The Bucksbaum Institute for Clinical Excellence supports four new medical students a year as Bucksbaum Student Scholars.
Khari Derrick
2024-2025 STUDENT SCHOLAR
Keianna Moyer
2024-2025 STUDENT SCHOLAR
Andrew Travis
2024-2025 STUDENT SCHOLAR
Jacob Fries
2023-2024 STUDENT SCHOLAR
Jacob A. Fries is 2021 cum laude graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where he received a B.S. in Environmental Sciences with a supplemental major in Latinx Studies. He spent his first gap year as a Health Corps Fellow through the Washington AIDS Partnership in Washington DC, where he worked in HIV prevention, sexual health education, and human-centered design initiatives at the Latin American Youth Center. Jacob then came to Chicago where he worked as a clinical research coordinator at Northwestern Medicine, primarily focusing on the national REACH palliative care study. At Pritzker, Jacob serves as a co-leader of the Geriatrics Interest Group, is a member of LMSA and serves as the LMSA Admissions Liaisons, and is the Faculty Recruitment Coordinator at CommunityHealth Clinic. He is also involved in research with Dr. Harita Shah looking at HIV prevalence and PrEP utilization in Latinx populations across Cook County, IL. Jacob is looking forward to using his time in medical school to further understand the impacts of community-based health interventions and engage with issues surrounding end-of-life care and shared decision making.
Priscilla Molina
2023-2024 STUDENT SCHOLAR
Priscilla Stephanie Molina is a 2020 cum laude graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles, where she received a B.S. in Psychobiology and completed minors in Latin American Studies and Public Health. Upon graduation, Priscilla went on to work as a Health Equity Navigator in Southern California’s largest FQHC, AltaMed Health Services, where her work involved addressing the social determinant needs of patients living with diabetes. She then served as a key intern lead in AltaMed’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution efforts throughout Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Simultaneously, Priscilla co-led Spanish-speaking family support groups at a local mental health advocacy organization, NAMI. She ended her third gap year working as a medical scribe, behavior interventionist & an Assistant Resident Director at UCLA. At Pritzker, Priscilla currently serves as one of the student coordinators for Community Health Clinic, one of Chicago’s largest free clinics, and as the undergraduate mentorship co-chair for Pritzker’s chapter of the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA). She is also co-chairing the Family Medicine Interest Group and is a member of the team engaging in Pritzker’s chapter of REMEDY, a not-for-profit, nationwide medical student organization dedicated to addressing international health disparities through education and recycling of unused medical equipment. Priscilla looks forward to using her time in medical school to further expand her leadership skills, solidify her passion for community and mental health, and engage in issues surrounding migrant and youth health.
Juliana Byanyima
2023-2024 STUDENT SCHOLAR
Juliana Byanyima graduated from Cornell University with a BA in Biological Sciences and minor in Health Equity. In college, she was a research assistant in the Life History lab where she studied the role of developmental context and early life stress on brain development. During her gap years, Juliana worked at the Center for Studies of Addiction at Penn, where she coordinated neuroimaging studies on alcohol and opioid use disorder. At Pritzker, Juliana was elected by her class as a Wellness representative and is a member of the mental health subcommittee. She is the Social Media Chair for the Student National Medical Association (SNMA), the i2i (Identity and Inclusion) representative for the Wellness Committee, and a mentor for the Health Professions Recruitment & Exposure Program (HPREP) at Pritzker. Juliana is eager to explore her interests in interdisciplinary care, psychiatry and oncology, and mental health advocacy.
Thomas Statchen
2023-2024 STUDENT SCHOLAR
Thomas Statchen graduated of the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned dual majors in Bioengineering and Urban Studies. His commitment to healthcare began early, working as an EMT since the age of 16. During a summer internship at Sayre Health, Thomas conducted a needs assessment to enhance patient connections to vital resources, demonstrating his dedication to community health.
Amidst the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Thomas exhibited exceptional leadership by recruiting and coordinating 60 volunteers to support Sayre Health’s vaccine and testing clinic. His strategic initiatives and ability to mobilize resources led to securing $500K in federal funding, resulting in the establishment of a community center at the clinic.
Aysenur Musaogullari
2022-2023 STUDENT SCHOLAR
Aysenur (Ayse) Musaogullari graduated summa cum laude from John Carroll University with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and a minor in Peace, Justice, and Human Rights. Prior to joining Pritzker, Ayse performed clinical and translational research in glaucoma at the Havener Eye Institute in Columbus, Ohio. During this time, she also partnered with a non-profit organization and worked on several projects to improve health access and literacy for refugees and asylum seekers.
At Pritzker, Ayse is the Co-Director of the Maria Shelter Free Clinic, which serves women and children experiencing homelessness on the South Side. Currently, she is exploring her research and clinical interests in ophthalmology and global health.
Hecong Qin
2022-2023 STUDENT SCHOLAR
An aspiring physician-scientist, Hecong completed his undergraduate studies at Sun Yat-sen University in China and a Ph.D. in Bioengineering at UCSF and UC Berkeley. His dissertation research focused on developing and translating novel MRI techniques targeting cancer metabolism to identify aggressive cancers and evaluate therapeutic responses.
While in the Bay Area, Hecong volunteered as a community healthcare worker at the Berkeley Free Clinic for six years, including two years as a section coordinator. Working with and learning from vulnerable patients at the clinic strengthened his passion for health equity, patient advocacy, and building trust with patients. At the Pritzker School of Medicine, Hecong continues to conduct basic science research and engage in community service. He serves as a class representative to Pritzker’s Identity and Inclusion (i2i) committee, as well as on the board of the Bridgeport Free Clinic and Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA).