We are full spectrum Family Medicine.
Our graduates are empowered to serve with continuity of care in all settings, valuing all peoples.
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VENTURA COUNTY FAMILY MEDICINE
CLASS OF 2024
ANNE AKHIMIEN, M.D.
Hi, I’m… Anne Akhimien
My pronouns are she/her
Place(s) I call Home: Home is a few diff places for me..! Columbus, OH; Indianapolis, IN; Boston, MA; born in Kano, Nigeria but my family is from Edo State.
Educational Background: I started undergrad at a small school in Charleston, SC: Charleston Southern University, and finished at Howard University an HBCU in Washington, D.C.!
I've previously worked as a... Research Associate
Why I'm at VCMC: I ranked VCMC because I knew it was a place where I could keep up with and utilize many of the skills you learn and begin to develop in medical school. The opportunities our program offers within each of our rotations is unrivaled. We are able to learn more about and work within different specialties as we train to be great Family Med docs. It gives more understanding to the patient's health as a whole. This means seeing patients in the ED, the OR, OB and other clinics, and then continuing to follow within our Resident clinic. My co-residents and classmates are support throughout this process as we grow and learn together. Also, the weather is a huge plus :)
Things that matter to me: Health equity, global health, obgyn, traveling..
I enjoy... I like to eat - all kinds of food. I enjoy moving in general - in which I prefer dancing out loud to some of my favorite music! But also going on walks in parks and on the beach (classic). I'd like to get into skating/rollerblading and biking as well. Oh and I enjoy playing tennis and played in college!
Ask me about ___ at VCMC: being an Intern; time we get to spend with our classmates.
In the future, I want to... be as resourceful, proactive, and advocating as I can be as a Family Med Physician for my patients.
The best piece of advice I've ever gotten is... Never give up. Trust yourself; trust the process.
SEAN BAILEY, D.O.
Medical School: Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Undergraduate: University of Utah, B.S. Psychology
Interest & Hobbies: Piano, guitar, snowboarding, longboarding, and any activity that involves my wife and our two children
Languages: English, Finnish (fluent), Spanish (conversational)
Bio: Howdy! I'm Sean, born and raised in the Rocky Mountains. I hail from northern Utah, where I attended the University of Utah and then worked for several years after earning my bachelor's degree for the Social Security Administration as a disability examiner. That particular job really transformed my outlook on life and my personal goals in so many ways. I decided to go back to school to become a physician because I wanted to make a difference in the lives of those who are most vulnerable to being overlooked by our healthcare system (rural areas in particular). I attended medical school at RVUCOM in southern Utah, and that experience cemented my desire to practice full-spectrum family medicine in a rural area (affectionately known as "cowboy" medicine). My family and I are incredibly excited to spend the next three years in Ventura, California, working with and getting to know the people of this breathtakingly beautiful area! Hablo Español/Puhun Suomea.
NASTASSJA BELL, M.D.
Medical School: University of Illinois College of Medicine
Undergraduate: University of California, San Diego, B.S., Physiology and Neuroscience
Hobbies & Interests: Baking and cooking, playing, guitar, camping, backpacking, hiking, rock climbing
Languages: English, French, Spanish, Italian
Bio: Hi! I’m Nastassja. I was born in a small mountain community in Colorado outside of Boulder called Coal Creek Canyon. Growing up, I spent time in the mountains of Colorado, living on the small island of Roatan, Honduras, and in various parts of Los Angeles, giving me both the rural, island and city living experience. Watching my mom put herself through nursing school and work her way towards becoming a Nurse Practitioner in Family Medicine really inspired me to pursue medicine with a focus on underserved patient populations. I was fortunate to be able to spend time in South Africa and learn how deeply rooted racism and inequity affect our healthcare systems both here and abroad. My time providing care in rural communities in Peru also renewed my interest in rural populations. My biggest passion is using full-spectrum medicine to provide excellent care to vulnerable populations and engaging those individuals in their communities. During medical school, I was involved in several community-based projects including patients with HIV and incarcerated juveniles. I am interested in outpatient, inpatient, OB and emergency medicine, as well as care of vulnerable populations such as HIV, transgender and substance use patients. My vision after graduation is to work at a critical access hospital in a remote, rural area such as Alaska, with dreams of international work once I can figure out how to incorporate that in a way that is sustainable for that community. In my free time, I love to explore beautiful places in my self-built camper van! On my days off, you will likely find me having everyone over for a pancake brunch or a grill out.
KAITLYN DANNER, M.D.
