PGY-0, Class of 2026
- Alexander Alvarez, MD, PhD | Arizona – Tucson
- Madison Ford, MD | Michigan State University (Grand Rapids)
- Meghan Kennedy, MD | USC
- Dania Maldonado, MD, MPH | UC Irvine
- Nabeth Midley, DO | Michigan State University COM
- Timothy Wiher, MD, MBA | UC Irvine
- Charlecia Williams, MD | Medical College of Georgia
- Serah Yim, MD | UC Irvine
PGY-1, Class of 2025
- Dristi Angdembey, MD, MPH | USC
- Kendall Frisoli, MD | Loyola University Chicago
- Cassidy Koo, MD | UC Riverside
- Sherry Reddix, MD, MA, MPH | Tufts
- Christina Sanchez-Grew, MD | Vermont
- Patrick Shibley, MD | UCSF
- Wendy Silva, MD | USC
- Eduardo Torres, MD | USC
PGY-2, Class of 2024
- Shelby Armstrong-Kager, DO | University of North Texas
- Rebecca Dehnel, MD | UCSD
- Jodie Guller, MD, MPH | USC
- Jovanny Lucero, MD | Tufts
- Samantha Mohammad, MD, MPH | UCLA
- Haley Oosterhouse, MD | USC
- Jessica Sokol, MD, MPH | Wright State
- Ashley Williams, MD | University of Washington
PGY-3, Class of 2023
- Valerie Burstein, MD | Ohio State University
- Connor Farrell, DO | Western University
- Guiyu “Lutetia” Li, MD | Case Western Reserve University
- Arissa Ma, MD | UCSD (chief resident)
- Jennifer Perdomo, MD | USC
- Julie Schafer, DO | Western University (chief resident)
- Andy Shen, MD | UC Davis
- Frank Valdez, MD | UC Davis
Dristi Angdembey, MD – USC
From: Kathmandu, Nepal and Cypress, CA
Why did you choose Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine as your training site? I was fortunate enough to have my MS3 OB/Gyn and Pediatrics at Long Beach where I met family medicine residents who were so enthusiastic about family medicine and the program. They had nothing but great things to say. Then during my fourth year interview season, I went to the in-person social and loved getting to know the residents and more about the program. On interview day, the faculty and the residents made me feel right at home. I just got the feeling that Long Beach was the right place for me.
Medical Interests: Family planning, reproductive justice, pediatrics, global health
Other languages spoken: Hindi, Nepali
Hobbies: Hiking, yoga, dancing, reading, cooking, traveling, spending time with my husband, family and friends
Fun Fact About Yourself: I’m a dog lover recently turned to cat mom!
Kendall Frisoli, MD – Loyola University Chicago
From: Thousand Oaks, CA
Why did you choose Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine as your training site? A family invested in the diverse eclectic community we serve, with a strong foundation in lifelong learning and academics, Long Beach Memorial stands for everything I am passionate about and more. Having the LGBTQ and Community Medicine tracks, in addition to global health opportunities, I mean, could it be too good to be true? LBM will therefore allow me to be me, growing into the physician I want to be. The opportunities are vast and at our fingertips. However, ultimate, my reason for LBM is “The Vibe”. At the social, I actually felt at home, comfortable, able to be my whole self. I made a friend and colleague for life (hey hey Shelby), and just knew. Then I did a quick visit in person with my dad, and totally jived with the vibe of Long Beach. Being in a colorful neighborhood, where I can meet and connect with my fellow LGBTQ community both inside and outside of the clinic, was vital to me. I fell in love with the sun, the sounds of the waves, and all the rainbows. I knew I could have fun, smile/laugh, and be all of me, while practicing medicine at Long Beach Memorial. Cheers to a beautifully colorful journey ahead.
Medical Interests: Holistic medicine (being open to my patients’ interests and preferred mode of healing, allopathic/osteopathic, homeopathic/naturopathic, western/eastern), music therapy (using music in my practice as a tool for mental health treatment), community medicine, global medicine, LGBTQ medicine, teaching/mentoring
Hobbies: Musician: singer/songwriter, playing guitar, music production, performing, stoked to discover all the open mics in Long Beach (check me out on Spotify: KENDALL). Outdoor adventures: jogging, hiking/trekking (usually getting lost to find the ultimate waterfall or view), kayaking, gardening, just standing outside and soaking in the sun, yes, the sun is a definitely hobby. Sports/games: volleyball, frisbee, table tennis, corn hole, spike ball, double solitaire, really any game/challenge. Traveling abroad: usually solo travel but currently working on traveling with companions (might prevent future motor bike accidents and tattoos). Working out and cooking without a recipe in the kitchen. Laughing, giggling, and laughing at my own jokes.
