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. 

  1. Aid pre-medical students on their journey to medicalschoolacceptance. 
  2. Help strengthen their medical school application.
  3. Perform outreach to find opportunities for pre-medicalstudents.
  4. Prepare students for medical school by providing insight into the process of applying.
  5. Provide support and share experiences to help pre-medical students prepare for medical school.
  • Dr. Ghazal Javaid, 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. 
  • 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! 
  • Dr. Sarah Ahmed 
    Dr. Sarah Ahmed, MD MPH is currently a third year Psychiatry Resident at Saint Louis University (SLU). She will be starting a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) in the Summer of 2026. She's a St. Louis native who obtained her MPH at MIZZOU (University of Missouri-Columbia), then attended SGU (St. George's University in Grenada) for medical school. She enjoys sharing her unique journey from college, to medical school, to transferring residencies for those on their own medical training journeys. 
  • 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. 
  • Dr. Sarah Ishaq 
    Sarah Ishaq, DO is a first‑year PM&R resident with interests in sports medicine, pain management, and global health, particularly in the area of orthotics and prosthetics. She completed her medical education at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine.
    She is passionate about supporting youth and has served as an SAT tutor and a mentor for pre‑medical students through Evamed. 
  • Bassem Rafiq 
    Bassem is a first-year medical student at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine with a strong interest in Dermatology. Before medical school, he spent a year as a Research Fellow 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. 
  • 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. 
  • Dr. Neelam Khan
  • Mehak Ali 
  • Dr. Bukhtawar Waqar 
APPNA Med Connect — Mentor

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 

Chair Contact information: 
Dr. Ghazal Javaid 
(917) 834-8976 
ghazaljavaid98@gmail.com