All Sessions

Dr. Ellison is an Assistant Professor/Associate Director of Clinical Training, Practicum Coordinator at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science (RFUMS) in the Department of Psychology embedded within the clinical psychology doctoral program. She holds appointments both in Research and in the Mental Health Service Line at Edward Hines Jr., Veterans Affairs Hospital, as well as at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center. Dr. Ellison is a clinical neuropsychologist and researcher, with...

Dr. Lina M. D’Orazio is a Neuropsychologist, Clinical Psychologist, and Clinical Associate Professor of Neurology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. She is the Founding Director of the Cultural Neuropsychology Program and serves as USC’s Director of Cultural Neuropsychology, specializing in culturally informed neuropsychological assessment, clinical care, and research consultation across the Keck Medical Center. Dr. D’Orazio integrates evidence-based practice with an empathetic, humanistic approach to support cognitive, emotional, and behavioral health. She...

Georges C. Benjamin, MD is the Executive Director and CEO of the American Public Health Association (APHA), the nation’s leading organization dedicated to improving and protecting the health of the public. A trained emergency physician and nationally recognized public health leader, Dr. Benjamin has spent decades advancing health equity, strengthening public health systems, and shaping policy at the local, national, and global levels. Before joining APHA, Dr. Benjamin served as Secretary of the Maryland Department...

Dr. Hassan Bencheqroun is a quadruple board-certified pulmonary and critical care physician with expertise in respiratory and exercise physiology, cardiopulmonary interactions, and the management of life-threatening multiorgan failure in critical illness. His clinical work focuses on severe lung disease and acute decompensation, including COPD and emphysema, asthma, lung cancer, bacterial and viral pneumonias, pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, chronic cough, and acute respiratory failure requiring life support. He also specializes in end-of-life decision-making in the ICU....

David R. Friedland, M.D., Ph.D., is Professor of Clinical Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery; Associate Dean for Clinical Research; Director of Clinical Artificial Intelligence Applications; and Director of the Clinical Research Services Core in Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles. Dr. Friedland received his medical degree from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City where he also completed residency training in Otolaryngology-Head and...

Dr. Linda Mayes is the Arnold Gesell Professor of Child Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Psychology and Director of the Yale Child Study Center. She is also Special Advisor to the Dean in the Yale School of Medicine. Trained as a pediatrician, Dr. Mayes’s research focuses on stress-response and regulatory mechanisms in young children at both biological and psychosocial risk. She has especially focused on the impact of prenatal substance use on children’s long-term outcomes. She has...

Nicole Struthers, MS, PA (ASCP)CM, MLS (ASCP)CM is a board-certified Pathologists’ Assistant and Instructor in the Pathologists’ Assistant Department within the College of Health Professions at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. She joined the faculty in 2022 and is actively involved in didactic, laboratory, and clinical education across the curriculum, with teaching responsibilities that include autopsy pathology, clinical correlations, anatomic pathology clerkships, and clinical anatomy. Mrs. Struthers earned her Master of Health Science...

Dr. Edgardo R. Rodriguez-Collazo, DPM is a board-certified reconstructive podiatric surgeon with over 25 years of clinical and surgical experience, based in Chicago, Illinois. He is a member of the Department of Surgery at Ascension Saint Joseph Hospital and serves as the Associate Program Director of the Podiatric Surgical Residency as well as Director of the CPME Deformity Correction & Microsurgical Limb Reconstruction Fellowship. Dr. Rodriguez-Collazo is a recognized leader in complex lower-extremity reconstruction, specializing...

Keaton Piper is a functional neurosurgeon who completed my undergraduate training at the University of Arkansas, followed by medical school at the University of Rochester, residency at the University of South Florida, and fellowship training at the University of California, San Francisco. His research focuses on novel surgical and neuromodulatory treatments for refractory pain, an understudied area within neurosurgery, with particular emphasis on trigeminal neuralgia, Chiari-related pain, and atypical facial pain. In parallel, he has...

Dr. Mark D. Krieger is a professor of neurological surgery at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. He is also the surgeon-in-chief and a senior vice president at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) where he holds the Billy and Audrey Wilder Chair in Neurosurgery. He obtained his undergraduate degree magna cum laude from Harvard College in Neurobiology in 1988 and received his MD from the College of Physicians and Surgeons...

Dr. Hector Rasgado-Flores is a Professor of Physiology and Biophysics and the Faculty Lead of the Chicago Medical School Community Health and Engagement. He has integrated his passions for science, music, and education into a career transcending traditional boundaries. His academic journey began at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), where he studied medicine, piano, and composition. This unique foundation foreshadowed his interdisciplinary approach to life and work. He later earned master’s and doctoral...

Pamela Chambers, DNP, JD, MSN, CRNA is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist with more than two decades of experience in clinical anesthesia, health law consulting, and nurse anesthesia education. She has practiced as a CRNA since 2000 and has been a nurse since 1994, blending extensive clinical expertise with formal legal training to advance quality, safety, and professional practice. Dr. Chambers earned her MSN in Nurse Anesthesia from the University of Texas Health Science Center...

John Bradford is a Certified PA who served on the NCCPA Board of Directors from 2018 to 2025. He was the 2024 Board Chair and 2025 Immediate Past Chair. He has lived and worked in many remote and isolated areas across five continents. John was a Peace Corps Medical Officer in Malawi, Namibia and The Gambia. He also worked in Edinburgh Scotland, Kabul, Afghanistan and in the Pacific on Midway and Shemya Islands. John also...

Explore youth mental health advocacy through an engaging presentation and panel discussion, featuring the authors of Heroes Behind the Mask and speakers from Eunoia Global Health, this interactive presentation and panel will dive into the stories behind the book, real-world impact, and how YOU can get involved as a student.

Ann F. Mohrbacher, MD, is an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine and a Keck Faculty Physician specializing in hematology and blood and marrow transplantation. A graduate of Harvard Medical School, Dr. Mohrbacher is an accomplished clinician, researcher, and educator with a strong focus on blood cancers, including lymphoma and multiple myeloma. Her research interests include stem cell transplantation and immunotherapy of B cell malignancies, and she has received substantial research funding for her work. Dr....

Dr. John Peter Gruen, a highly esteemed Professor of Medicine at the University of Southern California (USC), stands at the forefront of neurosurgery with a particular focus on neurotrauma. He brings a remarkable blend of experience, skill, and dedication to his role, reflected in his substantial contributions to both clinical practice and academic medicine.Dr. Gruen’s academic journey is marked by an impressive educational background, holding degrees from Yale College (BA in History), Columbia University (MD...

Lisa A. Carey, MD, ScM is the Richardson and Marilyn Jacobs Preyer Distinguished Professor in Breast Cancer Research in the Department of Medicine at the University of North Carolina (UNC). She graduated from Wellesley College, then received her medical degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine where she remained for her residency in Internal Medicine followed by a fellowship in Medical Oncology and an advanced degree in Clinical Investigations. Dr. Carey joined the...

Dr. Gregory L. Taylor II, MD, MBA is a physician with Keck Medicine of USC specializing in geriatric and internal medicine. He treats patients at Keck Hospital of USC, USC Norris Cancer Hospital, and USC Verdugo Hills Hospital, and serves as the Founding Medical Director of Keck Signature Care, USC Concierge Medicine, where he delivers highly personalized, prevention-focused care. Raised in Los Angeles’ Leimert Park, Dr. Taylor’s perspective has been shaped by both strong community...

You've crafted the best medical school application possible, completed your primary and secondary applications, and received invitations to interview. Interviews can ultimately count for up to 60% of your committee score, so you want to be prepared! Learn how to ace your interviews by highlighting your unique experiences and selling points, tailoring your responses to each school, and managing multiple applications with confidence. We will go over sample questions, sample responses, and how to handle...

Saskia Rechin, CCP (She/Her) is a Cardiovascular Perfusionist at Pacific Life Lines, Inc., where she supports complex cardiac and organ procurement procedures as part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team. She brings hands-on expertise in perfusion technology and a strong commitment to patient safety, precision, and clinical excellence. Saskia earned her Master’s degree in Pharmacology with a concentration in Perfusion Technology from the University of Arizona, graduating with a 4.0 GPA. She previously served as a...

Kasra Khatibi, MD, is an expert in neurointerventional surgery for all ages, also known as endovascular neurosurgery, which provides minimally invasive treatment of the brain, spine, and head and neck. Dr. Khatibi also specializes in neurocritical care, treating complex neurological illnesses or injuries within the intensive care unit. He is fellowship trained in neurointerventional surgery, as well as board certified in neurology and neurocritical care. His research priorities include the use of noninvasive, multimodality magnetic...

This workshop breaks the pre-health journey down into simple, straightforward steps so you can clearly understand what to do now and what comes next. We’ll walk through the major milestones including courses, activities, clinical experience, testing, and application timing, and show how the path can look different depending on your starting point. You’ll learn how to assess where you are today, set realistic goals, and create a plan that builds momentum over time, whether you're...

Dr. Chibuzo Casey Ohanaja, MD, MPH, DABFM, is a board-certified family medicine and sports medicine physician and founder of Chiron Sports Performance & Consulting in Metro Detroit. He currently serves as a multi-facility Medical Director with MedCap/MMG and is an adjunct professor at Oakland University, where he teaches graduate-level Evidence-Based Decision Making. Dr. Ohanaja completed his sports medicine fellowship with advanced training in non-operative orthopedics, musculoskeletal ultrasound, regenerative medicine, athletic performance, and injury prevention. As...

PA Footracer believes that primary care is an important aspect of social justice and in the power of healthcare to change lives and, through those lives, our world. She enjoys partnering with patients to help them meet their health goals, and is an advocate for mind-body practices as an adjunct to conventional medicine. She obtained her B.A. with majors in Psychology and Dance from Scripps College, and her master’s degree as a Physician Assistant from Seton Hall University. She volunteers with the Los Angeles County Disaster Healthcare Surge Unit, Eaton Canyon Nature Center, and is on the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Physician Associates. She was a former Board of Directors member of National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants during which time she served as Treasurer and Chair. Prior to becoming a PA, she managed not-for-profit organizations.

Dr. Stephen Weber is Associate Vice Chairman for Faculty Development in the Department of Medicine at the University of Chicago. He most recently served as Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for the University of Chicago Medicine Health System. In this capacity, he helped oversee multiple programs and priorities including physician quality and practice, population health, care coordination, digital health, informatics, simulation and innovation. A Professor of Medicine in the Section of Infectious Diseases...