Fun Fact About Yourself: I have a birthmark in my left eye (not sure if that is medically accurate, but there is definitely something going on in my left eye). I’m getting a tattoo inspired by each place I travel…abroad, sorry mom.
Cassidy Koo, MD – UC Riverside
From: Rancho Cucamonga, TX
Why did you choose Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine as your training site? I chose Long Beach Memorial FM because of the awesome residents and faculty I met on interview day and at the social, the reputation of the program for providing well-rounded training, and the environment of encouraging residents to explore their special interests! I was excited about the tracks in Community Health, Family Planning, and Global Health. I felt that this residency program would help me become the type of family physician I have dreamed of being, within a supportive community and having fun in the process!
Medical Interests: Inpatient and outpatient medicine, pediatrics/adolescent care, family planning, community medicine and underserved populations
Hobbies: Traveling the world, spending time with my dog, hiking, enjoying the outdoors, trying new foods and restaurants, singing and playing the guitar, playing ping pong, lifting weights at the gym, and binge-watching new TV shows!
Fun Fact About Yourself: I have a 6-month-old pup named Dalmi who I adore! I have seen my favorite TV show Friends about 7 times now (usually have it playing in the background while folding laundry or doing things around the house). During the summer between MS1 and MS2 my partner and I backpacked for one month through five different countries in Southeast Asia!
Sherry Reddix, MD, MA, MPH – Tufts
From: Madison, Mississippi
Why did you choose Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine as your training site? One of the reasons that I chose Long Beach for my training was because of the unparalleled curriculum: ample tracks, RHEDI certification, and opportunities to develop and expand my own myriad of interests. I was also drawn to the racially and ethnically diverse patient population and the opportunity to care for patients from gender minorities and underserved populations. In addition, the palpable warmth, hospitality, and authenticity during all of my interactions with faculty and residents were influential in my decision. Finally, it was imperative to me that I trained at a program that would allow me to be unapologetically Black; I wanted to train at a program that not only tolerated my identity as a Black woman, but celebrated it. I believe Long Beach does just that!
Other languages spoken: French
Medical Interests: Reproductive and sexual health for Black women and other women of color, family planning & abortion care, social justice & health equity, addiction medicine & harm reduction, advocacy for underserved populations, trauma-informed care, community health, behavioral health
Hobbies: Experimenting with fashion, makeup artistry, hair styles, and nail designs; planning events and parties, staging table decor, and designing home interiors; traveling through Europe and South America in spite of my terrible sense of direction; teaching myself how to play my ukulele; shopping despite my crippling student loan debt #materialgworl
Fun Fact About Yourself: I love naming inanimate objects; everything that is special to me has a name. I memorized 150 digits of pi in 9th grade. I’m from Mississippi, but I don’t have an accent (sorry to disappoint).
Christina Sanchez-Grew, MD – University of Vermont
From: Malone, NY
Why did you choose Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine as your training site? I was looking for a program that truly provides broad-spectrum training, specifically in obstetrics and pediatrics, in a diverse city with a large Spanish speaking population, alongside supportive people who share a commitment to caring for our underserved community members. Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine Residency program really stood out to me because it has all of this and more. Every person I met on interview day was warm, welcoming, kind and enthusiastic, and it was apparent to me that we all shared similar values. As someone interested in procedures, having autonomy, and being heavily involved in patient care, I appreciate that this program is unopposed. I also really like the unique aspect of our program in which residents see all clinic patients in the ED; this emphasizes continuity of care and allows us to gain competence in taking care of our patients in any setting. I appreciate the flexibility within the program to allow us to tailor our training to our specific interests through the various areas of concentration and generous elective time. Last but not least, you can’t beat living in Southern California and being so close to the beach!
Medical Interests: Women’s health including obstetrics, pediatrics including adolescent medicine, community medicine, global health, mental health & addiction
Other languages spoken: Spanish
Hobbies: Yoga, longboarding, skiing/snowboarding, hiking, traveling, dancing, kicking it with friends, catching the sunset, eating delicious food!
Fun Fact About Yourself: I travel any chance I get and have been to 28 countries so far!
Patrick Shibley, MD – UCSF
From: Long Beach, CA
Why did you choose Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine as your training site? Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine felt like home to me for many reasons. Even over Zoom, I could tell that there was a unique family feeling here. The curriculum is incredibly well rounded with many areas of concentration and tons of elective time to pursue my individual interests. The patient population reflects the diversity of Long Beach, my hometown. Falling in love with the program at the interview day and social made choosing to come home to the community that shaped me that much more compelling. Now that I’m here, I am so excited to continue learning what it means to be a Family Physician while caring for a city I love!
Medical Interests: Palliative care, sports medicine, reproductive justice, community medicine, behavioral health, family planning, in-office procedures (everything really!)
Hobbies: Spending time with my family and friends, listening to audiobooks (sci-fi, fantasy, and Stephen King especially), video games, playing volleyball and basketball, playing guitar, keeping up with the Lakers and Dodgers, and watching TV!
Fun Fact About Yourself: I was actually born at Long Beach Memorial. I’ve also been a contestant on “The Price is Right.”
Wendy Silva, MD – USC
From: Los Angeles, CA
Why did you choose Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine as your training site? I chose Long Beach Memorial for a variety of reasons. Prior to my interview, Long Beach Memorial was already a strong contender because of its dedication to caring for a diverse, underserved population similar to the community where I grew up. I also wanted a residency program where I could have full spectrum training in a supportive and encouraging environment. On my interview day, I was blown away by how kind and inviting everyone was, and I could tell that the faculty and residents had great relationships with each other. I walked away from my interview day with that ‘gut feeling’ knowing this was exactly where I was supposed to be and I am so excited to be here!
Medical Interests: Women’s health, family planning, preventative medicine, community medicine, working with underserved communities, mentorship and teaching, and so much more!
Other languages spoken: Spanish
Hobbies: Spending time with my family and friends, board games (I can get pretty competitive), traveling, eating lots of yummy foods, and Netflix binge-watching while working on a puzzle
Fun Fact About Yourself: Even though I hate scary movies, I love to read a murder mystery or thriller novel, especially at night! I also love any and everything related to Disney and my goal is to visit every Disneyland around the world!
Eduardo Torres, MD – USC
From: Long Beach, CA
Why did you choose Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine as your training site? I was born and raised in Long Beach and have always called it my home. The opportunity to return and continue to learn from and serve the community that raised me is a dream come true for me. I have personal experience with family members being treated at LBM and they often comment on the wonderful care they receive during some of their most vulnerable moments. I not only chose LBM because it would mean returning home but also because of their strong commitment to serving diverse and underserved populations which closely mirrors my career goals. Furthermore, during my interview, I could instantly feel the tight knit community and supportive energy between the faculty and residents at LBM. I felt that the program would prepare me well to help whoever walks into my clinic doors in the future with their focus on comprehensive care. I was also attracted to the opportunities to participate in community medicine and mentorship programs. I am so excited for my journey with the Long Beach Memorial family!
Medical Interests: Community medicine, underserved care, working with pediatric populations, adolescent medicine, outpatient procedures, mentoring underrepresented minorities, and increasing diversity in healthcare
Other languages spoken: Spanish
Hobbies: I enjoy reading comic books and horror and fantasy novels, keeping up with everything nerdy (Marvel, DC, Star Wars, D&D, etc.), running and weightlifting.
Fun Fact About Yourself: You will often find me reading a novel, comic book and listening to an audiobook concurrently. I have a comic book collection that I started almost a decade ago that’s always growing. I’m somewhat of an amateur impressionist and can do a pretty convincing Goofy or Smeagol from Lord of the Rings among others.
Shelby Armstrong-Kager, DO – University of North Texas
From: Amarillo, TX
Why did you choose Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine as your training site? When it came down to choosing a residency program, one of my biggest priorities was to be in a culture that created a family-like feel and fostered a positive learning environment. Despite interviews being held over Zoom, I was blown away by how well the residents interacted with each other and how many genuinely positive things they had to say about the faculty and program. They not only emphasized the great, rigorous training but also how supported they felt every step of the way. You pair that with a progressive curriculum in an underserved community that offers areas of concentration in things that are important to me like LGBTQ medicine, community medicine, street medicine and sports medicine (to name a few, lol) and my decision to choose Long Beach was a no brainer. I could not be more thrilled to spend the next 3 years here!
