Thank you for participating in the elections for the 2016-2017 PMA Executive Board! Please view the profiles of the candidates below. Don't forget to submit your vote on Wednesday, April 6 at the Fourth General Meeting!
PRESIDENT:
Name: Lea Lacar
Major/Minor: Biochemistry
Career Interest: Physician
Number of Semesters with PMA: 6
Autobiography:
Hey, I'm Lea from Aiea! Just kidding, I'm Lea Lacar, legally, and I love alliteration. I've been in PMA since my first semester and I grow in love with it more every time. I've learned a lot about people and my intended career; I just get more and more excited to be a doctor one day! Labs at JABSOM are my favorite because we experience a medical environment first hand and this is a really important experience PMA provides, among others. Also, there have been such a variety of volunteer events I've participated in where I've met people from all walks of life who are always so grateful that we help. Their smiles are what continue driving me to reach my biggest dream to become a physician so that I can give my community the ultimate service of healthcare. My family inspires me to pursue a career in medicine since we’ve been through many obstacles and as a physician I'll be able to reduce obstacles for other families. I put my heart in my work. In addition, I love having adventures! When I overcome my stress breakdowns, I love to snorkel, search for elusive dolphins at sunrise, do possibly life-threatening hikes, experiment with my DSLR, read myself into another world, watch the stars, and actually enjoy life. Though relaxing is fun, I'm a firm believer in working hard to achieve my goals. I strive to do my best always and create a quality product with that effort.
Why are you interested in and why do you want to serve PMA in your respective officer position?
As president I can serve the members of PMA the greatest way possible. I hope to make the organization even more enjoyable as well as efficient since it’s been growing immensely. A club like this needs a strong leader who makes it easy to be a part of something so wonderful. As president I’ll use the connections I've fostered to get PMA more connected with other organizations. Using experience from Director of Community Service and other leadership positions, I can assist my fellow board members with their heavy workload. I’d definitely play an active role to make the club great.
What are your qualifications (qualities and experiences) for this position?
I'm very personable and outgoing. I like to make activities enjoyable as well as productive. If members would like to approach me with questions, it would be very easy for them to. I promise to have an open mind and heart. I'm also very flexible. As a leader, this quality will make it easy to collaborate with others. In addition, what makes me a good leader is that I'm a good follower. I'll listen to my peers and follow directions from other officers as well. I look at things from both sides and am committed to fairness.
For your respective position, are there any initiatives you would like to purse next year? Please list any goals or directions you would like PMA to pursue.
I’d like to help PMA become more efficient and organized. Though we’re so large, my goal is to get members to know each other and make the connections the club is intended for. I also plan to ease opportunities to attend events. I've noticed that many members aren't able to attend limited events due to the random selection and as a result aren't able to earn points. As president, I’ll work with the board to combat this issue to ensure that everyone has equal opportunity to be involved and not be discouraged from participating.
VICE PRESIDENT:
Name: Abraham Kwan
Major/Minor: Molecular Bioscience and Biotechnology
Career Interest: Physician: Cardiology/Cardiac Surgeon
Number of semesters with PMA: 6
Autobiography :
I was born and raised in Waipahu, Hawaii on the island of Oahu. As an alumnus of Moanalua High School, I am currently in my third year at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Outside of school I enjoy hanging out, going to the beach, playing tennis, and Chinese lion dancing.
I first decided to go into medicine after competing in a science competition called Science Olympiad. Within that competition, I was required to learn about the anatomy of the human body, specifically the circulatory and nervous system, and I grew to love reading about those topics. It was something I didn’t mind spending my free time to learn about, and as a middle school kid it was tough to keep my attention on something for long. I continued through high school with same ambition, but at the same time keeping my options open with other careers like engineering and research.
My mind kept rebounding back to medicine as it was a career I could see myself excited to go to work every day to help others get back on track with their own lives. It involved topics I would enjoy learning about. I can make a difference, and I could see myself spending the next several decades of my life doing that job.
Why are you interested in and why do you want to serve PMA in your respective officer position?
