First Year Students (E-23)

Chantelle Barr

Chantelle was born and raised in Worland, Wyoming. She graduated from Columbia University in New York City with a degree in Neuroscience and Behavior in 2021. While completing her last three semesters online due to the COVID pandemic, Chantelle spent her free time volunteering at the hospital in Worland, assisting in the radiology department and operating room. Since graduation, she worked as a per diem emergency department technician and a full-time medical scribe. Though originally interested in anesthesiology, her work as a scribe has fostered a passion for family medicine. Chantelle spends her time outside of work tending to her 200+ houseplants and competing in dart league.

Clara Bouley

Clara was raised in Sheridan, Wyoming. She attended the University of Wyoming and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Molecular Biology. She also obtained a Masters of Science from the University of Wyoming in Food Science and Human Nutrition, focusing on the recovery and molecular characterization of human norovirus from wastewater. Her interest in medicine was solidified by experiences working in a long-term care facility, volunteering at the Downtown Clinic, and shadowing physicians in the state. She looks forward to discovering which specialty best suits her during her clinical rotations. In her free time, Clara enjoys baking, skiing, hiking, and spending time at her family cabin. 

Quinton Brooks 

Quinton was born and raised in Sheridan, Wyoming. After graduating with a Bachelors in Molecular Biology, he joined staff with the Navigators ministry at the University of Wyoming. Quinton confirmed his desire to pursue a career in medicine during a high school internship where he shadowed a group of physicians and became fascinated with learning about the complexity of the human body, and saw how the physicians served their patients in meaningful ways. After shadowing multiple physicians throughout college, Quinton is currently interested in pursuing a career in family medicine or oncology due to their nature of facilitating longitudinal relationships with patients. In his free time, Quinton enjoys spending time with family, playing guitar, connecting with God, playing frisbee, and exploring the mountains.

Bradford Burns

Brad is from the small town of Story, Wyoming, where he has worked as a Rock Climbing Guide during the summers for the past 5 years. Brad graduated from Montana State University with a Baccalaureate in Cell Biology and Neuroscience. After graduating from MSU, he pursued an internship with “Higher Ground”, a nonprofit working with veterans and disabled athletes through outdoor recreation and recreational therapy. Brad found his way toward a career in medicine with the help of a few amazing mentors and health professionals, and is passionate about giving back to rural Wyoming communities through the medium of medicine. During the rare stint of free time, you can find him rock climbing, mountaineering, snowboarding, playing music with friends, or enjoying the outdoors in this wonderful state we call home.

Brandi Carreau

Brandi was born and raised in Laramie, WY, but has spent the past few years in South Carolina, Africa, and Florida. She attended the University of Wyoming earning a BA in Psychology and a BS in Physiology. Following graduation Brandi joined the Wyoming Air National Guard serving as an Aeromedical Evacuation Technician providing in-flight medical care to service members both stateside and during an overseas deployment. Her interest in medicine stems from having worked in various helping professions and numerous volunteer roles. These opportunities have helped build Brandi’s extensive experience in the fields of mental health, emergency medicine, flight medicine, military medicine, surgery, and global public health. Brandi is drawn to primary care and trauma surgery but is open to exploring other specialities. Brandi is the first in her family to attend medical school and is extremely grateful and excited to serve her fellow Wyomingites as well as continue to serve her country as a member of the Armed Forces. In her free time, Brandi enjoys traveling, cooking, learning about health and fitness, and most of all spending time with her husband who is also serving in the United States Air Force.

Annaliese Fitzsimmons 

Annaliese has lived in a few places in Wyoming, having grown up in Greybull, WY and Jackson, WY and spending the last few years in Pinedale, WY. She attended the University of Wyoming where she received a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and Environment and Natural Resources (double major) in 2020 and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Systems Science with a minor in Sustainability in 2021. She continued to Missouri State University where she received a Master of Public Health in 2023. Her medical interests lie in rural and frontier family medicine with a focus on preventive and holistic medicine. Outside of school, she is interested in plants, rocks, music, and cats.

Sabrina Gay

Sabrina was born and raised in Pinedale, Wyoming. She attended the University of Wyoming where she graduated with a BS in physiology. She found her passion for medicine at a young age when both her parents worked in Sublette County as EMTs. She was fascinated by their knowledge of the human body and their ability to help people, and she wanted to be just like them. Since that early age, she has spent time working, volunteering, and shadowing in many areas of healthcare and has fallen in love with patient care. She has a strong interest in both public health and preventative medicine, but she looks forward to exploring all specialties over the next few years. Outside of school she enjoys traveling, reading, exploring the outdoors with her husband, and (very recently) cooking. 

Dean He

Dean was born and raised in the rural Thanh Son district of Vietnam and moved to Casper, Wyoming, at the age of 9. He graduated from the University of Wyoming with a Bachelor of Science in biology in 2023. His intrigue in medicine began after a close encounter with rabies while growing up in Vietnam. Dean worked as a medical assistant for Wyoming Family Practice, but it was his experience as a hospice companion for Central Wyoming Hospice that gave him the resolve to pursue medicine. As a first-generation immigrant and student, he is beyond grateful for all the opportunities Wyoming has given him, both inside and outside the classroom. Though unsure of which specialty he wants to pursue, he is drawn to family medicine for its longitudinal aspect of care. Art has been his love since childhood, and Dean prides himself on his ability to not only sketch and character illustrate but also to sing. He loves spending time with those he cares about and enjoys cooking, though he is no expert at it.

