National Board

Hi! My name is Thy (pronounced as ‘tee’), and I am an OMS-I at A.T. Still University – School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (ATSU-SOMA)! I did my undergraduate degree in Physiology and Medical Sciences at the University of Arizona, but I have ties with the Midwest, having been born and raised in Minnesota where I lived until I was 16!

The past five years, I have had the pleasure of serving on the executive board of UA Pre-Health APAMSA and ATSU-SOMA APAMSA, on top of serving as Region 7 Director for National APAMSA this past year. The people I have met in APAMSA have been my heart and soul for the past four years of my life. They have given me grace to grow, and love to thrive – and I will forever cherish the memories I have made with people I regard as second family.

Giving back the love I have received is important to me. As Membership Vice President, I aim to honor our community by being proactive in building the success of our chapters and supporting different chapters’ members on a personal level. I am excited to work with more people in different parts of our country and learn more about myself along the way. With growth comes new ideas, and hopefully I am able to help nourish these goals with the Membership Branch.

Outside of school and work, I enjoy dancing, going to the gym, hiking, trying new food, listening to music, traveling, playing with my cat Leo, and being with friends and family!

Hello everyone! My name is Kimsa Nguyen and I am the daughter of Vietnamese refugees. I am a student at California Health Sciences University and will be the first in my family to become a physician. Prior to medical school, I received my MPH in Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health from University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health and my undergraduate degree from University of California, Davis in Cell Biology. I’m passionate about health equity, social impact, and reproductive justice. I’m enthusiastic about working in the intersection of public health and medicine to address health disparities and engage in meaningful systems-level change to ensure that people can live their best, healthiest lives. Outside of medicine, I love to spend time in nature, travel, and cook for my loved ones!

Katrina Hon is currently a second year medical student at Duke University School of Medicine. She was born in Canada but moved to Middlebury, Connecticut when she was 5 years old. She completed her B.A. in Neuroscience at Harvard University and worked at ClearView Healthcare Partners as an analyst before coming to medical school. She has been active in her local APAMSA chapter’s Advocacy and Mentorship committee for the past two years and served as last year’s National Conference Speaker Relations Co-Director. She enjoys the field of cardiovascular research and medical humanities with a focus on AANHPI communities. Outside of medicine she likes drawing, pottery, and thrifting. After medical school, she aims to to pursue a career in pediatric anesthesia or cardiology.

Hi everyone! My name is Annie, and I’m an 8th year MD/PhD (/MS4) at the University of Connecticut. I grew up in Massachusetts, and I got my Bachelors in Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry from Yale. Since starting medical school, I’ve been involved in health policy in APAMSA and the American Medical Association. I am so excited to continue bringing my advocacy interests to APAMSA as this year’s Advocacy VP. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, mixing cocktails for my friends, social dancing, and traveling on a student’s budget.

Hello! My name is Alicia Bui, and I’m a fourth-year medical student at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine. I grew up in Irvine, CA, and earned my degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences from the University of Washington.

Since joining APAMSA in my first year of medical school, I’ve served as President of my school’s chapter and National Hepatitis Director. One of my favorite APAMSA memories is hosting the 18th Annual Hepatitis B/C Conference in San Diego, where I had the opportunity to connect with inspiring members who are dedicated to supporting underserved communities.

Outside of school, I enjoy traveling, exploring new restaurants, doing nail art, building Legos, and loving BTS. I’m passionate about addressing health disparities in the AANHPI population, and I’m excited to serve as this year’s Health Affairs Vice President!

Hi everyone! My name is Emily Chen, and I am currently a M2 at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine. I was born in Guangzhou, China and immigrated to the US with my parents when I was young. Before medical school, I got my B.S. in Neuroscience at The Ohio State University. I was the previous one of the Region V Co-directors as well as the Co-president of my local APAMSA chapter, where I was heavily involved in our organization’s hepatitis outreach and Mandarin education. In my free time, I love dancing to K-pop, trying new restaurants, and cooking!