I decided to run for vice president of the Pre-Medical Association because I really enjoy all that PMA has provided me so far. I received the opportunity to contact, interact, and connect with current and potential medical professionals all over Hawaii. These are people I would work with in the future as I do plan on practicing in Hawaii after I graduate medical school and finish residency. As an officer, I can ensure the club continues to grow to give more pre-medical students opportunities to achieve their goal of working in the medical field.
What are your qualifications (qualities and experiences) for this position?
Serving as the Vice President of PMA, it has taught me many essential skills for serving as a leader of this club. I’ve worked with fellow board members to help them complete their duties in addition to completing my own, so I can take these skills with me into my position next year. Although, I know it would take up a lot of time and effort, and I am willing to sacrifice some time to make sure this club continues to be as great as when I first joined.
For your respective position, are there any initiatives you would like to purse next year? Please list any goals or directions you would like PMA to pursue.
I would like the opportunity to finish what I proposed last year to the members: “I want to find a way to connect more pre-medical students to the hospitals. I find it important for medical school applications, but more importantly, for pre-med students to see what really occurs in a hospital. They need to see what the life of a doctor really is and determine if medicine is the right career path for him/her.” The biggest challenge this year was the great influx of members, but now that I have gotten the hang of the position I would have the ability to focus more on this program and establish something future members could look forward to.
Name: Nicholas Muneno
Major/Minor: Microbiology
Career Interest: Primary Care/Family Medicine
Number of semesters with PMA: 2
Autobiography :
My name is Nicholas Muneno and I was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. I graduated from Punahou High School and am now a Junior at the University of Hawaii at Manoa studying Microbiology. I found my passion for medicine through my father, who at a young age introduced me to pharmaceutical and herbal medicine when I fell ill. From then on, I wanted to know how the human body functioned and more importantly, how to cure illnesses and ailments. This interest launched me into my path towards a profession in the field of medicine and ultimately into my voluntary interests. Community service was always something I loved because it's the simplest form of selflessness that we can provide for others at anytime in our lives. I believe that it not only defines you by teaching you patience and kindness, but also is pivotal for those wishing to go into a medical profession due to the amount of defining life lessons you can learn from each unique experience. I truly enjoy each event I'm invovled in, and enjoy making people feel welcome and happy. I was so glad to have found PMA last semester, as I believe that our association truly fulfills all the criteria in order to help me grow as an individual, yet also feel included and welcome like a family member. I hope to spend the rest of my time with PMA making others feel the same warmth and devotion towards others and the field of medicine.
Why are you interested in and why do you want to serve PMA in your respective officer position?
I believe that I can not only continue to carry on the inspiring family oriented nature of our association, but also further motivate and guide my fellow peers towards their desired medical profession. I may not understand everyone's path towards medicine, but I know that everyone in our association has the capability to achieve their dream profession. I want to progress our members so that they not only build their resume, but also grow as individuals. Through working closely with the President and ensuring the wellbeing of members and the board, I hope to achieve this for PMA.
What are your qualifications (qualities and experiences) for this position?
Although my time spent with PMA has been brief, I wanted to ensure that I made a large impact on the club whenever I was able. I'm truly passionate in being involved with PMA and wish to maintain an exciting and goal-achieving environment. I have experience in coordinating large groups of individuals through my Co-Lead position with PIH, and also can work with a dedicated board of officers concisely, yet understanding of everyone's opinion through the Community Service Committee. I'm intensely motivated to help members towards their profession, and am determined to see the achievement of members in the future.
For your respective position, are there any initiatives you would like to purse next year? Please list any goals or directions you would like PMA to pursue.
I want to ensure that our members are on the right path towards medical school, which is why I want to start a Research Program Initiative and give everyone more opportunities to network with medical communities. Since research is often an overlooked commitment that is rather daunting to some, I want to form PMA into an atmosphere where we can guide those interested in research to obtain the positions and projects they want to be involved in. Similarly, I want to continue to connect PMA closer to JABSOM and the programs the medical school has to offer in the future.