Medical Interests: Integrative Medicine, preventive medicine, LGBTQ medicine, community medicine, street medicine & sports medicine
Hobbies: I love spending time with my wife, traveling and trying ALLLL the food, working out, and just about any outdoor activity. Our newest adventure is rock climbing!
Fun Fact About Yourself: My ultimate bucket list item would be to look down on Earth from space!
Rebecca Dehnel, MD – UC San Diego
From: San Diego, CA
Why did you choose Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine as your training site? Even before my interview, Long Beach Memorial had already checked all of the boxes I was looking for in a residency program: focus on underserved communities, a well-balanced curriculum, opportunities for family planning training, and a warm and welcoming learning environment (not to mention proximity to the BEACH!). Even in a virtual format, all of these characteristics came to life during my interview. Through meeting the residents and hearing how highly they spoke of their program, faculty and experiences, the family feel of the Long Beach Memorial FM Program really came through. I am so excited to be joining the LBM family!
Medical Interests: Family planning, gender-affirming health care, global health, refugee/immigrant health, community medicine, mentorship and teaching
Hobbies: Camping with our doberman (Adobe-Wan Kenobi), free diving, yoga/spinning, video-gaming, plant-obsessing & tennis-fanning
Fun Fact About Yourself: I grew up with four dogs, three horses, two goats, one brother and a llama, but no partridges or pear trees.
Jodie Guller, MD, MPH – USC
From: St. Louis, MO
Why did you choose Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine as your training site? Long Beach stood out to me from the very beginning. I had such a fantastic time on interview day and felt excited by everything I learned the program had to offer. I also saw myself reflected when I talked to the residents, which made me feel right at home. I even had “that feeling” people talk about, which I wasn’t expecting at all with our fully virtual interviews. I found myself comparing every subsequent program to this one for the curriculum, faculty and residents I wanted in a program. Throughout interview season it became clearer that this program uniquely offered the full-spectrum and community-based training I sought, with the ability to incorporate my many family medicine and public health interests into one residency experience.
Medical Interests: Pediatrics, adolescent medicine, women’s health, community medicine, health policy, public health & health equity
Other languages spoken: Spanish
Hobbies: Spending time with family and friends, trying new restaurants, cooking, traveling, picnicking & hiking
Fun Fact About Yourself: I saw the Cardinals clinch the World Series in 2006 at Busch Stadium (the peak of my St. Louis fandom)!
Jovanny Lucero, MD – Tufts
From: Lynwood, CA
Why did you choose Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine as your training site? I chose Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine for a variety of reasons, not the least of which are their commitment to underserved and marginalized populations, expansive areas of concentration (AOCs), and general warmth of the admin and current residents. I was raised up the street in Lynwood, CA, and am very familiar with the types of populations they work with, including the Latinx population, which I am passionate about serving. The program is also greatly involved with community outreach, including various pipeline programs, something I feel strongly about because it’s important for kids/teens to know that their hopes and dreams don’t only have to be only that. Last, but not least, what’s not to love about perfect weather, great restaurants and close proximity to the beach?!
Medical Interests: Underserved populations, academic medicine, preventive medicine, sports medicine and more!
Other languages spoken: Spanish
Hobbies: Cooking, hiking, reading (mostly fiction, lots of magical realism), playing basketball and tennis, board games (anyone up for some Settlers of Catan?), trying new restaurants & live music
Fun Fact About Yourself: I won “Deepest Dimples” in my senior year of high school, I can solve the Rubik’s Cube, and I collect records old and new.
Samantha Mohammad, MD, MPH – UCLA
From: La Puente, CA
Why did you choose Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine as your training site? Social medicine has always been a passion of mine, and as a family medicine provider I knew I wanted to train in a program that would allow me to learn skills to increase access for marginalized communities. From this it was important for me to train in an extremely diverse city and in a program that provided access to a wide range of opportunities such as serving at the Long Beach LGBT Center and family planning training that included abortion care. I also wanted to enter a residency that had tracks focused on community medicine and health policy to advance my knowledge of how to advocate across multiple levels. It also helped that, on my interview day, I remember seeing the residents hugging and playfully joking with each other in a way that felt genuine and very much like a family, which is exactly what I was looking for in my program.
