James DeJesus IV

James DeJesus was born and raised in Mililani, HI and graduated from the Kamehameha Schools - Kapalama in 2014. He attended the University of Puget Sound, graduating with a B.S. in Biochemistry and minors in mathematics and economics, Summa Cum Laude, in 2018. He then completed the ‘Imi Ho’ola Post-Baccalaureate Program prior to matriculating into medical school. He was drawn to the field of medicine after sustaining orthopedic injuries while playing sports growing up. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family, friends, and his dogs Nitro and Buzz. He also enjoys golfing, surfing, and watching stand-up comedy. James matched into Orthopaedic Surgery at Baylor University Medical Center (Dallas, TX).

​

​

​

​

Rachel Gorenflo

Rachel Gorenflo grew up in seven states and three countries and spent the majority of her childhood and adolescence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. After completing high school in Idaho, she headed to UH Hilo where she graduated with a B.A. in Healthcare Administration with minors in Agriculture and Biology. Prior to medical school, Rachel kept herself busy by becoming a scribe in the Hilo Medical Center ED, running a business, teaching Red Cross classes, waitressing, and completing research on the Alala crow. At JABSOM, she loved learning and teaching every aspect of medicine. Because of her love for knowledge application, the operating room, and hands-on problem solving, she is pursuing a career in general surgery with a focus on Global Health. She dreams of developing a general surgery residency program overseas to create sustainable change and improve healthcare access in resource-limited areas. Outside of the OR, she enjoys rock climbing, weightlifting, gardening, running, hiking, and playing with her two cats. Rachel matched into General Surgery with a Global Surgery Focus at the University of Texas Medical Branch (Galveston, TX).

​

​

Megan Horita

Megan Horita was born and raised in Mililani, HI. She graduated from Hawaii Baptist Academy in 2015 and went on to study Investigative Medical Sciences and Biology at Saint Louis University in Saint Louis, MO. She was inspired to pursue medicine because she felt that it was the most meaningful way for her to bridge her passion for service and science. She is pursuing a career in pediatrics because she wanted to be able to advocate for a patient population that did not have their own voice. Outside of school, Megan enjoys baking cooking, and playing spikeball with her friends. Megan matched into Pediatrics at the University of Utah (Salt Lake City, UT).

​

​

​

​

Amelia Hummel

Amelia Hummel was born and raised in Glenview, IL, a suburb of Chicago. She went to Claremont, CA to attend Pitzer College, where she played basketball and studied social sciences. After college, she moved to New York City to complete the pre-medical post baccalaureate program at Columbia University and ended up staying to work at an orthopedic hospital on the Upper East Side while applying to medical school. She returned to her mother’s hometown, Honolulu, to complete her medical studies but is headed back to Chicago to start her residency in Orthopaedic Surgery at Rush University Medical Center. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, outdoor adventures, hosting potlucks, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends.

​

​

​

​

Courtney Ip

Courtney Ip was born in San Jose, CA and raised in Hilo, HI. She graduated from Waiakea High School in 2015. She went on to become a Dorrance Scholar and Chancellor’s Scholar at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and received a B.S. in Biology with a minor in Chemistry in 2019, Summa Cum Laude. Her interest in medicine stemmed from volunteering at Hilo Medical Center as a high school student and shadowing the physicians at the Hawaiʻi Island Family Medicine Residency Program as an undergraduate student. She is pursuing a rewarding career in OB/GYN, with a desire to return to the Big Island to mitigate the health disparities that have impacted her family and rural community. In her free time, she enjoys eating, reading, traveling, theatre, and spending time with family and friends. Courtney matched into OB/GYN at Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV (Las Vegas, NV).

​

​

Ted Jacoby

Ted grew up in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island and attended Hualalai Academy from kindergarten through 12th grade. Following high school graduation in 2013, he moved to Honolulu for undergrad, and after four years, graduated from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa. During his time at JABSOM, he moved to Boston to complete a year of research at Massachusetts General Hospital, studying the skin toxicities of anti-cancer therapies. There, he improved his skills in statistical analysis, and scientific writing that he hopes to use in his future career. For Ted, medicine lies at the intersection between treating disease, student education, and research, which has been his primary motivation for pursuing a career as a physician. Ted matched into Dermatology at the UC Davis Medical Center (Sacramento, CA).

​

​

​

Elliott Koshi

Elliott Koshi grew up in Japan and South Korea on U.S. Military Bases. He attended the University of California San Diego, where he graduated in 2018 with a B.S. in Biochemistry and Cell Biology. After college, Elliott spent a year in Boston for AmeriCorps. Having grown-up in the military system, he was determined to serve those who serve our country. He is pursuing a career in the field of Otolaryngology (ENT), with hopes of guiding the next generation of JABSOM students interested in ENT. In his free time, he enjoys lifting weights, checking-off bucket list items (Honolulu Marathon being the next one), and spending time with family and friends. Elliott matched into Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Tripler Army Medical Center (Honolulu, HI).