SECRETARY:
Name: Krissen Lee
Major/Minor: Biology, Minor in Business Administration
Career Interest: Dermtology or Internal Medicine
Number of semesters with PMA: 4
Autobiography :
I enjoy playing tennis, hiking, working out, reading, and shopping. During my two years in PMA so far, I have been very active and I also currently serve on the board as the secretary. We made some improvements this year, such as creating sign-up slips for the members to sign-up for events instead of having them rush and wait in lines after the meeting. I enjoy finding ways to make things easier for our members and I make sure they are getting the right information. PMA is very fun and I would like to be the secretary so that I can continue serving the club and so I can hopefully help make PMA awesome for everyone next year.
Why are you interested in and why do you want to serve PMA in your respective officer position?
I am interested in being the secretary for PMA because I like to be very involved in the organizations I am a part of, and being on the board will allow me to take on a more active role. As the current secretary of PMA, I want to continue to be a part of the board because I know what the role entails and how to complete my tasks. I feel that the work I do as secretary benefits a lot of people, and I want to be able to do that next year as well.
What are your qualifications (qualities and experiences) for this position?
I would make a great officer because I am very dedicated. I am very willing to help in any way possible and I am quite altruistic because I often put PMA business before my classes because I feel it benefits more people instead of just myself. I am also qualified for this position because I am the current secretary and I already know how to take minutes, create the Vital Signs, make flyers, make and distribute the event sign-ups, create the Master/Point File, etc.
For your respective position, are there any initiatives you would like to purse next year? Please list any goals or directions you would like PMA to pursue.
Next year, I would like to complete and send out the event sign-ups at least one week after the general meeting. That way, the respective officers will be able to plan better, and the emails they send out shouldn’t be late. As a whole, I would like PMA to connect students more with health professionals.
Name: Erica Shin
Major/Minor: Molecular and Cell Biology
Career Interest: Pediatric Anesthesiologist or Pediatric Cardiologist
Number of semesters with PMA: 1
Autobiography :
Hey everone! My name is Erica and I am currently a Sophomore majoring in Molecular and Cell Biology. I was born and raised on Oahu and graduated from Kalani High School before attending UH Manoa. I love to play piano and soccer (even though I'm not really good at either and I think I'm known for always being hungry even if I just ate a full meal. Ever since I was younger, I've always had the desire to become a physician but I wasn't sure why until the summer before my freshman year at UH where I was part of the HPH summer internship. I was placed in the surgery department and switched between the pre-op and the OR and got a chance to follow a pediatric Anesthesiologist. There was a specific child patient that was in alot of pain prior to their surgery but the way the physician interacted with the child and provided them comfort and assurance was really inspiring and that's when I realized that being a physician is more than just providing healthcare, it is also to be a support system and providing people comfort. I've always had a lot of compassion for individuals and I think that is where my devotion in helping people derives from. I really enjoy volunteering, especially in events that involve helping kids, and interacting with different people. After graduating from UH, my main goal is to attend medical school and specialize in pediatrics so that I can continue to help children and their families. During my free time, I really enjoy watching netflix (friends and grey's anatomy is life) or just hanging out with my friends and family. Interesting fact: I was born right-handed but I switched to writing with my left hand in Kindergarten.
Why are you interested in and why do you want to serve PMA in your respective officer position?
I chose to run for Secretary because I am all about organization and I feel that this position is ideal for such a characteristic. Having the opportunity to serve as a PMA officer would give me the opportunity to extend my involvement in the club. I feel that challenging myself with the responsibilities of an officer would help me to improve my leadership skills, my social skills and give me the chance to enhance the experience of other PMA members just like how the current officers have done for me. PMA is not only a club to give back to the community, it is a place for members to socialize and build relationships. I hope that if given the position, I am able to collaborate with other officers and improve the overall experience for all PMA members.
What are your qualifications (qualities and experiences) for this position?
I've held various leadership positions both in and out of school and I believe those experiences really helped me to grow as an individual and a leader. In high school, I was an officer for different clubs including the National Honor Society and the Interact Club. I also helped lead a CPR event (tied with the American Heart Association) for difference audiences as a part of my Health Occupations class where I collaborated with a group of my classmates to teach CPR to middle school and high school students. This event required alot of planning and organization with the members of the CPR team, the faculty of different schools, etc. so I am definitely aware of what goes on when holding leadership positions. As an officer, I would always be open to the opinion of my fellow PMA members and really try to advocate for them. I believe that my motivation, cooperation and responsibility enables me to be a qualified officer and my organization and attention to detail makes me a great candidate for Secretary.