Rafael Homer

Rafael was born in Samsun, Turkey, and moved to Laramie when he was two. Since then he has moved back and forth between Wyoming and Turkey. Rafael graduated from the University of Wyoming in 2022 with degrees in Molecular Biology and Finance. He has worked as a biotech consultant, finance intern, STEM curriculum designer, psychiatric technician, and fashion importer. Rafael has researched developmental biology and worked on the UCHAT project, examining barriers to healthcare access in Wyoming. This research and other aspects of growing up in Wyoming and Turkey have helped grow his passion for medicine. He is excited to explore many different specialties and plans to continue to work to improve health equity in the state and beyond. In his free time, he enjoys working out, learning to code, collecting and reading graphic novels, pizza-making, and spending time with loved ones.

Anh Huynh

Anh was born in a medically underserved community in Phu Yen, Vietnam. When she was twelve years old, her family immigrated to Cheyenne, Wyoming. Witnessing the negative impacts of healthcare disparities in her hometown, and the challenges that immigrants face in seeking medical care in the U.S. has motivated her to pursue a career in medicine. As a future physician, her goal is to help bridge the gap in access and advocate for more equitable care. She completed her undergraduate education at the University of Washington and earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. As an undergraduate, she served as a volunteer at Swedish Hospital where she helped optimize patients’ experiences, and worked as an undergraduate researcher. After her graduation, Anh worked as a medical scribe and assistant for Frontier Derm Partners, an experience that sparked her interest in the specialty. As a continuous learner, Anh enjoyed serving as an academic tutor where she was able to help students while fulfilling her intellectual curiosity. Though her current medical interests are dermatology and emergency medicine, she is excited to explore other specialties throughout medical school. During her free time, she enjoys playing kalimba and spending time with her cat. 

Emma Miller

Emma was raised in Lander, Wyoming where she spent most of her childhood on horseback with her family. After graduating from Wellesley College with a degree in Chemistry, she completed research in novel polytrauma model development and treatment paradigms at the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense. Time spent working directly with patients in under-resourced areas of healthcare, from clinics in Boston to hospice care in Lander, cultivated Emma’s love for medicine. In the future, she hopes to serve patients in rural areas and increase accessibility of care for vulnerable populations. In her free time, Emma can be found in the nearest mountain range, mountain biking or trail running, or at home cooking up a storm.

Kaden Moore

Kaden moved from Utah to Powell, Wyoming when he was in the third grade. His interest in medicine started while attending cardiology follow-up visits for his older sister, Kenly, who has Down syndrome. He was also influenced by a work-experience program in high school with Powell Valley Health Care. Before graduating from BYU-Idaho with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science and a minor in chemistry, Kaden served a church mission in Guatemala City. From that experience, he became passionate about the Spanish language and became involved in volunteer clinical interpreting. Most recently, he worked as a clinical research coordinator and phlebotomist involving the conduct of investigational vaccine trials covering a wide array contagious disease. Kaden is honored and grateful to be returning to Wyoming through the WWAMI program and is interested by many fields of medicine, but he is keeping an open mind as to what specialty he will pursue. Kaden loves spending free time with his wife Madelyn, their daughter Mae, and his older sister Kenly who lives with them. He also enjoys road biking, fly fishing, basketball, golf, and other outdoor activities.

Aaron Nichols

Aaron was born and raised in Cody, Wyoming, and for a brief period, he lived in Billings, Montana. He is a strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) through the NSCA, as well as an EMT at Cody Regional Health. While he has always gravitated towards the sciences, particularly Physiology, He developed a desire to pursue medicine and to help others through hospital experiences with his friends and family. This desire was expounded upon with his unique interaction with patients as a strength coach, EMT, and a microbiologist capable of interpreting research. He found that an extreme variety of conditions, including most of the 10 highest mortality conditions, could be ameliorated or prevented using his knowledge as a strength coach, and that very few people have the resources to meet the physical activity guidelines that would be very useful for their health. His wish is to become an emergency physician that can help in the most dire of situations, but also to have educational interactions with patients about lifestyle change. In his free time, he loves to read books; learn to cook new and exciting dishes; train with weights (of course); listen to music; and learn about medicine. Growing up in Wyoming, some of his greatest passions are camping and hiking in the outdoors, and skiing.

