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Hi everyone! My name is Nathan Ramrakhiani, and I am a current medical student at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. I grew up in Palo Alto, California, and attended Brown University where I studied biomedical engineering. I love research, and have worked in a multitude of research areas (clinical, practice management, biomedical engineering device development) across 4 labs and 7 years. I am very excited about the intersection of surgery, technology, and clinical research, and am excited to be a member of the VISTA Lab! Outside of medicine, you can find me surfing, road cycling, hiking, or camping with family & friends.

I'm originally from Woodbury, Minnesota and earned my B.S. in Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. My passion for research began in labs focused on basic science and cognitive neurology. As I started medical school, I quickly fell in love with plastic surgery, a new interest heavily influenced by mentors from UCSF.

This passion inspired me to create transformative opportunities for medical students interested in plastic surgery. Through endeavors like establishing UCSF’s Plastic Surgery Interest Group, introducing a new plastic surgery focused outpatient clinic elective, and serving an administrative role at the Arthur L. Garnes Society, I'm committed to enhancing innovation and diversity within the field.

Now collaborating with Dr. Esther Kim to establish the UCSF VISTA lab, I hope to begin a new chapter of research productivity within the department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. Essentially, my goal is to share my enthusiasm for the field and ensure that other medical students have the resources and support they need to thrive on their demanding journey to residency. Beyond academics, I prioritize regular workouts and find joy from cooking traditional Nigerian dishes.

Hello! My name is Fabian Ramirez (he/him), and I am a first-year medical student at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. I was born and raised a Texan in my hometown city of El Paso, but I now call Los Angeles home. I attended Johns Hopkins University, where I earned my Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology. During my undergraduate studies, I completed basic science research centered around the investigation of cell migration signaling pathways, which taught me to harness my passion for science.

The field of Plastic Surgery draws me in because of the opportunities for creative medical interventions expressed through a blend of art, shaping, and science. I work towards serving as a physician – shaped by my heritage, academic passions, and insights from patients – whose drive extends beyond alleviating pain. Aside from academics, you’ll find me practicing the cello, painting/knitting, or going on runs in Golden Gate Park!

My name is Jacqueline Friskey, and I am a first-year medical student at UCSF School of Medicine, originally from Bowie, MD. My aspiration to become an oral and maxillofacial reconstructive plastic surgeon was inspired by my mother, who underwent thirteen reconstructive maxillofacial surgeries after two severe motor vehicle accidents. To advance myself towards this goal, I became actively engaged in surgical research during my gap years.

During my 2023-2024 gap year, I conducted research with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Cardiac Center. My focus centered on the Stage 1 Reconstruction for Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. In my 2022-2023 gap year, I served as a Measey Scholar at the Perelman School of Medicine Division of Cardiovascular Surgery. I worked a first-year surgical resident’s on-call schedule, traveling and scrubbing in transnationally for donor lung procurements. Simultaneously, I conducted three research projects with the Perelman School of Medicine Division of Cardiovascular Surgery. Our research efforts were dedicated to optimizing transplant outcomes for candidates with multiple risk factors 

Prior to my gap years, I graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry with Distinction. For my undergraduate research, I characterized the stability, thermodynamics, spectroscopy, and photochemistry of new phosphorous and aluminum-bearing molecules relevant to Asymptotic Giant Branch stars via high-level ab initio quantum chemistry methods to drive laboratory and observational detection.

My name is Daniel Rouhani, and I am currently a medical student at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. Originally from Athens, Georgia, I graduated summa cum laude from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Science in Genetics. Afterward, I completed a clinical research fellowship at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. I am particularly interested in the intersection between healthcare innovation, plastic surgery, and art

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I founded ExonScientific, a scientific visualization company dedicated to enhancing the communication of scientific discoveries through advanced 3D design. My work has been featured in Forbes and displayed on the covers of prominent scientific journals such as Science, Nature, and Cell. I am passionate about integrating 3D computational design into plastic surgery, with a particular focus on reconstructive and craniofacial applications

In addition, I serve as the Chief Scientific Officer at SYLKE Inc., a medical device company pioneering the use of silk fibroin biomaterials for wound healing. I oversee all research and development operations, manage clinical trials, and lead research collaborations with multiple academic centers across the U.S. I look forward to exploring plastic surgery at UCSF, blending innovative research with artistic design to advance the future of the field.

Hi! My name is Austin McBride (he/him), and I was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. I graduated UCLA with a B.S. in Physiological Sciences and a LGBTQ+ Studies Minor, and I am now a medical student at UCSF. I am drawn to plastic surgery, stemming from my interest in research of gender affirming surgery outcomes. I strive to become a gender affirming plastic surgeon in the future, however, beyond academics you may find me singing, watching CBS Survivor, or climbing!

Hello! My name is Laura Chen and I am a first-year medical student at UCSF and Bay Area native. After graduating from Swarthmore College in 2019 in Computer Science and Economics, I worked as a software engineer at IBM Cloud for two years before changing careers to pursue medicine. My research interests include machine learning in medicine and gender-affirming care. Outside of school, I climb, ski, surf, and spend time with family and friends.

Hello, my name is Jonathan, I use they/them pronouns, and I identify as nonbinary and queer. I am from the New York Hudson Valley and am currently a medical student at UCSF in a joint medical program between Berkeley and UCSF. I am interested in plastic surgery because I am interested in gender-affirming care for transgender and gender-expansive folks in my community. I am involved in the VISTA lab because I am passionate about ensuring transgender and gender-expansive access to affirming and excellent gender-affirming surgical care. Additional research interests include transgender mental health, which I focused on during my master's thesis, as well as LGBTQ+ HIV care, which I focused on while working on an HIV research study at UCSF before medical school.

My name is Angelica McDaniel (she/her) and I am a medical student in the UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program. I am originally from San Diego and went to undergrad at UC Davis to earn my degree in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior. Before medical school, I was a medical assistant for a Neurosurgeon which sparked my interest in surgery. Since starting at UCSF, I have been lucky enough to explore the field of plastic surgery and have fallen in love with the creativity and complexity it has to offer. My research interests include gender-affirming surgery, surgical access to care, and trauma-informed practices in medicine. Outside of the hospital, you can always find me kayaking around the Bay or at spin class!

My name is Abby Royfman and I was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio. The impact physicians have made on my life is the foundation of my interest in medicine. I realized I wanted to become a physician in high school, thus I embarked on this journey by entering an early admission BS/MD program at the University of Toledo. During my undergraduate years, I worked as a medical scribe, gaining invaluable insight into the physician's world. It was a neurosurgeon I worked with during my last year of scribing who introduced me to the captivating world of surgery. While working in the clinic, we followed up with several patients who had undergone surgery through a multidisciplinary collaboration between neurosurgery and plastic surgery; the positive impact it had on improving a patient's quality of life and helping them return to a new normal left a lasting impression on me. As I continued looking into plastic surgery, I became enamored by the breadth and innovation of the field and the positive impact it has on a diverse patient population. Also, as a self-proclaimed artist, the artistry at the core of the specialty really appeals to me. My research interests include breast reconstruction, nerve regeneration, and medical education. My passions outside of medicine include painting, ceramics, and exploring local restaurants.

Hi! My name is Andre-Philippe Sam, but most of my friends call me Andre! I grew up in the San Gabriel Valley, but have been living in Riverside for the past 5 years as I attended undergrad at UCR and am currently a medical student at UCRSOM. Previously, I had opportunities to participate in a Urology research internship at City of Hope, but I am excited to learn more about Plastic Surgery through this program! Some of my hobbies include cooking, mixology, thrift shopping, surfing, and playing pickleball. I also enjoy going out to try new restaurants and use it as inspiration for new recipes to share with my friends and family!

I am originally from San Jose, CA and attended the University of California, Santa Cruz for undergrad where I got my Human Biology BS and Sociology BA. My interest in medicine and health equity began there after volunteering at the RotaCare Santa Cruz Free Clinic where I was fortunate to serve a primarily migrant farm working community. My interest in research also started there as I gained wet lab experience researching nematode spermatogenesis. I'm currently interested in a career as an Academic Plastic Surgeon where I could combine my clinical interests with health equity. Outside of medicine, I love to cook, explore new restaurants, and attend music festivals. I'm also highly competitive and never turn down a volleyball or badminton game!