Hello APAMSA! I’m Ying, a rising 4th-year medical student at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) School of Medicine. I was born in Guangdong, China, grew up in Las Vegas, NV, and did my undergraduate at UNR in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology. I have been a part of APAMSA for several years from leading as UNR Chapter Co-President, helping plan a UCSF Region 8 Conference, being part of the National Leadership Committee to develop new leadership initiatives, and most recently, serving as your Editor Director from 2023-2025. I am excited to be your next Communications Vice President, where I get to champion APAMSA’s legacy as a brand and organization!

I am passionate about women’s health, diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), and health equity within the AANHPI community. Outside of academics, some hobbies I enjoy include cooking different cultural foods, mixing up matcha/lattes, rewatching movies, and exploring cafes & museums. I cannot wait to see where this next year takes us! Don’t hesitate to reach out to me at communications@apamsa.org.

James “Jameson” Chua, MS is a third-year medical student at Touro University Nevada, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Class of 2027. Born to Chinese-Filipino immigrants, James grew up in San Diego, California, where he spent much of his life immersed in the vibrant San Diego hip-hop dance scene. This passion eventually led him to the University of San Diego, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Biology while embracing a dynamic campus life. As a proud brother of the Sigma Pi fraternity, he also found a sense of family in the Filipino American Student Organization and the LGBTQIA+ Student Organization, PRIDE, where he cultivated lifelong friendships and a deep appreciation for diversity and inclusion.

After graduating in 2019, James channeled his passion for science into infectious disease research, working at The Scripps Research Institute and UC San Diego School of Medicine. His work on SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies was published in journals such as Science and Nature Communications, marking a significant contribution to the global fight against COVID-19. After two years of research—and experiencing burnout—he reminded himself of the importance of pursuing his dream of medical school and decided to strengthen his application through a post-baccalaureate program in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. By 2022, he earned his Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences from Drexel University College of Medicine, where he also discovered a love for aimless walks, cheesesteaks, and uncovering Philadelphia’s hidden gems.

Following his time in Philly, James began his journey to becoming an osteopathic physician—or, as he fondly calls it, a “bone wizard”—at Touro University Nevada in 2023. Since then, he has immersed himself in the medical school community, becoming an active member of his local APAMSA chapter, as well as the volleyball club and culinary medicine club. When he’s not cramming for exams in the library, you can often find him whipping up delicious meals in his kitchen, tackling escape rooms with his partner (with a flawless 100% success rate over 100+ rooms), or binge-watching RuPaul’s Drag Race with his best friend, a Shiba Inu-Beagle mix doge.

By the end of his first year, James joined the National Board of APAMSA as the Fundraising Director under the External Affairs branch. Some of his proudest accomplishments to date is raising thousands of dollars through creative initiatives like Valorant tournaments, as well as uniting over 40 APAMSA chapters and 500 members during Community Impact Week. Now, as the incoming National President, James is committed to fostering a stronger sense of camaraderie and connection between National APAMSA and its local chapters, driven by a shared mission of service and advocacy for the AANHPI community. He hopes to inspire future healthcare leaders to embrace the power of collaboration, compassion, and cultural pride as they work together to create a healthier, more equitable world.

Helen Heo is a third-year MD/PhD student at the Duke University School of Medicine. Originally from Milwaukee, WI, she completed her B.S. in Neurobiology and Molecular Biology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison before spending a year in San Francisco, CA as a SENS Research Foundation Postbaccalaureate Research Fellow at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging. She then moved to Durham, NC to pursue her MD/PhD training at Duke. She is completing her PhD in lab of Dr. Cagla Eroglu, where her research will focus on the role of astrocytes in Multiple Sclerosis using human cellular models.

She has been involved in Duke’s chapter of APAMSA for the past three years, serving as chapter president in 2023-2024. She is excited to serve as a National Conference Logistics Director for the 2025 National APAMSA Conference, and is looking forward to celebrating APAMSA as well as introducing attendees to Duke and Durham!