Medical Interests: Health equity & social justice; women’s health & reproductive justice; adolescent medicine; gender-affirming care; community & preventive medicine; serving underserved populations; public health and increasing healthcare access for all; medical mentorship & education
Other languages spoken: Spanish
Hobbies: I’m obsessed with the outdoors and love hiking, backpacking, and rock climbing. In my lazy spare time I can binge watch TV shows like no other while crocheting amigurumi.
Fun Fact About Yourself: I am half Mexican, half Palestinian, and the youngest of 12 siblings. I am absolutely obsessed with dogs and a proud dog mom to my giant, 85-lb black lab/shepherd mix, Kona.
Haley Oosterhouse, MD – USC
From: San Jose, CA
Why did you choose Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine as your training site? I chose Long Beach Memorial because of the kind and passionate people I spoke with on my interview day, the wide variety of opportunities in my areas of interest and beyond, and the reputation of the program for having well-trained residents who are very happy. Also, the idea of living by the beach didn’t hurt!
Medical Interests: Sports medicine, women’s health, inpatient medicine, HIV medicine & community medicine
Other languages spoken: Spanish
Hobbies: Exercise and sports, cooking and eating out, traveling, spending time with my dog, friends and family
Fun Fact About Yourself: I was a swimmer for twelve years including college, and I was born on Friday the 13th (spooky!).
Jessica Sokol, MD, MPH – Wright State
From: San Antonio, TX
Why did you choose Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine as your training site? It was important for me to find a family medicine residency that would make me into the type of doctor I wanted to become. I found this at Long Beach Memorial because of their focus on underserved communities, healthcare policy, and LGBTQ+ medicine. I also loved the idea of working in a community hospital that focused on the unique needs of the community it serves. Despite all interviews and socials being virtual last year, I still felt so welcomed and accepted by all the faculty and residents and knew I had found my program and my people.
Medical Interests: LGBTQ+ medicine, HIV medicine, healthcare policy, community medicine, underserved communities & public health!
Hobbies: Netflix binging, hiking, swimming, non-fiction books, cooking & spending time with my sister!
Fun Fact About Yourself: When I was in middle school my mother, my sister and I taught cooking on our local morning show!
Ashley Williams, MD – University of Washington
From: Seattle, WA
Why did you choose Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine as your training site? I discovered the Long Beach Memorial program via the (virtual!) National Conference. They were a really positive, engaged, and organized group, and I came away from the conference really impressed and interested! I learned more about the program via the website and my interview day, and I was struck by what a robust training experience the program offered. It was important to me to choose a program that would both provide me with a strong foundation for my life as an attending and allow me further to refine and explore my personal passions (including health policy, behavioral health, youth health and family planning). My Long Beach interview day and resident social were among the most warm, relaxed, and fun I encountered on the interview trail! The fact that I could still get a sense of the “we’re a family” vibe of the program over Zoom made me feel like it would be a genuinely supportive place to train. I couldn’t be happier to be a member of the Long Beach Memorial team!
Medical Interests: Adolescent medicine, health policy, behavioral health, family planning, gynecology, preventive medicine and practical wellness for all!
Hobbies: Movies, books (reading them and pretending I’m a writer!), music (choral, Korean pop, reggaetón, the phantom of the opera soundtrack, salsa classics, hip hop, Hans Zimmer’s dramatic movie scores, Disney soundtracks), dance, cultural celebrations and festivals, Myers-Briggs, travel & time with loved ones!
Fun Fact About Yourself: I’m a Spider-Man fan, and I got to meet Stan Lee at Emerald City Comic Con one year! Despite my love for the character, I despise actual spiders!
Valerie Burstein, MD – The Ohio State University
From: Camarillo, CA
Why did you choose Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine as your training site? For me, it was important to find a family medicine residency that prepares residents to work in any type of setting for any types of patients. I looked for an unopposed residency in a diverse community with strong inpatient and outpatient training. Long Beach Memorial provided just that, along with a mixed feel of community and academic medicine. On interview day, I was surprised to see how friendly and enthusiastic the residents were about their program. I could tell that their unique interests were supported and valued by the faculty.
