best self and developing into the person and doctor I want to be.
Favorite place/places in LA?So far, almost any beach can be my favorite place in LA. The cool thing is LA has so many smaller cities/neighborhoods that are all so different. You can get a different vibe or experience based on location, so my goal has been to explore the many parts of LA which is fun! I live in Long Beach, about a 20 min drive to clinic and the hospital, and there are so many good food places and beach walking paths I’ve discovered there.
A little about me, why medicine and/or why Harbor-UCLA Family Medicine?I grew up in Chino Hills, CA, a medium sized town about an hour from Harbor UCLA. I knew from a young age that I wanted a career in health and gravitated towards clinic and hospital settings or conversations about health in general. Growing up, I was unfortunately exposed to a variety of health issues I saw in my immediate and extended family. As I started asking more questions as to why people were ill, I learned more about chronic disease, culturally specific diseases, health literacy and many other things. Uncovering this information led me down a path of self-discovery and revealed Primary care and Preventative medicine. I leaned into this and found myself more and more interested in Family medicine, and the desire to work in a setting that gave culturally competent and compassionate care. Harbor UCLA stood out to me as a program that not only does this well but has a great and kind spirit doing it. I am so appreciative to work with a diverse group of passionate individuals who truly live out the mission of Family Medicine.
Raven Lin, MD
Medical School: SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Undergraduate School: New York University
Languages Spoken: English, Mandarin
Who/what inspires me? My parents are my heroes! As immigrants, they sacrificed so I could have the freedom to chase my dreams. As I continue to fight against unjust and oppressive systems in medicine, I will never forget their struggles navigating the countless barriers immigrants face in the American healthcare system.
Favorite place/places in LA? I love spending my weekends exploring the Los Feliz Flea Market or sunbathing at Thousand Steps Beach. As a huge foodie, I can’t wait to try all the delectable cuisines Los Angeles has to offer.
A little about me, why medicine and/or why Harbor-UCLA Family Medicine? I chose Harbor-UCLA Family Medicine for its unwavering commitment to advocacy, health equity, and social justice. I am so grateful to be a part of a program that uplifts the voices and experiences of the communities it serves. From the first moment of orientation, it was clear that Harbor-UCLA Family Medicine does exactly that.
Mimi (Weiwei) Liu, MD
Medical School: University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine (USF MCOM)
Undergraduate School: University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB)
Languages Spoken: Mandarin, English, and I’m trying to learn Spanish.
Who/what inspires me? My parents inspire me the most.
Favorite place/places in LA? The gym, the library, and my apartment.
A little about me, why medicine and/or why Harbor-UCLA Family Medicine? I was born in China, and my parents immigrated to England, Canada, and finally the United States in search of a better life. My parents worked long hours at difficult jobs so they could give my younger brother and me more opportunities. My life experiences led me to develop a strong sense of purpose, which is what led me to medicine. I love taking care of patients, and it is very intrinsically rewarding for me. In the future, I want to treat patients of all ages and from all walks of life with the best care possible, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or ability to pay. This commitment is what drew me towards choosing Harbor-UCLA Family Medicine and its aligned mission statement. It is a privilege to be here!
Briana Martinez, DO
Medical School: California Health Sciences University
Undergraduate School: UC Davis (Go Ags!)
Languages Spoken: English and Spanish
Who/what inspires me? My parents! They showed me the importance of starting from nothing yet still seeing the beauty in life and to always put your best foot forward.
Favorite place/places in LA? The beach! And any AYCE sushi lol
A little about me, why medicine and/or why Harbor-UCLA Family Medicine? I’m from the Central Valley of California from a city called Visalia. My favorite aspect of medicine and why I pursued it involves the vulnerability that patients allow me to see in their lives. They give me the opportunity to see a glimpse of their story and I’m honored to be able to provide compassion and education! I chose Harbor UCLA because of its values to provide optimal care and compassion to each patient with empathy. I knew I would become the best version of myself here.
Jasmine Nevarez, MD, MPH
Medical School: University of Michigan Medical School
Graduate School: Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, MPH
Undergraduate School: Stanford University
Languages Spoken: English
Who/what inspires me? My patients. When I see their efforts and the changes they have to make for their healthy, it inspires me to step up as a provider.
Favorite place/places in LA? Redondo Beach Pier!
Why Harbor-UCLA family Medicine? I used to serve as a health educator in the South Bay community and dreamed of coming to Harbor so I could continue to serve the underserved. So this is a dream come true for me!
Alexander Nguyen, MD
Medical School: Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
Graduate School: Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
Undergraduate School: Boston University
Languages Spoken: English & Vietnamese
Who/what inspires me? Professional Fighters that use their platform to inspire others and make the world a better place. On a day to day basis, I’m inspired by those around me that bring their best to taking care of each other and the patients that we serve.
Favorite place/places in LA? The running trails by the plenty of LA beaches.
A little about me, why medicine and/or why Harbor-UCLA Family Medicine? I am called to be of service to humanity in the form of medical care. I chose Harbor-UCLA Family Medicine for their devotion to excellent medical practices and the outreach that they do to the communities that they serve. I am also impressed and grateful for the mentorship that Harbor-UCLA FM brings to people interested in healthcare.
Irene Nguyen, MD
Medical School: University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine
Undergraduate School: University of California, Irvine
Languages Spoken: English
Who/what inspires me? I’m inspired by my aunt, Co Giang. She’s a nun and missionary who previously worked on peacekeeping missions in Kenya. She’s currently retiring and returned to the states to pursue a degree in Women’s Studies. She’s very hopeful for the future, patient, and has been a supportive figure in my life as well as my family’s life. I’ve always admired her drive to keep learning and her compassion that has never waned throughout the years.
Favorite place/places in LA? I like going to Cream Pan in Lomita for desserts, Mitsuwa for grocery shopping which is conveniently down the street from Harbor UCLA hospital, and Wilson Park. This area has lots of great Asian food and grocery stores to choose from.
A little about me, why medicine and/or why Harbor-UCLA Family Medicine? I chose Harbor-UCLA FM because I really felt the faculty and residents shared the same values as myself. I care about providing for low-income families and learning how to effectively use my voice to advocate for patients. Especially important to me is being able to connect to grade-school kids as patients and Harbor features a high school clinic and opportunities for mentorship.
Dillon Pham, DO
Medical School: Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine
Undergraduate School: University of California, Los Angeles
Languages Spoken: English, Vietnamese
Who/what inspires me? My parents definitely inspire me. I love how passionate and caring my mom is about everything and everyone; I love how my dad is so supportive of our family. I try to emulate their strengths as part of the foundation of who I am. Outside of my parents, I am always inspired when I see athletes in sports who succeed not necessarily due to having natural talents but instead through consistency and a relentless work ethic.
Favorite place/places in LA? Dodger Stadium, Koreatown, LACMA, The Getty, and Salt & Straw are some of my favorite places. I love sports, food, and museums!
A little about me, why medicine and/or why Harbor-UCLA Family Medicine? I chose medicine because I was inspired by my pediatrician growing up and how understandable he made medicine seem to me. I know that the subject of medicine can be very overwhelming, but I want to pass forward the idea that medicine does not have to be scary and want to make patients feel as though they have me in their corner as an advocate for them. I am thrilled to be at Harbor-UCLA and feel like I can really grow and learn to be the best physician that I can be here.
Menna Sharafeldeen, DO
Medical School: Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Undergraduate School: University of California, Los Angeles