Welcome to our Mentorship page!
PMAH is dedicated to supporting our future physicians as early as their premedical school years. If you are a premedical student and are in need of supplemental advising, guidance, or mentoring, we are here for you!

Picture: Physicians Dr. Emilio Ganitano and Dr. Hazel Abinsay meeting with JABSOM medical students from PMSAH [Philippine Medical Student Association of Hawaiʻi] and premedical students from PPMAH [Philippine Pre-Medical Association of Hawaiʻi].

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Meet the Mentors

Dr. Hazel Abinsay

Hi everyone! I was born and raised in Kalihi, went to Sacred Hearts Academy for high school, UH Manoa majored in Biology, then attended JABSOM. My husband and I then went to University of Southern California for residency. I trained in Internal Medicine - Pediatrics which is a 4 year residency program. I came home in 2015 and have since been passionate about mentoring Filipino premedical students (I remember what the journey was like!). My parents are from Vigan, Ilocos Sur. I speak Englocano and Taglish and my private practice pediatric clinics in Kalihi and Ewa Beach. I have two young sons, Max and Maverick, and my husband is an ICU doctor with Dr. Ganitano. We love to travel, eat at new places, and spend time with family.

Dr. Emilio Ganitano

Coming soon…

Dr. Marel Ver

I didn't know I wanted to be a doctor, but I knew I wanted to make a community impact. I've been blessed to have achieved so much early in my career, as I had mentors who saw my potential and inspired and pushed me.  I was born in Manila but raised in West Oahu. I graduated from Maryknoll High School and completed my BS in Kinesiology from the University of Southern California. After working in a research lab at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda Maryland, I attended medical school at New York Medical College. I completed general surgery residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago Mount Sinai Hospital. I completed a fellowship in advanced laparoscopic and bariatric surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. I came home to Hawaii to practice in 2014, employed by the hospital. I am super engaged as a doc holding many leadership positions in the hospital, including ex-trauma Medical Director, Division Chief of General Surgery, and Bariatric Medical Director. I was a Pacific Business News 40-Under-40 Awardee in 2017. I was a Leadership Fellow in the Alpha class of the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii (https://filipinochamber.org/fellows/) in 2020. I've been on the PMAH board since 2015, and served as PMAH President in 2020-2022. Representing PMAH, I've been involved in many community activities including the development of FilCom Cares (https://www.filcomcares.org/) during the COVID pandemic. I'm here to support Dr. Abinsay and Dr. Ganitano in their mentorship efforts, as mentors have helped me along the way with their tough love and constructive criticisms. Now my latest challenge is balancing life as a new mom to 2 little boys with the everything else. I believe that having a vision and approaching getting there with wide eyes and true intent is essential to reaching your goals. 

What we provide

  • 1:1 application review

  • Personal statement feedback

  • Mock interviews with physician mentors and JABSOM medical students

  • Meet and network with JABSOM Filipino medical students and current residents

  • Lifelong mentorship :)

Past Webinars

Are You Ready to Apply to Medical School?
January 27, 2021
Premedical students at all stages are invited to listen and learn about what it takes to be a successful medical school applicant.

How to Prepare for the Imi Hoola Interviews
March 28, 2021
Imi Hoola students share their experience and give advice for the Imi Hoola interviews.

How to Prepare for the MCAT
February 10, 2021
JABSOM MS1 students who are part of PMSAH (Philippine Medical Student Association of Hawaii) talk about their experience on taking the MCAT and give their advice on how to succeed.
MCAT TIPS HANDOUT BY PMSAH

Road to Medicine
April 29, 2021
Our PPMAH Premed officers introduce the new club, Dr. Abinsay describes what the Road to Medicine looks like, and lots of advice from other premeds, incoming medical students, and doctors.

M&M: Money and Medicine, Introduction to Finances (Dr. Abinsay, Part 1a)
March 31, 2021
Dr Abinsay discusses the financial concepts fo wealth, net worth, active and passive income, financial independence and why knowing this is important.

M&M: Money and Medicine, Introduction to Finances, Part 2 (Dr. Emilio Ganitano)
April 6, 2021
Dr. Emilio Ganitano continues the conversation of our Money and Medicine series by discussing wealth accumulation including wealth, different ways to invest yourself, and introducing understanding taxes.

M&M: Money & Medicine, Introduction to Finances (Dr. Abinsay, Part 1B)
March 31, 2021
Dr Abinsay continues her discussion about finances focusing on the foundation of asset building which is wealth protection. She also quickly discusses budgeting as a resident, whether to buy a home in residency, and resident to attending transition.

Approach to the Filipino Patient
May 13, 2021
Webinar hosted by PMSAH with guest panelists Dr. May Rose Dela Cruz (Public Health), Dr. Melvin Palalay (Hematology - Oncology), Dr. Gary Dela Cruz (Pediatrics) as well Dr. Marel Ver (Surgery) and Dr. Carol Davide (Family Medicine).

A great session including discussion on Filipino disparities, reviewing basic medical Ilocano, as well as discussion on how Hawaii’s Filipino physicians approach their Filipino patients.

CONTACT US

Interested in our mentorship program?
Want to become involved with PMAH Outreach?
Have any other questions?
Email us at pmahmentorship@gmail.com.