Born and raised in Arizona and California, I graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a degree in international economics and political science after transferring from DeAnza College. I had the honor of serving on Muir College's Student Council for two years. My dedication to service took me to Togo, West Africa, with the Peace Corps, where I also held the role of an editor for the West African Peace Corps magazine, From Farm to Market. Later, I pursued my MPH/MBA from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business. At the University of California, San Diego, I delved deep into my studies in international economics. With a decade of international experience in public health and health economics, I last served as the Division Chief for Monitoring, Evaluation, and Research in Abuja, Nigeria for USAID. Beyond my academic and research pursuits, I cherish moments spent with my family, love traveling, am an avid surfer, and am a loyal enthusiast at Orange Theory.

Currently, I am a medical student at Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Medicine. Here, I take pride in my role as a co-president for the Acute Care and Systems Strengthening in Low Resource Settings (ACCESS) Program. ACCESS provides students like me, with interests in acute care and surgery, a uniquational journey to grasp crucial knowledge for delivering care in low-resource and international contexts. My participation as a Canon Scholar at ASPS unveiled the wonders of microsurgery and craniofacial surgery to me. I am driven by a deep passion to amplify access to plastic surgery worldwide, to diminish disparities in global surgery accessibility through system-based strategies, and I am actively involved as a student volunteer with SHARE and the World Pediatric Project.

I grew up in Indonesia, China, and Singapore, eventually making my way back to the United States where I attended the Cleveland Institute of Music. There, I pursued a bachelor's degree in piano performance. My passion for music didn't stop there, as I later earned a master's degree in piano performance at The Juilliard School. However, I soon felt a calling towards medicine and decided to shift my path.

My research interests are deeply rooted in childhood development and quality-of-life measures. I've always been passionate about elevating education, whether it's for patients or fellow trainees. It was in medical school that I discovered the perfect fusion of my passions: plastics and reconstructive surgery. Now, as a fourth-year medical student on a dedicated research year, I'm honing my focus on patient education in breast reconstruction. My aim is to refine perioperative management for these intricate procedures, and I'm eager to dive into more innovative research projects across all subspecialties within plastics and reconstructive surgery.

When I'm not immersed in medicine, you'll find me exploring new piano pieces on my keyboard, crafting digital illustrations, or running around Golden Gate Park. In fact, if there's a flat terrain in the city, chances are I've run there!

I’m originally from New York City and moved to Oyster Bay, Long Island for high school. In 2020, I earned my B.S. in Biochemistry from Binghamton University and was involved in biofilms/microbiology research. Before entering medical school, I took a gap year and worked as a chemist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, GA. Currently, I’m at SUNY Upstate in Syracuse, NY for medical school and have been working on projects relating to aesthetics, general reconstruction, gender-affirming surgery, and education. In my free time, I like to ride horses, rock climb, and play the guitar!

I am from Los Angeles, CA and am currently a second-year medical student at UCSF. I graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in 2019 where I studied Psychological & Brain Sciences. After college, I worked at Weill Cornell Medicine for three years on the Anesthesia Trials Group assisting with several cardiac anesthesia studies. During that time, I also volunteered with Bellevue Victim Services Program as an emergency room patient advocate. In addition to working with the VISTA Lab, I am the Co-Lead Coordinator for Reach Out and Read at UCSF as well as a Co-Director for the Shelter Clinic. Outside of school, I love to go to concerts, snowboard, and jump rope! 

I am a second-year medical student at University of California, San Francisco. I grew up in Sacramento, CA but went east to Harvard for college, where I studied chemistry and neurobiology. I took two gap years before starting medical school to work at the San Francisco Department of Public Health on pharmacological clinical trials for people with substance use disorders and am very passionate about harm reduction. After beginning my medical education, I fell in love with surgery, especially plastic surgery, due to the breadth of procedures in the field, the technical expertise involved, and the opportunity to work with populations I deeply care about. I am particularly interested in gender-affirming surgery and am currently working on several research projects to understand and improve patient outcomes with gender-affirming procedures. When I'm not on campus, I love to stay active in the gym, play tennis, and I also play clarinet in the San Francisco Lesbian and Gay Freedom Band.

