Our team of medical school admissions consultants is made up of experienced and caring individuals with experience in admissions consulting for some of the best medical schools in the country.
They advise applicants on interviews, resumes, helpful extracurricular activities and overall admissions applications.
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Abhi Aggarwal, M.D., M.B.A.
Former Admissions Counselor for the BS/MD Program at St. Bonaventure University/George Washington University School of Medicine
Former Admissions Interviewer for the MD program at George Washington University School of Medicine
1 Year in St. Bonaventure University Admissions
1 Year in George Washington University School of Medicine Admissions
Abhi is a graduate of the 8 year Combined BS/MD program at St. Bonaventure University and George Washington University School of Medicine. He earned his MD from the George Washington University School of Medicine where he was awarded several scholarships for his research in Interventional Radiology. He then went on to complete a Surgical Internship from the University of Pennsylvania and is currently Chief Resident of the Diagnostic Radiology residency at Eastern Virginia Medical School.
He spent a year as an Admissions Counselor for the Franciscan Healthcare Programs at St. Bonaventure University where he reviewed over 300 applications for the various combined degree programs including BS/MD, BS/DO, DDS, Pharm. D, and DPT. He continued to serve as an interviewer for the MD program while in medical school at George Washington University.
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Kathy Baer
Former Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at Brown University’s Warren Alpert Medical School
19 years at Brown University’s Warren Alpert Medical School
A first-generation college graduate, Kathy earned a B.A. degree magna cum laude in French/Secondary Education from Providence College and an Ed.M. degree from Harvard University. She is a lifelong higher education professional with deep expertise in college and allopathic medical school admissions. She worked for seven years in undergraduate admissions at her alma mater, interviewing and evaluating more than 300 applications annually. She later transitioned to medical school admissions at Brown, where she led integrated admissions and financial aid operations and served as chair of the MD Admissions Committee. She evaluated an average of 800 applicants and interviewed 100 candidates each year for a variety of admission pathways, including the AMCAS route, MD/Ph.D., and early identification and post-bac linkages. She also reviewed applications to Brown’s 8-year, baccalaureate/M.D. program.
Kathy has conducted presentations to applicants, health professions advisors, physician colleagues, premedical student groups, and trustees on topics ranging from trends in medical school admissions to medical school financing. She co-chaired the AAMC’s Monetary Decisions for Medical Doctors (MD2), a national program to assist aspiring physicians with financial planning issues before, during, and after medical school. She also served as Brown’s representative to the Rhode Island Health Professional Loan Repayment Program Board. She is the grateful recipient of the Alpert Medical School Student Appreciation Award from 12 graduating classes.
Kathy works tirelessly to be a trusted, resourceful advocate for traditional and nontraditional students. She is dedicated to guiding individuals as early as possible in their medical school journey to demystify the process, address omissions and missteps, ensure a demonstrable health care experience, and ultimately deliver cohesive and convincing applications.
Kyle Brunner, M.D., M.S.
Former Admissions Committee Member & Interviewer
Drexel University College of Medicine
3 Years of Interviewing 1 Year of Full Admission Committee Privileges Kyle earned his MD at Drexel University College of Medicine where he served as Class President for four years. He was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society and received a number of awards for his peer advocacy. He is currently finishing his Transitional Year residency at St. Luke’s Anderson before he will start his Diagnostic Radiology training at Brown in Providence, RI. Kyle has extensive experience with over 400 MD applications personally reviewed and voted upon. These experiences have helped him mentor a number of students throughout the medical school application process.
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Jonathan Chevinsky
Formerly at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine
2 Years in SUNY Downstate College of Medicine Admissions
Jonathan earned his B.F.A. in creative writing and was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society at Brooklyn College as a member of their Coordinated B.A.-M.D. Medical Program, affiliated with SUNY Downstate College of Medicine. He has published multiple first-author papers on eating disorder pathology and sports-related injuries and is set to begin his psychiatry residency at Harvard Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
He served as president of the B.A.-M.D. student committee during college, in which role he coordinated the interviews for the program. He subsequently served as an interviewer for the B.A.-M.D. program in addition to serving as a voting member of the Downstate admissions committee for two years.