​

​

Enze Ma

Enze Ma was born in Sichuan, China and moved to the States when he was 3, eventually landing in Hawaii at the age of 8. He graduated from Iolani in 2015 and proceeded to graduate magna cum laude from Duke University with a B.S. in Neuroscience and a minor in chemistry. As a musician, he was always interested in the interplay between hearing, music, and medicine. It is this passion for the arts and for medicine that draws him to pursuing a career as an ENT. Outside of school, Enze enjoys hiking with his wife Rylie, playing pickleball, exploring nature, and watching TV (his favorite show is Schitt’s Creek). Enze matched into Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Texas-Southwestern (Dallas,TX).

​

​

​

Sarah Murayama

Sarah Murayama was born in Omaha, NE and was raised in multiple states growing up, but calls Honolulu, HI “home.” She attended the University of Pennsylvania and graduated with a B.A. in Psychology. Her initial interest in medicine was sparked by her father, a General Surgeon (and JABSOM grad!), and mother, a former Registered Nurse. Her parents’ passion for helping others inspired Sarah to pursue a career in medicine. Sarah is excited to start her OB/GYN residency and she plans to practice in Hawaiʻi after completing her training. In her free time, Sarah enjoys baking, crocheting, and spending time with her friends and family while getting some sun! Sarah matched into Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Hawaii (Honolulu, HI).

​

​

​

​

Kyle Obana

Kyle was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii and graduated from Punahou School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Psychology, cum laude, from Amherst College where he was a defensive back on the Amherst College football team. He developed a passion for orthopaedic surgery following his multitude of injuries and time spent conducting orthopaedic research at the Columbia University Medical Center and Children's Hospital of Los Angeles. He will be pursuing a career in orthopaedic surgery and will be subspecializing in sports medicine and shoulder reconstruction. He plans on returning home to Hawaii following residency and fellowship to give back to the local community and help lead the orthopaedic residency program. Kyle matched into Orthopaedic Surgery at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center

(New York, NY).

​

Jessica Shiosaki

Jessica grew up in Mililani, HI and graduated from Punahou School in 2014. She attended Occidental College and graduated with a BA in Biochemistry in 2018, Summa Cum Laude. She has always been interested in health and science, and was inspired to explore her passion for teaching through medicine after leading health promoting activities with underserved families in her community. She is excited to pursue a career in Pediatrics. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, cooking, playing soccer, and watching football. Jessica matched into Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA).

​

​

​

​

Cori Sutton

Cori Sutton was raised in Kaneohe, HI and graduated from Iolani School in 2015. She attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa as a Doctor of Medicine Early Acceptance Program (DMEAP) Scholar and subsequently graduated in 2019 with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Economics, Summa Cum Laude. She was inspired to pursue a career in medicine by her dad, who worked as a registered nurse at the Queen’s Medical Center for over 20 years, and will be the first physician in her family. After completing her residency in Internal Medicine, she hopes to return to Hawaii to practice as a hospitalist or nephrologist and to pursue a career in medical education. During her free time, she enjoys listening to podcasts and audiobooks, playing pickleball and volleyball with friends, binge-watching sitcoms, and taking funny pictures of her orange tabby cat, Duncan. Cori matched into Internal Medicine at the University of California Irvine Medical Center (Irvine, CA).

​

Tyler Thorne

Tyler Thorne was raised in Waimea, HI and graduated from Honoka'a High School in 2011. He completed his undergraduate studies in Psychology and Biochemistry at Cornell College, graduating Cum Laude in 2015. His interest in medicine developed after seeing the devastating impact that cancer, pathological fractures, and rural healthcare disparities had on his family. These experiences have led him to be active in promoting healthcare careers for high schoolers across rural Hawaii. Additionally, he is pursuing Orthopaedic Surgery and took a research year at the University of Utah to study fracture healing in animal models. He enjoys hiking, rock climbing, skiing, spearfishing, and audiobooks in his free time. He plans to return and practice in Hawaii. Tyler matched into Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Utah (Salt Lake City, UT).

​

​

Rylie Wada

Rylie Wada was born and raised in Aiea, HI. She graduated from Hawaii Baptist Academy in 2015 and went onto double major in Exercise Science and Psychology at California Lutheran University. Rylie decided to specialize in OB/GYN because she believes it is truly an honor to walk with, encourage, and learn from women in their mountains and their valleys. Additionally, in her words, “seeing the miracle of and joy in the birth of a new life is incredible”! She plans to practice in Hawaii and be a part of some global medical mission teams in the future. Outside of medicine, Rylie enjoys hiking with her husband, Enze, anything active (most recently pickleball and running), and spending time with friends and family! Riley matched into Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (Dallas, TX).