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Student Wellness Leaders

Student Health and Wellness UTRGV School of Medicine

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Email: somwellness@utrgv.edu
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Student Wellness Leaders

Kelsey Endari

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!

Ryan Ajiganokar

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

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

Amanda Wheeler
Student Liaison

Layla Nejad

Layla Nejad
Class of 2023 Liaison

Briana Cortez

Briana Cortez
Class of 2024 Liaison

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