He has twice served as a student panelist on the annual Downstate Open House Information Session and has led multiple mentoring sessions for junior medical students. Additionally, his background in creative writing has enabled him to excel in personal statement review and assisting applicants in refining their personal narratives, key components of the medical school application.
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Nicolas Govea
Formerly at Harvard Medical School
2 year member of the Committee on Admissions at Harvard Medical School
Nick is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin (BS 2014, Psychology and Chemistry). After graduating from UT Austin with University Highest Honors, he stayed at Massachusetts General Hospital as a research technician in the Endocrine Unit. He completed his MD at Harvard Medical School in 2019 and continued his research in the Endocrine Unit throughout medical school. As a medical student and now as a resident physician, he has a tried and true history of empowering college students to get to the next level to become competitive medical school applicants. He directed the Aesculapian Student Symposium at Harvard, a monthly forum for medical students to present novel research and clinical experiences to classmates and faculty. He served on the Committee on Admissions at Harvard Medical School for two years.
Nick is currently a resident in Anesthesiology at New-York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. He is starting Critical Care and Cardiac Anesthesiology fellowship in 2023, also at Weill Cornell. He has numerous publications in cardiac anesthesiology and shared decision making for high-risk surgical patients.
Tim Goblirsch, M.D.
Former Admissions Committee Member
Georgetown University School of Medicine
Former Gold Humanism Honor Society Selection Committee Member
Georgetown University School of Medicine
1 Year in Georgetown University School of Medicine Admissions 1 Year in GUSOM Gold Humanism Honor Society Selection Committee Tim earned a degree in Cognitive Neuroscience and Biomedical Physics with Honors from Washington University in St. Louis. He was a 3-time conference champion in the pole vault and served as a captain of his track and field team. He was also a live-in Chemistry tutor in the first-year dorms, hosting late-night office hours to teach chemistry and broader learning strategies. He attended Georgetown University School of Medicine and is a resident physician completing a preliminary year in Internal Medicine at Pennsylvania Hospital before his Ophthalmology residency at the University of Pennsylvania Scheie Eye Institute in Philadelphia. At Georgetown, Tim served as an admissions committee interviewer, where he was tasked with reviewing applications, conducting interviews, and providing the committee with a formal recommendation for admission, wait list, or rejection for each candidate. He was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS) and served as a voting member of Georgetown’s GHHS Selection Committee. In this role, he helped select the Georgetown Class of 2024 GHHS inductees by reviewing over 70 applications from medical students who stood out among their peers in their efforts to exemplify humanistic patient care in the clinical setting and their communities. Tim has a passion for working with students to identify their individual strengths and tailor their applications to highlight desirable traits to admissions committees. He has dedicated time in each stage of his career to mentoring and advising high school, undergraduate, and graduate school students, resulting in successful matriculations to renowned institutions including Columbia and Washington University in St. Louis. He works to ensure that each student’s personal and professional goals are represented and showcased for reviewers and that each student feels supported throughout the application cycle.
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Karen Hamilton, PhD
Former Assistant Dean for Diversity at
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
6 Years in Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Admissions
2 Years on the Admissions Committee at the Association of American Medical Colleges
Karen earned both her undergraduate and master’s degree from Ohio State University. Her Ph.D. was awarded in International and Comparative Education from the University of Pennsylvania. For twenty- eight years, she worked at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. As an Assistant Dean, Karen served on the Admissions Committee, where she screened countless applications and interviewed applicants. Karen was also on a special Admissions Committee for the Undergraduate Scholars Summer Program for college students focused on biomedical research careers. Similarly, she helped establish the Penn Med Scholars Program for Penn undergraduates as well as medical students interested in careers in academic medicine.
Karen also held positions and was active at the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). She served on its Admissions Committee when she was the National Chair-Elect Group on Student Affairs-Minority Affairs. Moreover, she co–authored an article, “A Review of the Literature on Non-Cognitive Variables: What Have We Learned?” published in The Advisor. This paper examined articles written on non –academic factors which could potentially influence an applicant’s medical school acceptance. As a result of these many experiences, Karen developed expertise in mentoring and assisting undergraduate students craft personal statements, prepare their applications and rehearse their interviews for medical school acceptance.