Sai Kit Ng

Sai Kit Ng (Kit) is from Laramie, Wyoming. He was born in Malaysia and immigrated to the United States when he was six years old. He graduated from the University of Wyoming with BS degrees in molecular biology and microbiology and minors in music and physiology. Kit has been interested in medicine since he was a young boy and has developed a passion for serving the underserved and immigrant community. He served as a volunteer interpreter at the Downtown Clinic in Laramie, Wyoming, and wants to help address social inequities in medicine as a physician and provide quality treatments to patients. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kit was fortunate to serve the people of Wyoming by administering COVID tests to the public and educating the community about the virus. Additionally, through his experiences as a Junior Counselor for the Rocky Mountain Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Camp (RYLA), Kit has understood what it means to discover and embrace ones’ authentic self and seeks to keep the “RYLA magic” alive in medicine by being a support system for patients. Kit wants to continue exploring the parallels between music and medicine, having experienced how both seek to positively impact people. He is inspired by the healing art of medicine, having seen first-hand how impacting patients’ lives makes that infectious healing energy spread and inspire others in the community to improve their health. He looks forward to exploring different specialties of medicine that better serve the community. In his free time, Kit loves playing piano, working out at CrossFit, reading, traveling, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.

Rylie Pilon

Rylie attended the University of Wyoming and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and a minor in Physiology in 2021. Throughout her college career, she also competed for the Cowgirl Swim and Dive Team. She worked as an Emergency medicine intern for Campbell County Health for a summer and also worked as a phlebotomist and Covid-19 screener for Ivinson Memorial hospital for a year. These experiences led to her interest in medicine and taught her important lessons about the quick response and problem solving aspects of medicine. She then returned to Gillette and spent two years as a high school chemistry teacher and swim coach for Thunder Basin High School. She loved her time as a teacher and learned about education and building relationships. She is specifically interested in anesthesiology but is excited to explore the many paths that medical school provides. In her free time, she enjoys swimming, traveling, paddle boarding, and spending time with family and friends.

Matthew Rasmussen

Matthew grew up in Burlington, Wyoming, a little farm town with about 300 people. While growing up, he enjoyed playing basketball, working on my family's farm, and participating in other school events. He then served a two-year mission for his church in Mexico City and Southern California. After his mission, Matt attended Brigham Young University, graduating with a bachelor's degree in Neuroscience. He enjoys trying new foods, playing any sport, and spending time with family and friends. 

Hyrum Ruby

Hyrum is a second-generation WWAMI student who grew up moving around the WWAMI regions while his father rotated between clerkships. Hyrum’s hometown is Buffalo, WY where he helped on his family’s sheep and cattle ranch during his middle school and high school summers. He served a two-year proselyting mission in Southern California for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before finishing his degree in Physiology from the University of Wyoming in May 2020. Hyrum conducted neuroscience research at the University of Wyoming in a joint project with Johns Hopkins University and is a published author. Hyrum has worked in a variety of clinics and specialties since graduation including Shaun Shafer Ophthalmology, Ivinson Medical Group, and Primary Children’s Outpatient Clinic in Layton, Utah. He hopes to use his talents and the instruction from UWSOM to lift, encourage, inspire, and heal those in rural Wyoming. In his free time, Hyrum likes to run, draw portraits, read books, play card/board games, and spend time with his wife and two children.

Tatiana Smith

Tatiana was born in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and moved to Casper, Wyoming in middle school.  Her passion for medicine started at a young age when she was inspired to become a doctor by her pediatrician. She attended the University of Wyoming where she earned a dual degree in Spanish and Physiology with a minor in Honors. As a student, she was an undergraduate researcher through the Wyoming Research Scholars Program studying the effects of e-cigarette vaping on the cardiopulmonary system and the molecular mechanisms that drive chronic inflammation in high-fat-diet-induced obesity in mice. She started working as a Dialysis technician her senior year and earned her CCHT certification. Tatiana is currently interested in internal medicine but is excited to experience other specialties. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, exercising, and exploring new hobbies.

Victoria Toscana

Tori grew up in Gillette, Wyoming and graduated from Creighton University with Bachelor’s degrees in Biology and History in 2022. As an undergraduate, she worked at the Omaha Children’s Hospital as a scribe in a variety of specialities. This experience cultivated her interest in pediatric medicine but she is looking forward to exploring other specialties throughout her time in medial school. Following graduation, Tori hiked 150 miles of the Camino Frances in Spain, worked in a pub in Ireland, and volunteered at a center for Ukrainian refugees. In her free time, she enjoys pilates, baking, running, and listening to live music.

Anna Ujvary

Anna's interest in medicine was sparked by personal experiences. As a Hungarian-American, she observed her family's struggles due to cultural and linguistic barriers. Growing up in rural Wyoming, Anna experienced and witnessed the hardships caused by limited access to medical resources. These experiences, along with her studies in Psychology at Pepperdine University and pre-medical education at Johns Hopkins University, deepened her understanding of healthcare disparities and the need for equitable care. Working with immigrants and refugees in Los Angeles emphasized the significance of trust in the patient-doctor relationship. As a medical assistant in Washington D.C., Anna's belief in compassionate care was solidified. Witnessing the positive impact of comprehensive and empathetic care reinforced her commitment to addressing healthcare disparities and providing accessible healthcare for underserved populations. In her free time, Anna enjoys traveling, cultural exploration, fashion, and spending time with her family, friends, and miniature schnauzer.