For your respective position, are there any initiatives you would like to purse next year? Please list any goals or directions you would like PMA to pursue.
The Secretary position deals alot with keeping records and keeping track of all the activites between members and the officers. The system that PMA has is already outstanding but I will definitely try to find ways to improve such as advertising for PMA more to expand our club or working with the webmaster to make information regarding the club more accessible via Internet (since technology is so popular). It would be my goal to make all documentary processes as simple and easy for all PMA members especially in terms of signing up for events or keeping track of their points. Also, for the club in general, I really want to set up events that focus on new members so that they are encouraged and welcomed to join PMA. Finally, I would really like to see PMA coordinate some physician shadowing opportunities or a trip to a neighbor island for bonding and also to visit other hospitals or healthcare facilities outside of Oahu.
TREASURER:
Name: Jessica Cabusog
Major/Minor: Biology
Career Interest: Pediatrics/Geriatrics
Number of semesters with PMA: 4
Autobiography :
My name is Jessica Cabusog and I am currently a sophomore, majoring in B.S. Biology. I have been a part of the Pre-Medical Association for 4 semesters now. Being a part of this organization paved the way for many of the friendships and experiences I have now. Having the chance to also serve as an officer this past year provided me with invaluable life skills. In terms of hobbies, I enjoy reading a book under a tree or in my car at the park. I like to binge watch home renovation shows because I am addicted to seeing those awesome final transformations. I find happiness in listening to music that makes me think about life while driving at night. Solitude is wonderful, but I also enjoy getting to know people on a personal level and discovering who they are.
Why are you interested in and why do you want to serve PMA in your respective officer position?
I am interested in becoming Treasurer again because I feel that I am the only one in the organization who is aware of everything that needs to be done and knows how to go about accomplishing them.
What are your qualifications (qualities and experiences) for this position?
Seeing as how I was the Treasurer this school year and organized many successful fundraisers, I feel that I am very qualified for this position. I have presented in front of ASUH and SAPFB countless times to get funding for our general meetings, banquets, medical education events, etc. I am also aware of all the paperwork that's involved and who to get signatures from.
For your respective position, are there any initiatives you would like to purse next year? Please list any goals or directions you would like PMA to pursue.
I am considering dropping the 100 Fundraising Point requirement to 80 Fundraising Points because I realize how difficult it can be to obtain. Something I would like to see PMA pursue is more hands on medical activities.
Name: Gabriella Jelffs
Major/Minor: Biology
Career Interest: Medical Doctor
Number of semesters with PMA: 1
Autobiography :
I am currently a freshman biology major, and have dreamt of becoming a doctor ever since I was about five years-old. I was born in England, and lived in San Francisco, Chicago, and moved to Hawaii about eight years ago. I went to high school at St. Andrew’s Priory School, and graduated in the spring of 2015. In my spare time, I enjoy Tahitian dancing, reading, swimming, volunteering, and spending time with friends and family. I joined PMA last semester, and achieved active status. I have enjoyed the events, learning opportunities, and friendships PMA has offered over the past semester and a half, and I feel that it has significantly enriched my college experience. I particularly enjoyed participating in the Pet Walk and Leahi Hospital Halloween Fest, and have been glad to have the opportunity to give back to the community and learn about unique medical topics. By joining the PMA student council, I hope to contribute to event planning, network with other medical professionals, and gain leadership experience.
Why are you interested in and why do you want to serve PMA in your respective officer position?
I would like to become the PMA treasurer because it would be a wonderful opportunity to get involved in the community and gain leadership experience. I have past experience being a member of the high school student council; it was very fun to be a part of the planning and organization needed for different events. This is good position for me because I was the treasurer in my senior year of high school, so I already know how to successfully raise and maintain funds.
What are your qualifications (qualities and experiences) for this position?