Medical School: Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine
Graduate: Wright State University, M.S., Biomedical Engineering
Undergraduate: Wright State University, B.S., Biomedical Engineering
Hobbies & Interests: Hiking with my rescue dog, reading classic novels, gardening
Languages: English, French
MICAH GAMBLE, M.D.
Medical School: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas Southwestern Medical School
Undergraduate: Baylor University, B.A., Medical Humanities
Hobbies & Interests: I cherish any time I can spend with family and friends. I love all things outdoors: rock climbing, hiking, backpacking, running, and cycling to name a few. And believe it or not, I do love long walks on the beach.
Languages: English, Spanish
Bio: Hi y'all! My name is Micah. I was raised in southeast Houston and was privileged to study medical humanities at Baylor University for college. I began working at a local FQHC there, where I was exposed to the impact that various institutional forces have on vulnerable populations’ access to health knowledge and resources. I attended medical school at UT Southwestern and was fortunate to work with family medicine in many capacities: sewing lacerations in a rural house clinic, developing diet and exercise curriculums for local elementary schools, and caring for acutely ill patients in a busy county hospital. I am so excited to have matched at VCMC! I am confident I will get challenged here, and that I will find a deep sense of purpose in serving our patient population. When I am not at the hospital, you will most likely find me enjoying the beautiful Ventura weather at the beach or on a hike with my wife, our dog, and a few of our friends.
DANA HONG, D.O.
Hi, I’m… Dana!
My pronouns are She/her/hers
Place(s) I call Home: Seoul, South Korea; Vancouver, WA; Santa Maria, CA
Educational Background: University of California, Berkeley; Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine
I've previously worked as a... Tae Kwon Do Master
Why I'm at VCMC: I ranked VCMC as my top choice after rotating here as a medical student. I felt inspired by the compassion, work ethic, dedication, and humility of the faculty and residents. I love the commitment to serve diverse, underserved, and vulnerable populations. I know that the full-spectrum, rigorous training within a supportive environment will enable me to confidently practice in any setting in the world. I feel honored to be training and learning from the incredible community at VCMC!
Things that matter to me: Underserved medicine, homelessness, empowering marginalized populations, promoting healthcare equality, OMM and holistic medicine. My family and friends, Tae Kwon Do, staying active.
I enjoy... Spending time with my family and friends, eating delicious food, cooking Korean cuisine, exploring restaurants and coffee shops, being in nature, hiking, going to the beach at sunset, traveling! I am new to golfing, surfing, and rock climbing!
One random fact about me: I started Tae Kwon Do at age 3!
SARAH LEIBOVITCH, M.D.
Medical School: Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
Undergraduate: University of California, Los Angeles, B.A., History, minor in Political Science
Hobbies & Interest: Weekly trivia, singing and piano, movie scores, traveling
Languages: English, Spanish
CARLOS MORILLO-HERNANDEZ, M.D.
Hi, I’m… Carlos
My pronouns are He/Him
Place(s) I call Home: New Jersey
Educational Background: Undergrad: New Jersey Institute of Technology; Medical School: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
I've previously worked as a... medical scribe
Why I'm at VCMC: Full spectrum training - like most people going into family medicine, I couldn't really find the right niche for me in medical school. At VCMC, our scope as family medicine physicians is so wide that I have to drop my east coast mentality and trust myself to care for sick patients, without relying on consultants.
Things that matter to me: https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2018/07/heres-why-we-need-socioeconomic-diversity.html
I enjoy... Lifting (though I'm woefully out of shape), hiking (see point one), podcasts, shows/movies (currently watching One Piece and Friends), video games, reading.
One random fact about me: I tried mining bitcoin in 2013, but my computer was under-powered so I switched to dogecoin. I had well over 1000 doge coins but got bored and stopped. I have since lost my wallet :(
Ask me about ___ at VCMC: finances, long distance dating, exercising
RICHARD NAKANO, M.D.
Medical School: University of Colorado School of Medicine
Undergraduate: Boston University, B.A., Biology
Hobbies & Interests: Rock climbing, sports climbing, surfing, mountain biking, music: writing, preforming & recording
Languages: English, Spanish
Bio: I was born and raised just outside of Portland, OR, where I played many a soggy soccer match. In the evenings and on the weekends, I helped my mother with her café in a nearby rural community, where I developed an appetite for a slower pace of living. Despite that, I travelled to Boston for my undergraduate degree in Biology, where I broadened my understanding of both American culture and the meaning of ‘cold’ weather. During the summers, I helped manage a free clinic in my hometown; there I fell in love with family medicine, and my path to the calling of medicine had begun. To that end, I attended the University of Colorado School of Medicine for medical school, where an extensive rural immersion served as an adjunct to my academic medical training. Now, I’ve traded in my rock climbing shoes for surfboards, and I couldn’t be happier to be at Ventura where I’ll train broadly in order to best serve my patients for decades to come.
