Peer Mentoring
About
The mission of the Peer Mentoring Program is to promote student well-being, support academic success, and facilitate career exploration. The vision of the Program is to create a supportive environment where every student is able to reach their full potential. The Program values mentee-centric relationships, objectivity, supportiveness, and dependability.
Additional details: Peer Mentoring Program
Please direct inquiries to Jan.Czerminski@umassmed.edu (MD/PhD Peer Mentoring lead) or any of the MD/PhD students below.
What We Offer
- Resource guides created and updated in the UMass Chan MD/PhD Google Drive
- Grant writing (including sample fellowships)
- Transition to clinical rotations
- Residency
- Career exploration
- Alumni information
- Our knowledge gained over the years we've spent in the program!
- Selecting a lab (MS2 -> PhD)
- Resources for support
- Program timeline/requirements
- Selecting a mentor
- Clinical skills hours (during the PhD)
2020-2021 Mentor List
Mentors are listed by their primary mentoring role, then alphabetically by last name. Use the following links to jump directly to peer mentors who can provide focused advice on your training in the pre-clinical (MS1, MS2) and graduate school (PhD) or clinical (MS3, MS4) years:
Clinical mentors
Jan Czerminski, MS4
Graduate Program: Basic & Biomedical Sciences (Department of Neurology)
Expected Specialty: Radiology
Undergraduate: McGill University (Neuroscience)
Hometown: Wayland, MA
About Me: I jumped straight into the MD/PhD program after undergrad and Worcester has definitely grown on me over the years.
Interests: Skiing, mountain biking, sailing, world cuisine
Ameer Elaimy, MS4
Graduate Program: Basic & Biomedical Sciences (Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology)
Expected Specialty: Radiation Oncology
Undergraduate: Carroll College (Biology)
Hometown: Spokane, WA
About Me: I worked in a RadOnc lab at the University of Michigan for 2 years after college.
Interests: Weightlifting, running and cooking
Auri Garcia-Gonzalez, MS4
Aurian.GarciaGonzalez@umassmed.edu
Graduate Program: Basic & Biomedical Sciences (Program in Systems Biology)
Expected Specialty: General Surgery
Undergraduate: University of Puerto Rico (Molecular Biology & Mathematics)
Hometown: San Juan, PR
About Me: I have absolutely loved every minute of my journey as an MD/PhD student, despite being far away from home.
Interests: Keeping myself and my home organized and clean is about all I ask of myself these days :)
Barry Kriegsman, MS4
Graduate Program: Basic & Biomedical Sciences (IMP; Department of Pathology)
Expected Specialty: Otolaryngology
Undergraduate: MIT (Brain and Cognitive Sciences)
Hometown: Holliston, MA
About Me: I started in the MD/PhD program right after undergrad. I hope to become a surgeon-scientist with a focus on head and neck cancers.
Interests: Running, hiking with my wife and dog, and trying out new restaurants
Asia Matthew-Onabanjo, MS4
Asia.Matthew-Onabanjo@umassmed.edu
Graduate Program: Basic & Biomedical Sciences (Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology)
Expected Specialty: Urology
Undergraduate: Xavier University of Louisiana (Chemistry)
Hometown: Boston, MA
About Me: I matriculated directly into the MD/PhD program after undergrad. I was born and raised in Boston, MA. Fun fact: My twin sister also graduated from the MD/PhD program here at UMass Chan.
Interests: Spending time with family, a capella, amateur Pelotoner, major foodie
Zachary Milstone, MS4
Graduate Program: Basic & Biomedical Sciences (Translational; Division of Cardiovascular Medicine
Expected Specialty: Internal Medicine
Undergraduate: University of Rochester (Biomedical Engineering)
Hometown: Brookline, MA
About Me: I went straight from undergrad to the MD/PhD program. Lived in/around Worcester for several years but now live in Marlborough w/ my wife, (new) son, 3 cats.
Interests: Snowboarding, road biking, homebrewing, cooking
Ankur Sheel, MS4
Graduate Program: Basic & Biomedical Sciences (RNA Therapieutics Institute)
Expected Specialty: Internal Medicine
Undergraduate: UMASS Amherst (BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
Graduate: UMASS Amherst (MS in Molecular and Cellular Biology)
Hometown: Amherst, MA
About Me: I went straight from undergrad to my master's and then straight to the MD/PHD program. I worked on developing genetic editing tools and therapieutics in Liver and Lung cancer using CRISPR/Cas9 and hope to become a physician scientist in heme-onc.
Interests: Cooking, racquetball/squash, fantasy sports
James Strassner, MS4
Graduate Program: Basic & Biomedical Sciences (IMP; Department of Dermatology)
Expected Specialty: Dermatology
Undergraduate: Cornell University (Biological Sciences)
Hometown: Albany, NY
About Me: I am a first generation college student and previously studied airway inflammation and T cell chemotaxis at MGH. I continued to study immunology for my thesis work. I commuted to school M1-M2 and for most of my thesis research years.
Interests: Exploring State Parks and trails with my family, snowshoeing, candlepin bowling
Pre-clinical/Graduate school mentors
Amy Cheung, GS4
Graduate Program: Basic & Biomedical Sciences (Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute; Department of Neurobiology)
Undergraduate: Stony Brook University (Biology with Neuroscience specialization)
Hometown: Bohemia, NY
About Me: I am a first generation college student and took one year off before joining the MD/PhD program to finish my undergraduate research in behavioral neuroscience. My PhD work is also in the same field.
Interests: Community intervention, wellness, walking, trying new foods, baking
Grace Masters, GS4
Graduate Program: Clinical & Population Health Research (Department of Psychiatry)
Undergraduate: Cornell University (Biological Sciences)
Hometown: Stow, MA
About Me: I took several years off and did research prior to joining UMass Chan for the MD/PhD program. I am interested in using health services and policy research to improve access and equitable care for people with mental illnesses, particularly pregnant and postpartum women.
Interests: Cooking, reading, playing with my cats
Nicholas Peterson, GS4
Nicholas.Peterson@umassmed.edu
Graduate Program: Basic & Biomedical Sciences (Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Medicine)
Undergraduate: St. John's University, MN (Biochemistry)
Hometown: Otsego, MN
About Me: I am a graduate of St. John's University (Minnesota) as a first generation college student. Prior to joining the UMASS MD/PhD program, I conducted three years of research at the University of Minnesota, studying tuberculosis drug resistance mechanisms. I have a strong interest in host-pathogen interactions and innate immune regulation.
Interests: Running, cooking, hiking, and reading