Internal Medicine Los Angeles Medical Center - Residents and Alumni
Meet Our Residents
At Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, our residents are more than trainees — they are essential members of our care teams and leaders within our health system. As a hospital within a hospital, they uphold the same high standards as their attending colleagues and play a central role in the daily work that drives our institution forward.
Many graduates return to Kaiser Permanente after residency or fellowship, drawn back by the strength of our training, the values we uphold, and the sense of belonging they find here.
Our residents arrive with strong clinical foundations — but what truly distinguishes them is the richness of their experiences, their humility, and their drive to make a difference. As a group, they reflect the values we hold most dear: service, scholarship, advocacy, and integrity.
Many have been community organizers, teachers, and mentors long before residency. Some have worked in mobile clinics in Skid Row, led HIV and hepatitis C care coordination for patients experiencing homelessness, or helped resettle refugee families across language and cultural barriers. Others have coached middle school basketball, directed peer tutoring programs, or mentored pre-meds through the application process — often as first-generation college graduates themselves.
Their intellectual curiosity shows up in meaningful ways. Several residents have published research in neuroscience, gastroenterology, oncology, and health equity. One helped design a sepsis alert protocol now in use at a major academic hospital; another co-founded a social impact initiative to deliver medically tailored meals for patients with metabolic disease. Collectively, they’ve contributed to national webinars, participated in health disparities forums, and organized conferences to amplify underrepresented voices in medicine.
By the Numbers: Class Highlights
• 50% pursue fellowship training (e.g., PCCM, Cardiology, GI, ID, Rheum)
• 25% enter hospitalist practice, often at KP Southern California sites
• 25% pursue primary care, community-based medicine, or hybrid models
• ~2/3 return to Kaiser Permanente post-training — a testament to our community
• 100% participate in QI, patient safety, and/or scholarly activity during residency
• 2024 NRMP Data:
o Mean Step 2 CK score: 253
o Avg. publications: 9.2
o Avg. research experiences: 3.6
o Avg. volunteer experiences: 4.9
o Majority had prior work experience in health or service-related field
Our Residents
Research / IM
Sahak Hovsepian, MD
Sahak Hovsepian, MD
Medical School
George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Matthew Newman, MD
Matthew Newman, MD
Medical School
Oregon Health & Science University School in Medicine
Ira Glassman, DO
Ira Glassman, DO
Medical School
Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
PGY-3
Raj Aurora, MD
Raj Aurora, MD
Medical School
Robert Larner, M.D., College of Medicine at the University of Vermont
Sohun Awsare, MD
Sohun Awsare, MD
Medical School
California Northstate University College of Medicine
Tony Baltazar, Jr, MD
Tony Baltazar, Jr, MD
Medical School
Wayne State University School of Medicine
Sarah Joh, MD
Sarah Joh, MD
Medical School
Keck School of Medicine of USC
Sa Kong, MD
Sa Kong, MD
Medical School
University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Diana Kwok, DO
Diana Kwok, DO
Medical School
Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Maggie Lee, DO
Maggie Lee, DO
Medical School
Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Tatiana Mikhael, MD
Tatiana Mikhael, MD
Medical School
Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV
Ashley Ngo, MD
Ashley Ngo, MD
Medical School
University of California, Davis School of Medicine
Anh Nguyen, MD
Anh Nguyen, MD
Medical School
Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine
Sergio Serafin, MD
Sergio Serafin, MD
Medical School
University of Illinois College of Medicine - Peoria
PGY-2
Saamiyah Ahmed, MD
Saamiyah Ahmed, MD
Medical School
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Salwan Al Hani, MD
Salwan Al Hani, MD
Medical School
Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine
Ariana Flores, DO
Ariana Flores, DO
Medical School
Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Victoria Hull, MD
Victoria Hull, MD
Medical School
Drexel University
Yunjoo Hwang, MD
Yunjoo Hwang, MD
Medical School
Eastern Virginia Medical School
Andrew Kim, MD
Andrew Kim, MD
Medical School
Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Mai Makhlouf, DO
Mai Makhlouf, DO
Medical School
Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Mania Mgdsyan, DO
Mania Mgdsyan, DO
Medical School
Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Alexander Schlueter, DO
Alexander Schlueter, DO
Medical School
Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Anthony Young, MD
Anthony Young, MD
Medical School
University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine
James Zhou, MD
James Zhou, MD
Medical School
California Northstate University College of Medicine
PGY-1
Abhinav (Nav) Birda, MD
Abhinav (Nav) Birda, MD
Medical School
Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science
Madeleine Chai, MD
Madeleine Chai, MD
Medical School
University Of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine
Mariam Zafar-Khan, MD
Mariam Zafar-Khan, MD
Medical School
Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science
Kailyn Koh, MD
Kailyn Koh, MD
Medical School
University of Michigan Medical School
Kristie Lau, MD
Kristie Lau, MD
Medical School
California Northstate University College of Medicine
Jack Martinyan, MD
Jack Martinyan, MD
Medical School
Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
Audrey Mossman, MD
Audrey Mossman, MD
Medical School
University of Washington School of Medicine
Lisa Najarian, MD
Lisa Najarian, MD
Medical School
University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix
Dinasha Dahanayake, MD
Dinasha Dahanayake, MD
Medical School
Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine
Theresa Pasion, MD
Theresa Pasion, MD
Medical School
Michigan State University College of Human Medicine - Grand Rapids
Evan Saidara, MD
Evan Saidara, MD
Medical School
Sackler School of Medicine - New York State American Branch
Celine Vartany, MD
Celine Vartany, MD
Medical School
Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University
Preliminary
Christine Huynh, MD
Christine Huynh, MD
Medical School
University of Virginia School of Medicine
Ivan Rodriguez, MD
Ivan Rodriguez, MD
Medical School
Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California
Brandon Scott, MD
Brandon Scott, MD
Medical School
University of California, San Diego School of Medicine
Preliminary-Dermatology
Crystal Chang, MD
Crystal Chang, MD
Medical School
Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine
Hannah Tolson, MD
Hannah Tolson, MD
Medical School
University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix
Preliminary-Neurology
Vibha Chauhan, DO
Vibha Chauhan, DO
Medical School
Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine
Amanda Gamboa, DO
Amanda Gamboa, DO
Medical School
Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Rena Jiang, MD
Rena Jiang, MD
Medical School
USF Health Morsani College of Medicine
Preliminary-Radiology
Cathleen Nguyen, DO
Cathleen Nguyen, DO
Medical School
Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Sara Safari, MD
Sara Safari, MD
Medical School
USF Health Morsani College of Medicine
Chief Resident
Vinh Doan, DO
Vinh Doan, DO
Medical School
Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine
Alumni
Our graduates go on to lead — in fellowship, in practice, and in their communities.
Roughly half of our residents pursue fellowship training each year, matching into top programs across a wide range of subspecialties. Others choose careers in hospital medicine or primary care, often with roles in teaching, quality improvement, and leadership. No matter where they go, they bring with them the clinical rigor, systems thinking, and collaborative spirit that define our program.
Many ultimately return to Kaiser Permanente — not just for jobs, but for a sense of purpose and connection. In fact, nearly two-thirds of our alumni rejoin the KP system after completing additional training, serving as subspecialists, hospitalists, or primary care physicians throughout Southern California and beyond.
Recent graduates have matched into:
• Fellowships in Pulmonary/Critical Care, Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Hematology/Oncology, Infectious Diseases, Rheumatology, Endocrinology, Geriatrics, and Addiction Medicine
• Leadership-track hospitalist positions at Kaiser Permanente, academic centers, and regional health systems
• Primary care roles in community-based clinics, academic health centers, and integrated care networks
Wherever they go, our alumni stay connected — as mentors, colleagues, and proud ambassadors of the program that shaped them.
Fellowship & Practice Destinations – 2025