OLIVIA NGUYEN, M.D.
Medical School: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas Southwestern Medical
Undergraduate: Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, B.A. World Languages and B.S., Biology
Hobbies & Interests: Discussing movies, rock climbing, running
Languages: English, French, Spanish, Vietnamese
Bio: Hello! My name is Olivia, and I was born and raised around Dallas, Texas. I went to undergraduate and medical school in Dallas, where I was exposed to a variety of volunteer experiences in our local hospitals. This brought together my interest in science and the humanities, showing me that medicine really is where they meet in the middle. I had the privilege of doing a rural family medicine rotation while at medical school, and I fell in love with the patients that I met. I am so excited to do full spectrum family medicine at VCMC, and I cannot wait to see what the next part of my journey will bring! In my free time, I love doing outdoor activities, watching movies, spending time with family and friends, and eating.
MICHELLE ADAORA ORABUEZE, M.D.
Medical School: Morehouse School of Medicine
Undergraduate: Georgia State University, B.S., Chemistry
Hobbies & Interests: Watching international films, cooking, exercising, hiking, reading historical fiction, writing, learning to sew, and sleeping
Languages: English, Igbo, Spanish
Bio: Hey y'all! I'm Michelle. I call both Lagos, Nigeria and The Big A *insert peach emoji* home! I attended Georgia State University and was lucky to be surrounded by such a diverse group of students, faculty, and staff. I majored in Chemistry and was privileged to work with many marginalized communities in Downtown Atlanta through community groups and church programs. I attended Morehouse School of Medicine where my love for Family Medicine blossomed. I was involved in leadership positions within my medical school and statewide that promoted the importance of primary care. I am ecstatic to be here at VCMC where I will be exposed to the whole breadth of Family Medicine. I am confident that the training I receive here will translate seamlessly into any practice setting in my future. As a city girl from the East Coast, I thoroughly enjoy the change of pace here in Ventura. The weather is awesome, the trails are beautiful, and the beach is just a stone's throw away!
RUHI PATIL, D.O.
Medical School: Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine
Undergraduate: University of California, Los Angeles, B.S., Biology
Hobbies & Interests: Hiking, gym, yoga
Languages: English, Marathi, Spanish
Bio: Hello everyone! My name is Ruhi Patil. I was born in Irvine, California. I grew up in a family of physicians and was inspired at a young age to enter the field of medicine. I attended UCLA for my undergrad and majored in biology. Here, I also served as the Financial Supports Commissioner, one of the elected officials in UCLA undergraduate student government, in which I advocated for lower tuition costs and truly developed a passion for addressing the social determinants of health. This was the beginning of my desire to be a family medicine physician who works with an underserved patient population and thoroughly addresses their socioeconomic factors. I then attended the University of Southern California and obtained my master's in Global Medicine and Management. During medical school, I was involved both locally and internationally through projects such as serving patients at our local discount clinic, teaching children from low-income areas how to lead healthier lifestyles, and building a house for a family in need in Tijuana, Mexico. I am overjoyed to be at VCMC to not only have an amazing new family but to also get the opportunity to train as a true full-spectrum family medicine physician. Outside of the hospital, you can catch me exploring different hikes, relaxing on the beach, or trying out new food in the area!
AMUDHA PORCHEZHIAN, M.D.
Hi, I’m… Amudha
My pronouns are they/them/theirs
Place(s) I call Home: St. Louis and Kansas City MO
Educational Background: Undergrad and Med School at University of Missouri - Kansas City
Why I'm at VCMC: The amazing full-spectrum training and the opportunity to become a physician equipped with the skills to do anything I would want to.
I enjoy... Running, hiking, writing, playing board games, watching anime, trying new food places
One random fact about me: Elephants are my favorite animal
Ask me about ___ at VCMC: The culture and amazing people and staff
In the future, I want to... Full spectrum medicine, global health, improve underserved populations' access to healthcare, transgender/LGBT medicine
The best piece of advice I've ever gotten is... In order to learn something, you have to first not know it, so don't be afraid to not know things, and ask for help.
JOSE RODRIGO VELASQUEZ, M.D.
Medical School: University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine
Undergraduate: The University of Texas at Austin, B.S., Neurobiology
Hobbies & Interests: Sports, including basketball, football, tennis, hiking, kayaking, biking, soccer
Languages: English, French, Spanish