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Rohan Jotwani, M.D., M.B.A.
Formerly at Tufts School of Medicine Admissions
1 Year in Tufts University School of Medicine Admissions
Rohan is a graduate of Columbia University with a degree in biology. He completed his MD and MBA from the Tufts University School of Medicine's combined program. He is the recipient of the Norman S. Stearns MD/MBA Award as well as MedTech Boston's "40 under 40" Award. Rohan is currently completing his residency in Anesthesiology at New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell. He has published on crisis management, conflict of interest and fraud within healthcare organizations.
Rohan served as an appointed voting member of the admissions committee at the Tufts School of Medicine. He has interviewed numerous candidates, gained extensive training on application review, and adjudicated on hundreds of applications. Prior to entering medical school, Rohan worked as a media producer and is the former president of the Columbia University debate team, giving him over 10 years of experience in mock interviewing, strategic positioning, and persuasive writing.
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Michael Kim
Formerly Weill Cornell Medical College Admissions
1 year in Weill Cornell Medical College Admissions
Michael graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Case Western Reserve University where he received a BA in Biochemistry with Honors. He is now continuing his education at Weill Cornell Medical College where he has performed extensive research in basic science and clinical cardiology, including funding from the New York Academy of Medicine to study molecular signaling pathways underlying heart failure. Michael’s work has resulted in more than a dozen publications and he is completing a research year at the department of cardiology at Weill Cornell.
Michael was one of six medical students selected by the faculty to be a part of the Weill Cornell Medical College admissions committee, where he has reviewed AMCAS applications, interviewed students, and provided evaluations for final admission decisions. He has successfully mentored many undergraduates who have matriculated into top-20 medical schools.
Seth Klein
Formerly Ohio State University College of Medicine Admissions
3 Years in the Ohio State University College of Medicine Admissions
Seth graduated from the Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Genetics, then went on to graduate from the Ohio State University College of Medicine with his Doctorate of Medicine. Throughout his time in Columbus, he served both on the Medical School Admissions Committee for three years and taught an Introduction to Medicine course for talented undergraduate students with aspirations for medical school.
Seth reviewed countless applications, guided students to decide how and where to apply, and advised students on essay topics, and helped submit their applications. Taking the knowledge he gained from being directly on the admissions committee, Seth was able to help undergraduate students achieve their goals and help them stand out in a sea of very competitive applicants.
Seth is currently a senior resident in Emergency Medicine at John Peter Smith Hospital with plans to continue in academics after graduation.
Margo Kozinn, J.D.
Formerly at Stanford Medicine Admissions
Formerly at Chicago Medical School Admissions
1 Year in Stanford University School of Medicine Admissions
5 Years in Chicago Medical School Admissions
Margo is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor’s Degree in Legal Studies. She received her Juris Doctorate from Saint Louis University School of Law. In law school, Margo received the highest award for Legal Research and Writing and served as a distinguished writing TA, helping students improve and polish their advanced writing skills.
Margo has read and evaluated over 5,000 medical school applications. While living in San Francisco, Margo served as a file reviewer for Stanford University School of Medicine, where she reviewed and evaluated prospective student applications and gave direct recommendations to the Dean of Admissions. After moving back to the Midwest, Margo served as a file reviewer for Chicago Medical School where she reviewed student applications and collaborated weekly with admissions staff to review application and enrollment guidelines and procedures. Additionally, she has advised numerous pre-medical students on their journey to medical school. Margo has extensive experience reviewing admissions essays, letters of recommendation and AMCAS applications and has unique insight as to what medical schools are looking for in their applicants.
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Emal Lesha, M.D.
Formerly at Tufts University School of Medicine Admissions
1 Year in Tufts University School of Medicine Admissions
Emal is a graduate of UMass Boston with a degree in Biology. He completed his MD from Tufts University School of Medicine. He is currently completing his residency in Neurosurgery at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center in Memphis. He has extensive research experience in biomaterial engineering, genetic engineering, and endovascular neurosurgery, and has multiple publications including in high impact scientific journals such as Science and Nature.
