The purpose of the APPNA Med Connect Committee is to help aspiring physicians to get accepted to medical school.
The APPNA Med Connect Committee aims to provide mentorship, resources/opportunities, and direct application services
to undergraduate pre-medical students who are applying/looking to apply to medical school.
- Aid pre-medical students on their journey to medicalschoolacceptance.
- Help strengthen their medical school application.
- Perform outreach to find opportunities for pre-medicalstudents.
- Prepare students for medical school by providing insight into the process of applying.
- Provide support and share experiences to help pre-medical students prepare for medical school.
- Dr. Ghazal Javaid, Co-Chair
Dr. Ghazal Javaid is a first year Psychiatry Resident at St. John’s episcopal, looking to specialize in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She attended Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine. She enjoys helping young and aspiring physicians find their unique path to medical school and beyond and has served as a mentor for May pre-med and medical students. - Bassem Rafiq, Co-Chair
Bassem is a second-year medical student at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his undergraduate education at the George Washington University, where he earned a degree in Public Health from the Milken Institute School of Public Health. Before medical school, he spent a year as a Research Fellow in dermatology at Non-Invasive Diagnostic Innovations in Skin (NIDI Skin), where he contributed to numerous papers, projects, and conferences. He is passionate about helping aspiring medical students navigate their path to medical school, and especially enjoys guiding those who are interested in getting involved with research. Already active in a mentor-mentee program at his medical school, Bassem is eager to extend that role and support others on their journey. - Hebba Ahmad
Hebba Ahmad is fourth year medical student at Rowan-Virtua SOM. She is beginning her psychiatry residency at Cooper University Health Care this summer and is passionate about providing accessible health care to underserved communities. By growing up in the Pakistani-American community, she has always been interested in destigmatizing mental health in South Asian communities and address unmet mental health needs. She is excited about having the opportunity to help pre-med and medical students on their journeys towards becoming the physicians they’ve always wanted to be! - Fihr Chaudry
Fihr Chaudhary is a 3rd year medical student at Western University looking to specialize in Emergency Medicine. He completed his undergraduate at UCLA graduating in 2022. Growing up in the Central Valley and frequently visiting Pakistan, he is passionate about global outreach and equitable health care. As the first born navigating the medical admissions process for the first time, he is passionate about guiding others and providing a sense of direction to help them accomplish their goals in healthcare. - Aleesha Zafar
Aleesha Zafar is a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Miami pursuing a career in medicine. She is currently beginning the medical school application process and is actively involved in clinical experiences and community outreach. Having just begun this process, she is hoping to guide and support students as they navigate their own path to medicine. -
Shazmeena Khattak
Shazmeena is a second-year medical student at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She completed her undergraduate studies at the George Washington University, where she earned a degree in Nutrition Sciences. She is passionate about mentorship and hopes to support students applying to medical school, especially those navigating the application process and structuring meaningful gap years.
- Umayr Raza Shaikh
Umayr Raza Shaikh is a rising fourth-year medical student at Georgetown University School of Medicine. He entered medical school after earning a Master of Public Health from the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice and previously studied Communication and Spanish at Butler University in his hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana. He hopes to pursue a career in dermatology and is particularly interested in the intersection of the humanities and medicine, a topic on which he was selected to deliver a TEDx Talk. Outside of medicine, Umayr enjoys Pokémon, Star Wars, and swimming. Inspired by his experience as one of the few competitive South Asian swimmers in Indiana, he is also the founder of Inspire SPLASH, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting water safety and aquatic competency in South Asian communities. - Alyan Zafar
Alyan is a first-year MD/MPH student at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He completed his undergraduate education at the University of Miami, graduating cum laude with degrees in Biochemistry/Nutrition and Philosophy while earning honors distinction for his research thesis. Alyan is actively involved in research with renowned orthopedic oncologist’s where he has contributed to numerous peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, abstracts, and ongoing research projects spanning cancer biology, orthopedic oncology, and clinical outcomes research. Passionate about mentorship and medical education, Alyan enjoys helping aspiring physicians navigate the path to medical school. Through MedConnect, he hopes to share the lessons he has learned and help students confidently pursue their goals in medicine - Aleena Saifullah
Aleena is a second-year medical student at the University of Louisville School of Medicine with interests in dermatology, nutrition, and health advocacy. During her gap year, she worked as a Clinical Research Assistant at Weill Cornell Medicine’s Jill Roberts Center for IBD, where she developed a deeper appreciation for the gut-brain-skin axis and the ways nutrition influences both physical and mental health. She is passionate about mentorship and community engagement, serving as a school liaison for Project H.E.A.L. and mentoring refugee students at Newcomer Academy. Outside of medicine, she enjoys yoga, mindfulness practices, and spending time with family and friends.
Mentor Application
Medical Student & Resident Mentorship Program
Thank you for your willingness to guide the next generation of Pakistani American physicians! Complete this form so we can match you with a pre-med mentee whose goals align with your experience and strengths.
Mentee Application
Medical Student & Resident Mentorship Program
Thank you for your willingness to guide the next generation of Pakistani American physicians! Complete this form so we can match you with a pre-med mentee whose goals align with your experience and strengths.
Committee Email: medconnect@appna.org
Co-Chair Contact information:
Dr. Ghazal Javaid
(917) 834-8976
ghazaljavaid98@gmail.com
Bassem Rafiq
Rafiqbassem@gmail.com