I was the treasurer during my senior year of high school, which taught me a lot about budget maintenance, fundraisers, and teamwork. I regularly had meetings with the other members of the student council, in which we would organize events, such as graduation. I also lead the fundraising committee, which taught me how to organize and collaborate with others to effectively raise money. I learned a lot about profit-margins, how to select the best fundraiser, and how to balance the account. I am well-organized, friendly, and work well in a team.
For your respective position, are there any initiatives you would like to purse next year? Please list any goals or directions you would like PMA to pursue.
I recommend improving some of the fund-raisers. For example, Krispy Kremes have a reasonable profit margin, but when every club sells them every other week, demand is low. Sales-based fundraisers are only so effective, as many customers don’t want to wait three weeks to pick up their goods, and typically feel the prices are too high. There are other potential fundraising options, such as paid service-based fundraisers. An example is the Mattson beach cleanup fundraiser, which pays about $1000 for a few hours of beach cleaning.
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SERVICE:
Name: Lindsey Miyamoto
Major/Minor: Biology
Career Interest: General Practitioner, Dermatologist, or a Pediatrician
Number of semesters with PMA: 2
Autobiography :
My name is Lindsey Miyamoto and I am currently in my 3rd year working to get my Bachelors of Arts in Biology. So far, I have been in the Pre-Medical Association for 2 semesters. Being in this club not only exposed me to new opportunities in the Health field, but also exposed me to new friendships and experiences.
Recently, I planned a baby shower with the March of Dimes. At the preparation and shower, I was so inspired by everyone in the club because when we were given a task to complete, everyone help out and took initiative when it was necessary. Watching this happen, made me realize how wonderful volunteering can really be, especially when you are with your friends.
Why are you interested in and why do you want to serve PMA in your respective officer position?
I am interested in running for the Director of Community Service position because, as cliché as it may sound, I love helping people. I have served the club and its members for the past year on the community service committee and have learned the dynamics of the position. I understand that, if elected, the position will demand time and commitment and knowing that, I am willing to invest myself as I have been for the past year.
What are your qualifications (qualities and experiences) for this position?
As I mentioned previously, I am currently on the community service committee for the Pre-Medical Association. I have co-planned and planned many events over the past year, such as the March of Dimes Governor’s Ball, Baby Shower, and Baby Shower Prep, MDA Muscle Walk of Hawaii, and CSFP Senior Food Box Packing.
From kindergarten to my senior year in high school, I was actively involved with the Na Aikane 4-H club and the Maui 4-H Organization. I learned how to manage multiple positions, ranging from President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and a member. Through those experiences, I was able to assimilate the viewpoints and importance of everyone involved in the club. Additionally, I was given the opportunity to plan and run service projects that benefitted the community and other 4-Hers, to conduct official meetings, and to plan fundraising events.
For my four years of high school, I was also actively involved in the Baldwin High School Key Club. Being on the board, as the Vice President of Finance, I was given the opportunity to plan events and to encourage people to get involved.
I have been volunteering and planning volunteer events for many years and am looking forward to more!
For your respective position, are there any initiatives you would like to purse next year? Please list any goals or directions you would like PMA to pursue.
Personally, I learn and enjoy events more when I am physically doing something. That is why, I would like to plan hands-on volunteer events where everyone is involved and interacting, whether it is with a person, animal, and/or each other. I want to provide a diverse list of volunteer options that are tailored to different health fields. Since we are all pursuing different paths, I want to provide a variety of events that members can get involved with and possibly invest themselves with in the future. With that in mind, I realize that everyone is different and that is why I would like to send out a survey that will help me understand what everyone wants to gain from being in PMA.
College is a stressful time and that is why I want to provide many opportunities for everyone to be involved. With most members juggling with work, school, and extra curricular activities, I want to be able to offer them a selection of events that work with their schedules.
DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL EDUCATION:
Name: Charles Kim
Major/Minor: Psychology
Career Interest: Physician (primary care), Psychologist (forensic or clinical)
Number of semesters with PMA: 6
Autobiography :
I was born and raised in Maui where I graduated from Henry Perrine Baldwin High school. In my sophomore year in college here in UH Manoa, I decided to take up pre-med and became a member of PMA. Being in PMA exposed me to tons of healthcare fields not including medicine, which allowed me to critically think about what I want to become. I found the Medical Education events to be the most significant to me because it directly taught me important information about medical related topics. This prompted me to become part of the newly formed Medical Education Committee where I got experience doing the work of the Director of Medical Education. After the previous Director graduated, I decided to step up and be one of the leaders for PMA. During my time as the Director of Medical Education, I learned much about being a leader (this was my first serious leadership role) and how important my decisions can be in affecting the club's outcome. Although I am not sure about continuing pre-med now, I still want to help PMA grow while I am still here, and help those on the path of becoming healthcare providers.
Why are you interested in and why do you want to serve PMA in your respective officer position?
I want to serve as the Director of Medical Education in order to keep giving the club members more information on relevant topics that will affect them in their future. I now understand how difficult it is to be on the pre-med path and it can be discouraging, so I want to help as much as I can in further educating the club members in hopes to keep them motivated in becoming a healthcare provider.
What are your qualifications (qualities and experiences) for this position?
I am very friendly which makes me approachable for any questions or concerns. I do my best to work with others and make sure that the people I work with are all okay with what we are planning, and if they are not okay, I do whatever I can to compromise with them. I take any criticism into consideration and figure out ways to better myself. I also have experience as the Director of Medical Education in which I am very familiar with the duties and tasks I would need to do if I become the Director again.
For your respective position, are there any initiatives you would like to purse next year? Please list any goals or directions you would like PMA to pursue.
As the Director right now, I was not able to form events based around surgery which is a very important topic, so I hope to explore the possibility of getting more surgery related events aside from the suture lab event hosted by MSMP (Medical Student Mentorship Program). Although I am the liaison for MSMP and PMA, I was not able to make a big impact in getting them to be more connected, so I hope to build up that connection more since MSMP's members tend to be in PMA as well.
DIRECTOR OF STUDENT RELATIONS:
Name: Torbjoern Nielsen
Major/Minor: Molecular and Cellular Biology
Career Interest: Orthopedic Physician
Number of semesters with PMA: 4
Autobiography :
My name is Torbjoern Nielsen and I am currently a Junior pursuing a Bachelors of Science in Cellular & Molecular Biology. I graduated from Kalani High School and will be graduating from UH Manoa in Spring 2017. I divide my time between working and studying, using what time I have left to go to the gym. I have been active in PMA for three semesters and am currently working towards being active in a fourth. In PMA I have gained valuable information and insight into a career in medicine through various events including guest speakers and fundraising opportunities. I've met various people from different backgrounds who are all pursuing a similar career. My favorite as well as least favorite event would be the car washes. I say this because I appreciate how so many people show up and work together but at the same time the grueling sun shows no mercy. From my experience in PMA, people don't mention so much the benefits of being in PMA but rather the fact that being in the club carries weight towards an application or resume. I hope to change that with the upcoming semesters.
Why are you interested in and why do you want to serve PMA in your respective officer position?
I am interested in serving as PMA's Director of Student Relations because of the size of the club and events that I wish we had. The size of the club has gotten much larger over the past two semesters which I feel has created cliques and distance between most of the members. Everyone in PMA is pursuing a similar career path and I definitely think that that should be capitalized on and taken advantage of. I would like to take up this position because I think that bringing everyone closer together would benefit them much more than they think.
What are your qualifications (qualities and experiences) for this position?
I was the treasurer during my senior year of high school, which taught me a lot about budget maAs a person I am friendly, outgoing, and extremely motivated when faced with challenges and opportunities. I enjoy bringing people together and helping out to whatever extent I can. I have participated in multiple summer leadership positions at the local YMCA and am currently an Organic Chemistry Teaching Intern. This position translates directly to being the Director of Student Relations because it involves doing work on your own time, providing extra tutoring sessions, and relating to students. By relating to students, you make them more open to ask for help which I feel would work the same for PMA.intenance, fundraisers, and teamwork. I regularly had meetings with the other members of the student council, in which we would organize events, such as graduation. I also lead the fundraising committee, which taught me how to organize and collaborate with others to effectively raise money. I learned a lot about profit-margins, how to select the best fundraiser, and how to balance the account. I am well-organized, friendly, and work well in a team.