Emal served as an appointed voting member of the admissions committee at the Tufts School of Medicine, during which time he gained training and experience on medical school application review, interviewed numerous candidates, and reviewed hundreds of applications. During medical school, he worked closely with the Massachusetts Medical Society and American Medical Association, where he held national leadership roles for the medical student section. He served as a Research Scholar for TEDMED, where he evaluated potential speakers and biotech companies for TEDMED 2018, and has coached speakers for TEDx events. His hobbies are soccer and basketball.
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Pejman Majd, M.D.
Formerly at UC Irvine School of Medicine Admissions
3 years as Admissions Committee Member at University of California, Irvine School of Medicine
Pejman graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from the University of California, Irvine. Before entering medical school, he worked as a Neurobiology tutor, EMT, Senior Trauma Tech in a Level 1 Trauma Center, and co-founded the Irvine Clinical Experience (I.C.E.) program. He subsequently received his medical degree from the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine where he served as Class President, USMLE Step 1 tutor, and Admissions Committee Member. Upon graduation, he was presented with the Outstanding Graduating Student Performance in Anesthesiology Award. He is currently an Anesthesiology resident at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center.
Pejman has been a tutor and advisor to premedical and medical students for more than 7 years. As a member of the Admissions Committee, he reviewed applications, interviewed medical school candidates, and voted on applicants for admission to UC Irvine School of Medicine. In this role, he has reviewed hundreds of personal statements and applications, learned the unique intricacies of the admissions process, and used his expertise to mentor premedical students to successful matriculation at US Allopathic medical schools.
Ni Mummareddy, M.D.
Neurosurgery Resident at Vanderbilt University Medical Center
2 years in Vanderbilt School of Medicine
Dr. Mummareddy is currently a 4th-year neurosurgery resident at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in Neuroscience and Economics. Subsequently, he attended Vanderbilt School of Medicine, where he was awarded Gold Humanism Honor Society as well as the Hospital Award of Excellence.
His passion for mentoring started early as he was the eldest in his extended family. Growing up, he helped many of his siblings and cousins with college as well as medical school admissions. Dr. Mummareddy has helped with admissions for Vanderbilt University, the School of Medicine, as well as the Department of Neurosurgery. He focuses on learning about students in detail and helping them tell their stories in a thorough and unique manner.
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Devika Nadkarni
Formerly Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
1 Year as Admissions Committee Member for Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Devika Nadkarni is a graduate of Boston University with a degree in Chemistry. She worked in biomedical engineering and public health, resulting in numerous publications and presentations alongside public health professionals at the Geneva Health Forum. She began medical school at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York in 2018. During her medical school tenure, she has served as the Co-Chair of the school’s non-profit free clinic, worked for the Centers for Disease Control, and was inducted into the school’s Gold Humanism Honors Society. She is applying to the field of Emergency Medicine in 2022.
Devika has tutored and mentored high-achieving premedical and medical students since 2016. She joined Solomon admissions following being a part of Mount Sinai’s medical school admissions committee, where she reviewed applications and participated in admissions meetings for selecting candidates for admission.
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Jonathan Perez
Former Director of Medical School Admissions
Stanford University School of Medicine
Former Director of Medical School Admissions
University of South Florida College of Medicine
9 Years in Stanford Medical School Admissions
4 Years in USF Medical School Admissions
40,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Jonathan Perez has over 17 years of experience in highly selective admissions, pre-admissions counseling and admissions committee activities. He is a former Director of Medical School Admissions at Stanford School of Medicine and USF College of Medicine where he directed the day to day operations processes for MD, BS/MD and MD/PhD applications. He has evaluated thousands of applications, conducted admissions presentations to prospective students and parents, managed traditional interviews and multi mini interviews processes, and provided MCAT preparation guidance to pre-med students.
In addition to his former Director of Admissions roles, Jonathan served on the AMCAS advisory committee and collaborated in partnership with Deans of Admissions, Directors of Financial Aid, Diversity Affairs and Pre-Health Advisors to provide comprehensive admissions planning guidance to pre-med students and applicants in the process. He has counseled pre-med students from all backgrounds, including non-traditional, underrepresented, first generation and international students.