Medical Interests: Combined inpatient/outpatient medicine, academic medicine, refugee/immigrant health. Still exploring the many facets of family medicine
Other languages spoken: Spanish
Hobbies: Naturally competitive, I love sports, especially soccer and tennis. When I need to relax, I like to read, sip on coffee, and maybe do some yoga alongside my Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Fun Fact About Yourself: I like to travel and practice my Spanish. I have been lucky enough to spend months in Panama, Bolivia and, most recently, Costa Rica.
Connor Farrell, DO – Western University
From: Pleasanton, CA
Why did you choose Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine as your training site? I had the opportunity to do a sub-I at Long Beach Memorial during by 4th year of medical school. During my month-long rotation there were a handful of things I came to love about the program. First, the people were incredible! From the faculty to ancillary staff to the residents, everyone was kind, helpful and open minded, encouraged critical thinking/learning, and fostered a positive learning environment. Secondly, it checked all of the boxes I wanted out of a program: sports medicine opportunities through both an associated fellowship and area of concentration, a multicultural/diverse patient population, countless opportunities to be involved in the community through outreach programs, and an ultrasound curriculum. Because of all of this, I know that my experience at Long Beach Memorial will allow me to grow into the physician I want to be.
Medical Interests: Sports Medicine, Functional Medicine, Ultrasound, Health Policy, Healthcare Management and Administration
Other languages spoken: Spanish
Hobbies: In my spare time I enjoy CrossFit, watching and/or playing sports (go Niners, Warriors, Giants and Sharks!!), hiking, traveling and adventure photography (goes with the hiking and traveling). Sometimes I’ll also sit down and read a book too!
Fun Fact About Yourself: I have two awesome Australian Shepherds (Rufus and Remy) with whom I do all of the aforementioned activities. 🙂
Lutetia Li, MD – Case Western Reserve University
From: Shanghai, China
Why did you choose Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine as your training site? My interview at Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine gave me a warm and tingly feeling, the only time I felt this on the interview trail. After the interview I was extremely excited and also terrified that I wouldn’t be good enough, and those feelings sealed the deal! Everyone I met during interview day was beaming with energy and happiness. My interviewers expressed excitement about my application. The program presentation included everything I want from a family medicine residency, health policy, including LGBTQ care, women’s health, underserved medicine, global health, etc. I am especially impressed that the program already has a family planning curriculum, which was very important to me.
My partner’s preference was also a priority in deciding the program. Luckily, he also liked Long Beach the most among all the other places I interviewed so everything worked out!
Medical Interests: Immigrant/refugee health, preventive medicine, women’s health, family planning, gender-affirming care, geriatrics, palliative medicine, and so much more!
Other languages spoken: Mandarin
Hobbies: Currently I am working on making my apartment a comfortable place. I do little projects such as making curtains, cushion covers and decorations. I love learning new things and my newest goal is to learn surfing someday!
Fun Fact About Yourself: I dance Argentine Tango!
Arissa Ma, MD – UC San Diego
From: Fremont, CA
Why did you choose Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine as your training site? I actually decided to apply to the Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine program after reading about the residents on this website! After my interview day and post-interview dinner, everything I had read and heard about the residents and faculty rang true. I felt so warmly welcomed by both faculty and residents, and I could tell that everyone was truly part of a family here. In addition, the program’s curriculum and mission fit with all my career interests and goals – serving a diverse community, emphasis on full-spectrum training, community engagement, and strong training in all aspects of women’s health and OB. I knew that I would be well-prepared to pursue any career path I desired within family medicine with my training at Long Beach Memorial.
Medical Interests: Women’s health, family planning, OB, pediatrics, preventive medicine, mentorship/teaching and outpatient procedures
Other languages spoken: Mandarin
Hobbies: Cooking, eating, Netflix, traveling, cross-stitching, listening to true-crime podcasts, board games and spending time with family and friends
Fun Fact About Yourself: I studied abroad in Hong Kong in college and loved traveling throughout Asia!
Jennifer Perdomo, MD – USC
From: Los Angeles, CA
Why did you choose Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine as your training site? I first learned about Long Beach Memorial when my colleague, Susie Sandoval, matched at this exact program. Later, the Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine program hosted an ultrasound workshop at USC and I had a great time learning from the residents and faculty who came that day. When I learned more about the program, including the diversity of training and opportunities that are available, it quickly became a top contender among other programs and ultimately won me over as number 1. After my interview day I was further reassured of these sentiments. Every person that I met was so genuine and down-to-earth and each had such varying interests within family medicine. Further, they were all so welcoming, and I could tell they were supportive and a family. As someone who has interest in women’s health, reproductive rights, and mentorship I knew that this was the perfect place as it offered me opportunities within my interests (if you can dream it, they’ve got it!). I especially love that it is a community program and that I have the opportunity to have such a diverse patient panel. I look forward to meeting patients from all walks of life who will aid me in becoming the best physician I can be with the support of the Long Beach Family Medicine training program.
