Andrew Poveda sits down with Rebecca Zasloff, a third‑year Duke University School of Medicine student and Harvard‑trained MPH, to explore her journey as a first‑generation Peruvian American in medicine.

Rebecca earned her Master of Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, focusing on health and social behavior. At Duke, she is deeply involved in health equity, head and neck cancer research, and community‑centered advocacy. As a Schweitzer Fellow, she leads initiatives supporting Latino patients through navigation, mentorship, and culturally grounded care in partnership with the Duke Cancer Institute.

She also serves in multiple leadership roles within the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA), including Director‑Elect for the Southeast Region and Chair of the LMSA ENT Specialty Section. Rebecca helped organize the LMSA Southeast Regional Conference, bringing together students, physicians, and leaders committed to advancing representation in medicine.

In this episode, Rebecca opens up about the realities of being first‑gen, the impact of her Peruvian identity, and how pursuing both an MD and MPH has shaped her purpose, voice, and vision for the communities she serves.

Andrew Poveda interviews Kaitlynn Chaljub, a medical student at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine and Co‑Director of LMSA Northeast. Kaitlynn recently matched into OB/GYN at Montefiore Einstein for residency. Born and raised in New Jersey with Colombian and Peruvian roots, she shares her journey into medicine and the mindset that helped her go straight through with no gap years.

Andrew Poveda interviews Michael Lesgart, a medical student at Temple University’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine and Co‑Director of LMSA Northeast. Michael recently matched into Urology and will be staying at Temple for residency. He reflects on his journey as a first‑generation student from UCLA to Temple, sharing the challenges, mentorship, and identity that shaped his path. This episode highlights the importance of representation in competitive specialties and the power of community and mentorship in medicine.

Dr. Fidencio Saldaña is a clinical cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Dean of Students at Harvard Medical School. He shares his journey as a first‑generation student from California who attended Stanford University, often navigating moments of uncertainty and feeling overwhelmed.

In his role as Dean, he has mentored countless students and continues to champion equity, representation, and community in medicine. Dr. Saldaña also reflects on what it means to be an effective mentee and how students can build meaningful mentorship relationships.

Dr. David Velasquez is an Internal Medicine resident at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and a graduate of Harvard University where he earned his MD, MBA, and MPP. In this episode, he shares his journey of overcoming adversity as a first generation Latino student, from experiencing homelessness to becoming a physician, and how identity, resilience, community, and family shaped his path. We discuss mentorship, public health, and his future plans in cardiology.

New episode of the LMSA-NE x AP: MED series

Dr. Sol De Jesus is a neurologist at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. She completed her medical degree at Ponce University in Puerto Rico. Dr. De Jesus is a movement disorders specialist, telling us more about Deep Brain Stimulation as the co-director of the program. She also is the LMSA advisor at Penn State College of Medicine.

Andrew Poveda interviews Dr. Veronica Jacome Lopez, a critical care chief fellow at Montefiore Einstein and a Non-US IMG who completed her Internal Medicine residency at Englewood Hospital. Originally trained in Ecuador, she shares her path to U.S. residency and offers insights into J-1 visas, J-1 waivers H-1B sponsorship, and the Conrad 30 Program.

Theme: All it takes is one yes, and make sure you don't forget your roots because you should at least travel back to where you're from once a month.

Andrew Poveda interviews Abdiel Cabral Hernandez, a medical student at SUNY Upstate Medical University currently in his research year and planning to pursue Emergency Medicine. Abdiel reflects on his role as Chief Development Officer of LMSA-NE, the experiences that shaped him, and what staying grounded means throughout the medical journey.

Theme: Stick to your roots, stay grounded, and most importantly don't forget who you are, self-efficacy is important

Andrew Poveda interviews Julian Javier, a third-year medical student at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. As a first-gen student, Julian talks about the drive and discipline in order to succeed in medical school, reflecting on some of his important moments, talking more about his experiences with the SEOM and LMSA.

Theme: Self efficacy is important, so, just focus on yourself, and make it through it.

Andrew Poveda sits down with Isabella Roman, a Latina medical student from the CUNY School of Medicine, currently in her 7‑year BSMD program, and now in her second year as a medical student. In this episode, she opens up about the mental health challenges that come with an accelerated path to medicine, the struggles of being first generation, the pressure of expectations, and the strength it takes to keep going. Her message is simple but powerful: if she can do it, anyone with passion and persistence can find their place in medicine.

Theme: You don't have to be smart to start, you just have to start.