Program Philosophy
Program Goals
Curriculum
Call Schedule
Salaries and Benefits
Faculty
Longitudinal Curricula
Residents

Armen Karapetyan, M.D.
PGYIII

Dr. Karapetyan is a graduate of Yerevan State Medical University, Armenia. He was awarded the “Young Medical Lectures of the Year” in 1998 and was a Prizewinner in the USSR “Young Surgeons Championship” in 1989.  In 1998, Dr. Karapetyan successfully completed a residency in Urology.  He is also certified by the California Board of Pharmacy. He transferred to USC/CA Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program after completing an internship at Maine-Dartmouth Family Practice Residency.  He enjoys chess, rollerblading, biking, kayaking, and music.

Anjali Kandpal, M.D.
PGYIII

Dr. Kandpal is a graduate of Baba Raghav Das Medical College, India. Before transferring to USC/CA Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program, Dr. Kandpal interned at McLaren Family Practice Program in Michigan.  Her volunteer experiences include providing support at the Total Life Long Clinic a non-profit healthcare organization that serves low-income and uninsured patients.  Dr. Kandpal speaks Hindi, Bojpuri, and is increasing her Spanish fluency. She enjoys cooking, dancing, and playing miniature golf.

Sepideh "Sepi" Mirfakhraie, M.D.
PGYIII

is a graduate of La Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara, Mexico and the Fifth Pathway New York Medical College.  She earned her bachelors degree in Health Sciences with a concentration in Physical Therapy from Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, New York.  Dr. Mirfakhraie found her calling in Family Medicine, through her volunteer experiences at San Francisco II, a public aid clinic located in Guadalajara, Mexico.  She speaks Spanish and Farsi and enjoys playing the piano and biking. 

Nghia Duong, M.D.
PGYIII

Dr. Ngia is a graduate of American University of the Caribbean. Dr. Duong earned his Bachelors degree from the University of Irvine. Dr. Duong graduated from Cleveland Chiropractic College and became a licensed Chiropractor.  His desire and dedication to care for the underserved was reinforced during his many volunteer opportunities at such places as Baker Street Clinic a homeless clinic in Bakersfield.  Dr. Duong is fluent in Chinese and Vietnamese. He enjoys sports such as basketball and tennis, traveling, camping, snowboarding and working on computers.

Erasto Gutierrez, M.D.
PGYIII

Dr. Gutierrez graduated from Ross University with high honors. He earned his Bachelor degree from UC Fullerton in Biology in 2000. Dr. Gutierrez interned at the Univ. of New Mexico Dept. of Family Medicine in Albuquerque, NM before transferring to USC/CA Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program.   In remote El Hongo in Baja California, Mexico Dr. Gutierrez assisted the only local physician making house calls for impoverished patients.  He’s also participated in LIGA-Flying Doctors of Mercy.  Born at California Hospital and raised in Southern California, Dr. Gutierrez speaks Spanish and enjoys kickboxing, weight lifting, and softball.

Margarita Alejandra Rodriguez, M.D. PGYII

Dr. Rodriguez is a 2004 graduate of the University of Chile. Dr. Rodriguez moved to Chile to study medicine and upon completing medical school, she worked for a year and a half in Chile before returning to California. She worked as research assistant at LAC+USC Colorectal-Gold Department and participated in the International Medical Graduate Program of UCLA Dept. of Family Medicine-Les Kelly Health Center.    She enjoys traveling, reading classic novels, playing the piano, and spending time with her family. She is fluent in Spanish and also speaks Portuguese and French.

Faith Frankel, M.D.
PGYII

Dr. Frankel is a medical graduate of Sackler School of Medicine-New York American Branch. Dr. Frankel graduated with Honors from the University of Santa Barbara in 2004, having earned a degree in Biology. Along with her father who is also a family physician, Dr. Frankel has volunteered in such places as Tanzania, Mexico, Romania, and China.  Dr. Frankel has a special interest in women’s health and wishes to work with those who cannot afford medical treatment. Her hobbies include writing poetry, playing basketball, traveling, reading novels, and cooking.

Jessica Johnson, D.O.
PGYII

Dr. Johnson is a graduate of Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific. Dr. Johnson attended The University of Florida where she earned her Bachelors degree in Physical Therapy in 1998. She is a member of the American Osteopathic Association. Her volunteer experiences include providing health screening, therapeutic exercise and stretching and diet education to local communities. She also provided on-site sports medicine assistance to participants in the Los Angeles Marathon.  Dr. Johnson enjoys traveling, playing piano, painting, exercise, and yoga. 

Marc Wright, D.O., D.P.M., PGYII

Dr. Wright is a 2008 graduate of Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific.  He received his Bachelor’s degree in Japanese in 1989 from UCLA and later worked in Japan as a teacher for one year.  Prior to medical school he attended the California College of Podiatric Medicine in San Francisco and graduated in 1998.  As a podiatrist, he practiced for 3 years and volunteered in homeless shelters.  He enjoys gardening, music, his baby girl Phaedra, and beach volleyball.