Julie Povick
Former University of Washington Medical School (UWSOM) Admissions Executive Committee member
1,000 medical school applications read and evaluated
Julie graduated from Antioch University with a BA/emphasis in Diversity in 2004. In 2006 she created an International Exchange program for physicians coming from around the world to observe and train in Seattle. The following year she created an observing program for students seeking careers in medicine and two years later, the program also included a mentoring program for diverse students needing a better understanding of how to succeed in medicine.
In 2013 she was recruited by the University of Washington’s School of Medicine to participate on the Admissions Committee. There she interviewed prospective medical students in Seattle, Spokane, and Idaho and later served on the Executive Committee where she was one of the final decision-makers for three incoming classes. She was on the committee for seven years.
For over a decade she created projects and hospital-wide programs that would give students the experience and knowledge that would improve their understanding of social determinants of health and their medical school application. Julie has a passion for assisting students with deepening their ability to reflect on their experiences and understanding the complexities and nuances of the interview process.
She has successfully advocated for foster care, homelessness, and Medicaid reform and has experience working with individuals who are neurodiverse. Julie is currently an Associate Professor at Shoreline Community College in the Post Bac program.
Jonathan Preminger
Formally at Hofstra-Northwell Admission
1 Year in Hofstra-Northwell School of Medicine Admissions
1 Year in Hofstra-Northwell 4+4 BA/MD Program Admissions
Jonathan is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University with a degree in Neuroscience. After graduating with Honors, he completed his MD at Hofstra-Northwell School of Medicine. Jonathan is currently a resident in Anesthesiology at New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell. He has published papers on infection prevention and quality improvement protocols.
Jonathan served as a member of the admissions committee at the Hofstra-Northwell School of Medicine. He was intimately involved in the application process, interviewing numerous candidates and gained extensive training in application review, both in holistic and MMI approaches. He has worked for multiple years as a medical school admissions counselor and has many successful applicants. He has read hundreds of applications throughout his time in medical school admissions. Jonathan has spent time in healthcare administration and intends to pursue this extensively after completing residency, giving him a unique perspective of the high-level changes in healthcare applicable to incoming applicants. Jonathan has also founded his own start-up company dedicated to infection prevention in the healthcare setting. He was the winner of Innovate LI, Innovator of the Year award for his work on the company.
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Ryan Sadeghian
Former Application Reviewer
University of Washington School of Medicine
Former Application Reviewer
St. George's University School of Medicine
Over a decade in Undergrad and Pre-Med Admissions. Dr. R. Ryan Sadeghian is a seasoned Medical School Admissions Advisor, bringing over a decade of experience in guiding students through their undergraduate and pre-med education. His unique background as a Physician Informatician, enriched by academic credentials including a Doctor of Medicine Degree from St. George’s University, School of Medicine, a Physician Executive MBA from Auburn University, and a Master’s degree in Biomedical Informatics from the University of Pittsburgh, equips him with a comprehensive understanding of the medical education landscape. Dr. Sadeghian has been instrumental in assisting hundreds of students in securing spots at prestigious medical schools across the US, Canada, and the Caribbean, including the University of Washington, St. George's University, Ohio State University, and McMaster University, among others. His experience extends to reviewing applications for various Schools of Medicine, such as the University of Washington and St. George's University, among others providing constructive feedback, assisting with personal statements, and guiding students throughout the application process. His commitment to enhancing healthcare value, quality, and safety extends to his work as an admissions advisor. Passionate about helping aspiring medical professionals navigate the complex admissions process and achieve their career goals, Dr. Sadeghian has served in leadership roles as a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, Medical Director of Clinical Informatics, and Clinical Student Academic Advisor (CSSA). His unique blend of clinical, technological, and academic expertise makes him a trusted advisor in the field of medical school admissions.
