Class of 2007: Profiles

Erik Almeida
Erik was born in Rhode Island, but was mostly raised and educated in Minnesota where he was a championship wrestler. Erik received his undergraduate degree from Iowa State State where he was a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society. After graduation, he worked as a research scientist at Novartis Pharmaceuticals. Erik graduated from Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine where he ranked #1 in his class of 190 students. He was elected to Sigma Sigma Phi Medical Honor Society and his test taking skills (USMLE) put him in the top 5% nationally. Erik enjoys all types of athletics including running, weight training, and mountain biking. With his wife (who is from Venezuela), he enjoys cooking (Tai, Italian, and Indian) and traveling.

April Bisaga
April was born and raised in the Chicagoland area. She received her undergraduate degree from Loyola University and completed her medical training last year at Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine. April worked her way through both college and medical school as a medical assistant. While in medical school, April ranked in the top 9% of her class, was elected to the Sigma Sigma Phi Honor Society, served four years as the class secretary, and volunteered extensively both on campus and in the community. Currently, April is completing her transitional year (osteopathic rotating internship) in Michigan. April enjoys rollerblading, swimming, cooking, and gardening.

Liza Bunting
Liza was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and grew up spending a significant amount of time as a competitive figure skater. She received her undergraduate degree from Texas Christian University where she was elected to the Golden Key Honor Society. Between college and medical school, she worked as an ED physician record assistant (Scribe) in Texas, Maryland, and Virginia. Liza graduated from Texas A&M University College of Medicine where she was in the top 15% of her class, received Honors in all of her clinical rotations, and was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) medical honor society. While she was in medical school, she was involved in numerous extra-curricular activities including student representative for her class, vice president of the American Medical Women's Association and president of the Emergency Medicine Interest Group. Liza enjoys hockey, wake boarding and reading.

David Collins
David was born and raised in Chicago. He received his undergraduate degree from Illinois Wesleyan. Between college and medical school, he worked with field biologists in the fishery department for the Cook County Forest Preserve. He also worked as an emergency medical technician and volunteered as a high school varsity track and field coach. David graduated from Rush Medical College where he was in the top 20% of his class, elected Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society, and his test taking abilities (USMLE) put him in the top 2% of the country. While at Rush, David both worked as a histology tutor and volunteered as a physical diagnosis instructor. David is married (his wife is a PICU/ED nurse) and enjoys running, weight training, water skiing, knee boarding, baseball, football, movies, and reading science fiction.

Carrie Davis
Carrie was born in Joliet and raised in Mokena, Illinois, the middle of seven children. While in high school she was a foreign exchange student in New Zealand and Fiji. Carrie received her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana where she was a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society, and she was involved as a Health Needs Coordinator with the Volunteer Illini Project. Carrie graduated from Chicago Medical School where she placed in the top quarter of her class and her test taking abilities (USMLE) put her in the top 10% of the country. Also during medical school, she served on the Admissions Committee, the Lottery Committee, and volunteered for the Adolescent Substance Abuse Prevention Program. Carrie enjoys boating, water skiing, snow skiing, scuba diving, camping, horseback riding, traveling, and reading.

Randy Hebert
Randy was born and raised in the western suburbs of Chicago. Randy received his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana and worked his way through college and part of medical school working as a pharmacy technician. Randy graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine where his test taking abilities (USMLE) put him in the top 4% of the country. He is also involved in several volunteer organizations (adolescent substance abuse, student free clinic, National Youth Leadership Forum). Randy's interests include music, literature, art, and athletics. He has played the guitar for over 15 years and composes and records original music. He also plays piano, mandolin, and bass guitar. He enjoys softball, volleyball, and working out. Finally, he enjoys writing short stories and poetry.

Ejaaz Kalimullah
Ejazz was born and raised in the western suburbs. He received his undergraduate degree (in Economics) from the University of Chicago, where he was an Argonne National Laboratory Full Tuition Merit Scholar. While an undergraduate, he performed research on Kallmann Syndrome gene mutations in humans with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism which led to a publication (Ejaaz was second author) in 1998. Between college and medical school, Ejaaz was a molecular genetics research technician at the University of Chicago. Ejaaz received his medical degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago. At UIC, he was in the top 4% of his class, elected Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society as a third year, and his test taking abilities (USMLE) put him in the top 1% of the country. He also worked for the Urban Health Program at UIC COM as a tutor and teaching assistant. Ejaaz is an aficionado of formula one racing and basketball. He enjoys traveling and is an avid reader on economics, world history, and medical history.

Asmita Patel
Asmita was born in India and raised and educated in Illinois. Asmita received her undergraduate degree at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and graduated from the University of Illinois-Chicago College of Medicine. In medical school, she ranked in the top 25% of her class, received honors in over half of her clinical rotations, and her test taking abilities (USMLE) put her in the top 20% of the country. Asmita worked her way through medical school as an anesthesiology extern, microbiology laboratory assistant, and a rheumatology/pathology clinical technician. She had numerous volunteer activities (American Medical Women's Association, Big Sib/Little Sib, adolescent substance abuse, and orientation committee). Asmita was also on the editorial staff of the student-run publication Body Electric. Asmita enjoys distance running, music/dance, reading and philosophy.

Russell Sharpswain
Russell was born in Wisconsin and received both his undergraduate degree and masters degree from Northern Illinois University. Between college and medical school, Russell worked in a number of jobs including a counselor at the Illinois Math and Science Academy, a children's mental health worker in Denver, an academic counselor at the University of Denver, and a Denver EMT. Russell graduated from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine where he was in the top 10% of his class. In medical school he was involved in numerous extra-curricular activities including Chairman of the Organizational President's Council of the Student Government Association. Russell is married with three kids (Tennyson 5, Simon 3 & Frances 1), enjoys running, bicycling, team sports (softball, basketball, volleyball), music, gardening, and cooking (chili cook-off second place winner).

Veta Zikos
Veta was born and raised in the southwest Chicago suburbs where she was captain of her high school track team. She spent many summers with her grandparents in a tiny village in northern Greece. Veta received her undergraduate degree (Economics) in three years from Northwestern University. As an undergrad, she was elected to the Golden Key National Honor Society and Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society. She also worked as an elementary school teaching assistant. Veta graduated from Northwestern University School of Medicine where she received multiple honors in her clinical rotations and her test taking skills (USMLE) put her in the top 10% of the country. She is involved in numerous extracurricular and volunteer activities including tutoring eighth graders in the Cabrini Green Youth Program, working in free clinics (Cabrini Green Youth Clinic and Uptown Clinic) and was the Running Events Coordinator for the Special Olympics. Veta enjoys running, working out, dancing (ballroom, swing, and salsa), crafts (needlepoint, embroidery, drawing acrylic painting), reading, and traveling.

Katherine Zimmerman
Kate was born and raised in the Chicagoland area and received her undergraduate degree from Northwestern University. She graduated from the University of Illinois-Chicago College of Medicine this spring. She excelled academically, finishing in the top 25% of her class; received Honors in all of her clinical rotations, and her test taking abilities (USMLE) put her in the top 1% nationally. Kate was a research assistant at the U of I Perinatal Center concentrating on data base analysis of infants weighing less than 1500 grams. Kate was involved in numerous volunteer activities including Lincoln Park homeless shelter, Chicago youth programs, high school student mentor, UIC student run clinic, and the UIC winter ball silent auction fund raising committee. Kate enjoys a variety of outdoor activities, reading, and crafts.