Medical Interests: Women’s health, family planning, community medicine, mentorship and pipeline programs for underrepresented minorities in healthcare
Other languages spoken: Spanish
Hobbies: Spending time with my partner of eleven years and family, trying new restaurants/food, eating my sister’s baked goods, yoga, and at home workouts
Fun Fact About Yourself: I have been fond of pandas since I was in third grade, when I wrote a report about them. I have a lot of random panda knick-knacks and even nicknamed my baby (due August, 2020) Panda puff.
Julie Schafer, DO – Western University
From: Mission Viejo, CA
Why did you choose Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine as your training site? During my Sub-I at Long Beach Memorial I was struck by how incredibly kind, supportive and fun loving the entire faculty, staff and residents are. I knew from my first few days there that it was a good fit! The learning environment is collaborative and the patient population diverse and in need. Beyond that, the program cares about its patients and residents and strives to improve care in a meaningful way. I felt like everyone really supported each other and valued teamwork. Long Beach Memorial FM also has the opportunity for further training in women’s health/OB while still training well-rounded physicians. I also thought how the residents would work up their patients in the ER before admission to be a unique and invaluable experience for training. Overall, I am so happy to have chosen Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine for residency.
Medical Interests: OB/Maternity care and women’s health, community medicine and underserved care, inpatient medicine, and preventive medicine
Other languages spoken: Spanish
Hobbies: Hiking and camping with my two dogs (Rufus and Remy), reading, baking, gardening and spending time with my family and friends
Fun Fact About Yourself: I taught a summer soccer camp with World Cup Champion Julie Foudy and I love to bake (and eat) pies!
Andy Shen, MD – UC Davis
From: El Monte, CA
Why did you choose Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine as your training site? I chose Long Beach Memorial because of the dedication to diverse, underserved communities, the well-rounded, full-spectrum program, and the kindness and support from the entire staff. With a variety of community outreach programs and initiatives to improve the Long Beach community it was clear that Long Beach Memorial would be a perfect fit for me where I can thrive and grow to be a family physician. During my interview everyone was so open and supportive that I felt connected to the residents and faculty, and I’m incredibly happy that I was matched at Long Beach Memorial.
Medical Interests: Family planning, women’s health, LGBTQ+ medicine, HIV medicine, transgender medicine, community medicine, underserved communities, palliative care, healthcare access, public health and many more!
Other languages spoken: Cantonese
Hobbies: Cooking, eating, badminton, reading fiction, anime/manga and volunteering
Fun Fact About Yourself: 12 years of perfect attendance in the El Monte City School District and El Monte Unified High School District.
Frank Valdez, MD – UC Davis
From: Baldwin Park, CA
Why did you choose Long Beach Memorial Family Medicine as your training site? When choosing a residency program I wanted to be somewhere in which the mission statement paralleled my own—caring for underserved communities similar to the one in which I grew up. What made LBM stand out among other programs was its strong training in my areas of interest such as mental health and LGBTQ+ medicine. Most importantly, I wanted to have a sense of family that I had during medical school at UC Davis. I immediately experienced that sense of family during my interview at LBM. Then, during my second look, I was welcomed back with tons of smiles and hugs. Despite not having a relationship with the residents, attendings and staff beforehand, I felt as if I was already a part of the LBM family and decided that this was the perfect place for me to thrive not only as a physician, but also as a human being.
Medical Interests: Underserved populations, family planning, LGBTQ+ medicine and mental health, among many others!
Other languages spoken: Spanish
Hobbies: Hiking, jogging, Netflix (drama, horror, independent films, docuseries), exploring new restaurants and spending time with my family and friends—especially my little niece, “Weasel.”
Fun Fact About Yourself: I wanted to be a writer growing up. As a child I was fascinated by R.L. Stine’s “Goosebumps” anthology series and TV show. I was inspired to write a book entitled Beware of Killer Trees for my “Mystery Horrors” book series in elementary school.