Patricia M. Soares
Former Assistant Director of Admissions at
Yale University School of Medicine
7 Years in Yale School of Medicine Admissions
Patricia is a graduate of Rhode Island College with a B.A. in History and The Ohio State University with an
M.A. in Higher Education and Student Affairs. Currently, she is an Independent Educational
Consultant. During her tenure as Assistant Director of Admissions at the Yale School of Medicine, she
counseled pre-medical students and career changers through each phase of the application process. She collaborated with the Associate Dean for Admissions & Financial Aid and Director of Admissions on all admissions committee related activities. Additionally she coordinated on-campus admissions recruiting activities and programs, and participated in the Biomedical Science Training and Enrichment Program (BioSTEP) Admissions Committee through the Office of Multicultural Affairs.
Patricia’s college admissions/enrollment management experience has allowed her to counsel thousands
of prospective applicants through undergraduate, graduate and medical school application and
interview processes. She has provided insight into what admissions committees are looking for as they
engage in the interview, review, and decision making process.
Dr. Alex Schupper
Fourth Year Neurosurgery Resident
Mount Sinai Hospital
Dr. Alexander Schupper is a fourth-year neurosurgery resident at the Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC. He grew up outside Philadelphia and went to Johns Hopkins for his undergraduate education, where he studied neuroscience and psychology and played collegiate baseball. During his time at Hopkins, Alex began mentoring students applying to college, as well as pre-medical students. He was involved in several pre-medical groups and taught multiple neuroscience courses as a teaching assistant. Dr. Schupper received his M.D. at UC San Diego School of Medicine, where he mentored pre-med undergraduate students at UCSD, and conducted malignant glioma research. Now back on the east coast, Dr. Schupper has continued his passion for academic neurosurgery, and balances a rigorous schedule between the operating room and conducting basic and clinical research in both brain and spine surgery. He enjoys getting to know his students, both in their curricular and extra-curricular activities, to help find the best fit for college or medical school. He emphasizes the holistic view of the applicant, to share their unique qualities to secure a favorable admission outcome.
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Jessica Tran
Formerly at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai FlexMed Admissions
3 Years in Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai FlexMed Admissions
Jessica Tran attended Tulane University on a full-tuition Posse Foundation Scholarship where she studied Public Health and Cell & Molecular Biology. During her undergraduate years, she founded an academic mentoring program for high school students and conducted health disparities research at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Neurology. She was accepted early to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai through the FlexMed early assurance program with a merit scholarship. Prior to starting medical school, she was awarded a Fulbright fellowship in Vietnam. She is heavily involved in medical education, helping introduce curricular changes within the third-year curriculum.
Jessica has served as a member of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Admissions Committee, including the FlexMed Admissions committee for multiple years. She has extensive experience providing mentorship and guidance to premedical and medical students and evaluating applications for admissions to medical school.
Cindy Tsui, M.D
Formerly in Admissions
SUNY Downstate COM
Cindy earned her B.A. in Computer Science at New York University while simultaneously completing her pre-medical studies. She graduated from SUNY Downstate College of Medicine in 2020, receiving her M.D. with Commendation in Investigative Scholarship. She is now an internal medicine resident at NYU Langone Hospital in New York.
During medical school, Cindy was selected to be one of four student voting members of the SUNY Downstate College of Medicine Admissions Committee. She interviewed candidates and reviewed dozens of applications. She also enjoyed interacting with hundreds of prospective students while leading tours and open houses, and she currently remains active in recruitment for her residency program at NYU.
Cindy has tutored students in various subjects for over a decade. Additionally, Cindy is a former instructor for SUNY Downstate Bridges to Medicine, a program that provides educational enrichment and potential medical school entry for socioeconomically disadvantaged and underrepresented minority applicants.
Cindy has personally experienced and overcome the challenges of becoming the first doctor in her family, and she is passionate about helping other students succeed. Cindy loves conducting research, publishing interesting patient cases, debating health policies, and writing medical narratives. In her spare time, she loves to hang out with her family and friends, sing, hike, travel, identify plant life, and learn new languages.
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Dillan Villavisanis
Formerly at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai FlexMed Admissions
2 Years in Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai FlexMed Admissions
Dillan Villavisanis attended Johns Hopkins University with the full tuition Hodson Scholarship and graduated with degrees in Anthropology and Medicine, Science, and the Humanities. As an undergraduate, he completed a year-long fellowship at the University of Oxford in Biochemistry where he rowed for his college. He was accepted early to Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai through the FlexMed program with merit scholarship. In medical school, he performed extensive clinical and basic science research, resulting in over a dozen published manuscripts and nearly six figures in research grants. He is a member of Young Leadership Circle for the international cleft lip and palate charity, Smile Train. He is completing a one-year Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Research Fellowship at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in craniofacial surgery.
