- Kelsey Endari
- Committee Chair
Favorite Strategies for Wellness: I exercise, use the Headspace app for guided meditation, and try to maintain an attitude of gratitude!
Career Goals: I haven’t decided on a specialty – so many great options!
Strategies for Maintaining Wellness in Medical School: I like to plan my days out and create checklists to manage my time and stay on track. This allows me to see where I can schedule free time and events to look forward to. Additionally, I typically meal prep on Sundays. Doing this provides me with nutritious meals and prevents me from eating out as much.
Hobbies: I enjoy reading, traveling, and catching up with friends and family!
Student Wellness Leaders
- Ryan Ajiganokar
- Programming Officer - Health and Wellness
Favorite Strategies for Wellness: I’ve always enjoyed making wellness activities a core part of my life. Whether it is working out, playing tennis with friends, or cooking a healthy meal, I prioritize my health throughout the week by planning. In medical school especially, it can seem like there is always something else to do; however, I’ve found that by making these activities non-negotiables, I maintain a more positive state of mind.
Career Goals: Currently, I envision my future medical practice having a mix of clinical, volunteer, and research-based components. While I have not narrowed my focus to a specific field, I am interested in practicing internal medicine, oncology, or a surgical subspecialty. Additionally, I have always been passionate about working with underserved populations and aim to become highly involved with my future community. Regarding research, I enjoyed previous translational oncology projects and would like to continue down this path.
Strategies for Maintaining Wellness in Medical School: The most helpful strategies that I have implemented in my first year of medical school have been to meditate, sleep well, and take breaks as needed. I am more enthusiastic when well rested and find that a clear mind often makes everything much easier to approach. Building strong morning and evening routines has also assisted me tremendously as they form a distinct buffer between rest and activity.
Hobbies: I enjoy taking time to run and swim throughout the week to stay active. I also try to get together with friends to play tennis or golf when there’s time. Outside of exercise, I enjoy reading books by the pool or watching the occasional television show. On weekends, I carve out time to experiment with new recipes and relax.
- Layla Nejad
- Class of 2023 Liaison
Favorite Strategies for Wellness: I’ve found that I am my best self both in the classroom setting and beyond when I am actively working on my physical and mental health on top of my academics. I love to take time to rollerblade with my friends (both human and four-legged companions), hike when weather permits or enjoy a book by the window during the rain. I am a firm believer that laugher does help cure all worries, and when I can’t laugh, I box. I also enjoy cycling when possible and winding down with a hot tea and my weighted blanket at night.
Career Goals: I have yet to decide on a specialty, but I know that I am passionate about serving underrepresented populations and promoting community health. I would love to continue to learn how to bridge health disparity gaps within our backyard communities and beyond.
Strategies for Maintaining Wellness in Medical School: Never be afraid to take some time for yourself! I’ve realized that in order to succeed as a medical student, it is imperative to follow a schedule and to take dedicated personal time away from classwork from time to time. Cooking and staying active are two simple yet great ways to take a break from school while also further taking care of your mental and physical health. I also think that yoga and meditation practices are great ways for medical students to wind down and destress.
Hobbies: I love finding new ways to stay busy while still in school. I recently learned how to cross-stitch as one of my latest arts & crafts ventures. I enjoy catching up on my reading list/listening to audiobooks when I can, especially during long drives. I enjoy traveling as much as possible and surrounding myself with loved ones while doing so. I also love learning about new ways to promote healthy mental and physical habits, so if you have any suggestions, come find me!
- Amanda Wheeler
- Student Liaison
- Layla Nejad
- Class of 2023 Liaison
- Briana Cortez
- Class of 2024 Liaison