For your respective position, are there any initiatives you would like to purse next year? Please list any goals or directions you would like PMA to pursue.
As Director of Student Relations, I would like PMA to provide more opportunities for students to connect. Everyone is in a similar major and taking similar classes but many don't realize that half of the club is struggling with the same things. I want to vary the types of socials to include regular study events. I would like to make socials much more enticing so that people are coming not only for easy membership points but also because they appreciate the type of event. I think that membership points could definitely be awarded as well for signing up to tutor.
WEBMASTER:
Name: Sylvia Koo
Major/Minor: Molecular Cell Biology
Career Interest: Surgery
Number of semesters with PMA: 6
Autobiography :
Since my Freshman year at UH Manoa, I've always been actively involved with PMA. I was a part of the community service committee my first year, moved up as the Director of Community Service my second year, and finally became the president during my third year as a junior. PMA developed to play a large role in my college experience here at UH as I was able to meet many motivational pre-health students and gained novel insight on the medical field through all of the community service events and medical education events that I attended.
After being a part of PMA over these past 3 years, I learned that PMA isn’t just an organization that will provide opportunities to learn about the field of medicine, but more importantly a door to network with and learn from other students that can relate with you as a pre-med student. It has been incredible to see our organization grow to become one of the largest organizations on campus in addition to seeing many of our members representing PMA proudly. Executive member or not, I would love to end my college journey being a part of and contributing to an organization that I truly and deeply care for.
Why are you interested in and why do you want to serve PMA in your respective officer position?
I was always felt that our website had the potential to be better and believed that PMA could be more active on social media such as Facebook and Instagram. From serving on the executive board for 2 years, I learned that some members thought that the PMA site was hard to navigate; therefore, I will reformat our website by making it more user-friendly in addition to utilizing a photo gallery, which would be updated weekly to be up-to-date with the events that occurred. I will also make signing up for events and finding the event calendar a lot easier for new members.
What are your qualifications (qualities and experiences) for this position?
I am extremely experienced in the world of social media as I have been using Facebook and Instagram for many years. I also have many friends and family members that know how to code who would be more than happy to help me, which will be of great use when I have to edit the PMA website. I am qualified for this position because I love to utilize social media; I will use my knowledge to effectively share information with the members through email, and other social media services.
For your respective position, are there any initiatives you would like to purse next year? Please list any goals or directions you would like PMA to pursue.
I will edit our PMA website to make it more aesthetic and user-friendly, develop a photo gallery that will constantly be updated, and utilize Instagram and Facebook more often to inform members about the upcoming events in PMA.
I want our members to be appreciated by sharing the photos that they post and also push them to be more active by holding picture contests, and other contests that will get them to be more involved with PMA.
Although this isn't related to the position of Webmaster, I will do my best to hold a suture lab for our members since the event that MSMP holds is always limited.
Name: Sean Saito
Major/Minor: Mechanical Engineering
Career Interest: Surgery
Number of semesters with PMA: 6
Autobiography :
Hi my name is Sean Saito! I am currently a junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering and I am interested in going into surgery. I have been in PMA for 3 years now, the past two of which I served as webmaster.
Why are you interested in and why do you want to serve PMA in your respective officer position?
I am interested in serving PMA as the webmaster because I really enjoyed the time I spent as webmaster these past two years. I feel that the webmaster position best suites my qualities and skills. Coming from an engineering background I have experience with coding and website design. This would allow me to easily edit the website.
What are your qualifications (qualities and experiences) for this position?
I have 2 years of previous experience for the webmaster position of PMA. I also have experience coding so I am able to easily alter the website and make changes.
For your respective position, are there any initiatives you would like to purse next year? Please list any goals or directions you would like PMA to pursue.
I would like for PMA to pursue a spring break medical education trip next year. Although this does not fall under the duties of webmaster this is something that I am very passionate about and I feel as though the website is fine the way it is. However, I am open to suggestions and flexible to changing the design/layout of the website.