Dillan has served as a member of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai FlexMed application committee, which provided insight into the nuanced and competitive nature of early acceptance M.D. programs. He has extensive experience with mentoring, application advising, and tutoring and is passionate about helping students achieve their academic goals.
David Voce, M.D.
Formerly in University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine Admissions
6 Years in University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine Admissions
David graduated with high honors from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a B.S. in Neuroscience. During his time at UCLA he was a teaching assistant for Chemistry where he was repeatedly recognized as a distinguished TA by the hundreds of students he taught. He subsequently graduated from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine with a MD. During his time at Pritzker he was awarded a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) research grant allowing him to take two years off to pursue neurosurgical bench research in the middle of medical school. He is currently a neurosurgery resident at Vanderbilt University Medical Center with plans to pursue a fellowship in neuro-oncology or skull base surgery.
David had extensive experience with medical school admissions during his six years at Pritzker. He was one of 9 fourth-year medical students selected by faculty to be part of the Admissions Committee, and has reviewed 500+ applications in the process. Additionally he has interviewed over 750+ applicants during his time at Pritzker, and worked closely with the Office of Admissions in coordinating interview days, revisit weekends, and the application process.
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Brian Wei, MD
Former Admissions Committee Member
Yale University School of Medicine
1 Year in Yale University School of Medicine Admissions Dr. Brian Wei is a highly accomplished medical professional with a passion for guiding aspiring physicians through the challenging process of medical admissions. Dr. Wei is a current medical dermatology resident at Georgetown/Washington Hospital Center. He earned his MD from the Yale University School of Medicine after graduating with distinction from Stanford University. At Stanford, he pursued a B.S. in Science, Technology, and Society, with a minor in Human Biology, showcasing his dedication to interdisciplinary learning. With a profound understanding of the medical school admissions process, Dr. Wei served as a member of the Admissions Committee for the Yale University School of Medicine. During his tenure, he played a crucial role in assessing AMCAS applications, conducting interviews, and providing informed recommendations to the Executive Committee to aid in admissions decisions. This firsthand experience gives him unique insights into the selection criteria and enables him to guide students effectively in crafting compelling applications. Dr. Wei's expertise extends beyond clinical practice and admissions. He has an impressive track record in basic science, translational, and clinical research, with several publications in renowned journals focused on dermatology, immunology, and infectious diseases. This extensive research background allows him to foster a deep appreciation for evidence-based medicine and innovation. Moreover, Dr. Wei has been an enthusiastic mentor throughout his career, dedicating more than 6 years to guiding and supporting high school, undergraduate, and medical students. His mentoring efforts have resulted in numerous successful matriculations to top MD programs, including Yale, Harvard, and NYU. As a tutor, mentor, and instructor, he empowers his mentees to excel academically, professionally, and personally. As a first-generation physician, Dr. Wei is committed to paying forward the valuable lessons he has learned on his own journey in medicine. He firmly believes in helping the next generation of future physicians chart their own courses, offering unwavering support and encouragement throughout the admissions process.
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Ryan Zahalka, M.D.
Formerly at University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine Admissions
2 Years in the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine Admissions
Ryan is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Pereleman School of Medicine, now continuing his medical education at Penn as an Emergency Medicine resident. He previously graduated suma cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Molecular Biology. In his four years at Penn Med, Ryan was deeply involved in the admissions process, serving one year as an applicant interviewer, and over 2 years as a full member of the medical school admissions committee. He also helped lead an Ivy League pre-medicine advisor summit, where he worked with the pre-health advisors of all eight Ivy League universities to better shape their advising methods to the changing realities of the medical admissions environment.
Ryan also has extensive experience as a tutor and mentor, with over 5 years of experience as a college, graduate school, and medical school admissions consultant, 6 years of experience as an SAT, ACT, and MCAT tutor, and 4 years of experience mentoring pre-medical students.