My name is Nina Mehta, and I was born and raised in San Francisco. I started my educational journey in a French immersion international school before heading to Brown University for my undergraduate studies. I graduated in 2022 with a B.S. in Biology and had the privilege of playing for the Brown women's basketball team.

Currently, I'm pursuing my medical education at the University of Chapel Hill in North Carolina, where I'm focused on dermatology and plastic surgery research. My passion for surgery is fueled by the collaborative nature of the operating room and the fast-paced environment it offers. Beyond the realm of medicine, you'll find me on the basketball court or indulging in my love for singing and playing the guitar!

I grew up traveling back and forth from the Antelope Valley in Southern California and Lima, Peru. After graduating from UC Riverside with a BS in Biochemistry, I gained valuable research experience, later becoming my grandmother’s caregiver, and eventually completing an AA degree in Fashion Design. Exploring the field of plastic surgery is truly eye-opening, revealing the exciting possibilities it offers in merging the worlds of medicine and art through surgical procedures. My areas of interest include addressing health disparities, global health, and improving medical education for trainees and patients. Currently, I am the financial officer and a coordinator for Chicanos/Latinos in Health Education, where I collaborate and create lesson plans for our bimonthly Spanish Lunch Talks. My mental health breaks include sewing, baking, swimming, running, and finding new boba drinks to try out!

I grew up in Huntington Beach, California and pursued my academic passions at the University of California, Irvine, majoring in Biology. During my time there, I delved deep into research projects focusing on molecular biology and genetics.

In college, I was fortunate to shadow professionals in the surgical field. Witnessing firsthand the transformative impact of surgery on patients — from improving mobility to alleviating pain — was profoundly enlightening. The complexity and precision of surgical procedures further piqued my interest in the field.

I've always believed in complementing theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience. I'm proud to co-coordinate the Plastic Surgery Interest Group, which emphasizes mentor matching, lecture opportunities, and mentorship for budding medical students. I also co-direct the Oasis Clinic, which offers minor procedures for wound care, furthering my practical exposure to surgical procedures.

My research interests lie in understanding and enhancing access, as well as fostering innovation in plastic surgery. Beyond the medical realm, I have a keen interest in international policy and humanitarian issues. Traveling is a passion of mine, allowing me to immerse myself in and appreciate the rich tapestry of global cultures.

I was born in Vancouver, BC, but grew up locally in East Bay. I attended Stanford for a B.S. in Biology, and an M.S. in Biomedical Informatics before moving 30 minutes up the Peninsula to the (sometimes) sunny San Francisco. My research focuses on data visualization and outcomes analyses. In my free time, I enjoy compiling my list of the city’s best coffee shops, photographing environments and architecture, and thrifting.

I grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and earned my BS in Biochemistry from Lehigh University. I'm currently attending Harvard Medical School and took a gap year between my 3rd and 4th years to obtain an MPH at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. My passion lies in improving health disparities both locally and globally. I've conducted research with the Division of Plastic Surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and have undertaken global research projects in Chile and Malaysia. Additionally, I'm involved in the HOPE Scholars mentoring program and have served as the recruitment chair for SNMA and LMSA. Outside of school, I enjoy running, painting, singing, and hiking.

I always sought out projects to do with his hands, starting from woodshop as a kid to ceramics and 3D sculpture as I got older. I enjoy the hands-on experience of surgery, the technical skills, and team dynamics of the field. As a visual person, I appreciate the ability to heal individuals both physically and mentally through surgical skills.

Originally from Mountain View, CA, I attended the University of San Francisco for my undergraduate education and worked at UCSF doing basic science research. I started medical school at Rush Medical College in Chicago in 2020 and found my passion for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. My research includes gender affirmation surgery, craniofacial/pediatric surgery, and breast reconstruction. Outside of research, I am passionate about mentorship and teaching. During my downtime, I enjoy hiking with my dog, cooking, and embroidery.