Damian Vela, M.D.
PGYII

Dr. Vela graduated from the Universidad Autonoma de Tamaulipas, Matamoros, Mexico in 1998. Dr. Vela completed a transitional year at General Hospital in Mexicali, Baja California where he served as Intern Representative in 1996.  Following his transitional year he accepted an internship position at Bella Vista Hospital in Puerto Rico. Dr. Vela is fluent in Spanish and enjoys playing tennis, hiking, reading books and spending quality time with his family.

David Wu, M.D.
PGYII

Dr. Wu is a 2007 graduate of American University of the Caribbean.  He attended the University of California, Berkeley and in 2002 earned his bachelor’s degree in molecular Cell Biology.  Dr. Wu completed his internship year at Mount Carmel Family Practice in Columbus, Ohio before transferring to our program. Dr. Wu is a local native and grew up in the San Gabriel Valley. He holds a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Doe, plays piano at an advanced level, and earned an Honorable Mention Peace Award by the Golden Tiger Association of oil painting.

Andrea Angelucci, D.O.
PGYII

Dr. Angelucci is a graduate of Western University of Health Sciences Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific. She received her Bachelor of Science in biology with a minor in chemistry from Stockton College in New Jersey.  Dr. Angelucci was a student clinician with LIGA (Flying Doctors of Mercy).  During medical school, she participated in the Clinical Osteopathic Medicine Practicum that acted as a supplement to her OMT training. Through the Cayo AIDS Committee and Cornerstone Foundation, she volunteered to teach Belizean Army officers and workers at brothels on the Belizean-Guatemalan border about the facts of HIV and AIDS. Her hobbies include running, biking, traveling, reading, cooking, figure drawing and stained glass.

Shauntelle Bonman, D.O.
PGYI

Dr. Bonman is a 2009 graduate of Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific.  Dr. Bonman earned a bachelor of science degree in Biology in 1995 at Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, Louisiana.  Dr. Bonman’s volunteer experience ranges from organizing local health fairs to participating in LIGA-Flying Doctors of Mercy. Dr. Bonman was awarded the “Black Women Physicians California Wellness Leadership Award for her dedication and leadership in the community. She is fluent in Spanish and enjoys all sports including basketball, football, baseball, surfing, hiking.  She loves to meet new people and enjoys spending time with her immediate and extended family.

Caroline Kaloostian, M.D.
PGYI

Dr. Kaloostian graduated from the 7 year Thomas Harder Program in Biomedical Sciences in 2008 after receiving a double major in Biology and Psychology from the University of Riverside.  She has completed two L.A. Marathons and enjoys participating in Flying Samaritans, which provides healthcare to the disadvantaged at the Mexico-California border.  Carolyn enjoys academic medicine and finds time to participate in research to further medical knowledge.  In her free time, Carolyn tutors/mentors and always finds time to dance.  Carolyn has fourteen years of training in classical ballet and has traveled countrywide performing. 

Neelima Kumar, M.D.
PGYI

graduated in 1998 from Lady Hardinge Medical College, India. Dr. Kumar completed an Internship at King Drew Medical Center in the Department of Internal Medicine.  During medical school Dr. Kumar learned to apply her education in a clinical setting by working with several voluntary organization programs including Universal Immunization, Maternal and Child Health, and the Free Eye Camp. She is fluent in Hindi and likes hiking, cooking, traveling, movies and painting.

Omolade Ogun, M.D.
PGYI

Dr. Ogun was born and raised in Nigeria. As a child, she joined the Junior Red Cross in Lagos. She enjoyed helping people.  She attended the University of Lagos, where she obtained a combined Bachelors of Medicine and Bachelors of Surgery degrees in December 2000. In 2002, she moved to the US and has worked in various capacities including volunteering at different health care facilities in Los Angeles.
She was involved in medical research at David Geffen School of Medicine and Spondylitis Association of America. In addition, she participated at several health fairs, conducting health screening tests and educating people on health issues. Fluent in Yoruba, Dr. Ogun is passionate about educating patients, treating them with individuality and respect that allows them to make some of the most important decisions in their lives. She sees her role as a Family Physician as ideal for promoting physical and psychological and behavioral well being in individuals and families.  She enjoys spending time with her family, playing tennis and learning Spanish.

Tony Truong, M.D.
PGYI

Dr. Truong is a 2008 graduate of American University of the Caribbean.  He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Los Angeles in Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology.  As a student volunteer at UCLA, Dr. Truong participated in several health fairs in order to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease and offer free screening to detect hypertension, diabetes, and osteoporosis to the local disadvantaged Asian and Pacific Islander community. Dr. Truong is fluent in Vietnamese and enjoys jogging, tennis and playing the guitar.