There is growing interest among students in international training opportunities, particularly in the United States. In a recent survey of 169 UERM medical students conducted early 2026, the majority expressed a strong desire to learn more about international electives, research opportunities, and postgraduate training in the U.S. This highlights a clear need for structured guidance, early exposure, and accessible mentorship to help students navigate these pathways effectively.
The MD program at UERM is a high-density, structured curriculum that integrates foundational sciences, clinical correlation, and early clinical exposure. While clinical enrichment remains beneficial, any additional academic initiative must be carefully designed to complement—not duplicate—the existing curriculum and avoid unnecessary student burden.
Medical school is inherently physically and mentally demanding, requiring sustained academic effort, emotional resilience, and adaptability. Students frequently experience high levels of stress, risk of burnout, and uncertainty regarding future career paths. In this context, strong mentorship and emotional support are essential to student well-being, persistence, and overall success throughout medical training.
UERM is uniquely positioned to respond to these needs through its strong network of alumni physicians practicing in the United States across diverse specialties. These alumni represent a valuable and underutilized resource who can provide mentorship, emotional support, career guidance, and access to international opportunities. Having successfully navigated both medical training and transition to practice abroad, they are well-equipped to guide students through similar academic, professional, and personal challenges.
In response, UERM AFUSA proposes a pilot program that prioritizes mentorship, wellness support, career development, and international pathway guidance, with optional, non-redundant clinical enrichment sessions as a supplementary component.
Platform:
Zoom (or equivalent virtual meeting platform)
Session Length:
One (1) hour per session
In addition to individualized student-initiated mentorship, the program will include one (1) hour scheduled and structured Zoom lecture sessions conducted every 1–2 months.
These sessions will focus on high-yield, practical topics aligned with program goals, including:
The scheduled and structured Zoom discussions will be open to all students interested.
Structured, longitudinal mentorship including:
Participants will also engage in scheduled and structured discussion sessions every 1–2 months, reinforcing key topics such as USMLE preparation, residency competitiveness, and research engagement.
Alumni will play a key role in supporting the development of structured international clinical exposure opportunities for UERM medical students.
Specifically, alumni will:
This collaboration aims to help UERM develop sustainable partnerships that will enable future medical students to undertake structured elective rotations in the United States, thereby enhancing global clinical exposure and competitiveness for residency training.
Focused on student well-being and professional development:
To maintain alignment with the existing curriculum:
Focus areas include:
Suggested Session Structure:
Students will:
Alumni will serve as volunteer mentors and facilitators.
They may provide:
Alumni are not expected to replicate formal teaching or perform evaluations.
A curated directory (Schedule E) will be maintained on the official UERM AFUSA website www.uermafusa.com.
Profiles may include:
The UERM AFUSA Alumni–Student Mentorship, Career Development, and Clinical Enrichment Program is a cost-effective and sustainable initiative designed to enhance student development through targeted mentorship, wellness support, and global engagement.
By prioritizing areas where alumni can have the greatest impact—mental health support, U.S. residency guidance, and institutional collaboration—the program aligns with UERM’s academic framework while addressing evolving student needs.
Structured discussion sessions conducted every 1–2 months provide focused, practical guidance on USMLE preparation, residency applications, and research opportunities, while optional clinical enrichment sessions add academic value without duplicating the curriculum.
This pilot initiative aims to strengthen alumni engagement, support student success, and expand UERM’s global academic and professional network.
The following list of ALUMNI have volunteered their time and energy to serve as mentors to UERM Medical Students.
| Eliezer de Leon MD’73 ADS Board Certified Internal Medicine and Acupuncture and Detoxification Former Care Management Director, Corewell Health Systems Michigan |
| Emily de los Reyes MD’85 Board Certified Pediatric Neurology Clinical professor of Pediatrics and Neurology The Ohio State University School of Medicine Columbus, Ohio |
| Rommel Aquino MD’85 HMDC Board Certified Family Medicine Board Certified as Hospice Medical Director Flint, Michigan |
| Nathalie Bernabe-Quion MD’88 MPH FAAP Board Certified Pediatrics Children’s National at Columbia Heights Washington DC |
| Luven Tejero MD ’93 Board Certified Psychiatry Michigan |
| Carmen Tapiador MD ’93 Board Certified Pediatric Endocrinology East Tennessee Children’s Hospital Tennessee |
| Jacqueline Gamiao MD ’87 Board Certified Endocrinology Livonia, Michigan |
| Michael Gamiao MD ’87 Board Certified Pulmonary Medicine and Critical Care Livonia, Michigan |
| Roy Torcuator MD ’93 Board Certified Neurosurgery Michigan |
| Mario Trance MD’89 Board Certified Internal Medicine Hospitalist, Naples Comprehensive Health Naples, Florida |
| Vicenta Gaspar-Yoo MD’89 MBA CHCQM-PA Board Certified Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Master’s Degree in Business Administration Senior VP. Care Continuum and Transitions, Allegheny Health Network Pennsylvania |
| Enrico Esguerra MD ’87 Board Certified Pediatrics Joplin, Missouri |
| Marisha Agana MD ’88 Board Certified Pediatrics Hackley Community Care Muskegon, Michigan Assistant Professor, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Specialist and Researcher in Childhood Obesity Michigan |
| Pauline Camu-Aquino MD’90 Board Certified Family Medicine Michigan |
| Vernon Montoya MD’85 PA Board Certified Hematology and Oncology Lake City, Florida |
| Maria Lapid MD’92 Board Certified Psychiatry Distinguised Fellow, American Psychiatry Association Professor of Psychiatry, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine Rochester, Minnesota |
| Erwinn Sistoza MD’93 Board Certified Geriatrics Medicine California |