Exploring Health Care Staff Biographies

Kazutoh Ishida: Program Director

Hello everyone! Thank you for your interest in our Exploring Health Care (EHC) Program. I had a chance to shadow the 2005 program and am very excited to run the program in 2006. I really hope that the EHC program will give you an opportunity to deepen your understanding about the various health care issues in the US and also to develop life-long lasting friendship with the Stanford Hosts and UCSF Coordinator(s).

Outside of work, I am currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Hawaii majoring in Japanese language teaching. In my spare time I like to listen to music, watch movies and travel. We are planning an exciting program for you and we are looking forward to seeing you in the spring in California!

Jay Jessen: Assistant Program Director

Hi Everyone.  I’ve led the EHC program in 2004 and 2005.  I’m glad to be involved again this year, working with Kazutoh and all the Stanford Hosts. EHC will be an intense experience . . . you will have the opportunity to learn much about the US health care system and hopefully more about yourself and your goals in the process!  We also hope to have a lot of fun together. 

In my life before VIA I’ve worked as an English teacher overseas and volunteered for a year working with refugees.   I love to travel and spend as much time outdoors as possible. I really look forward to meeting all of you soon. 

Junichi Saito : Program Assistant

Hello! My name is Junichi Saito from Tokyo Japan. Please call me Jun. Now, I work for VIA as an intern and particularly help to run Exploring Health Care(EHC) Program with Kazutoh. Although my intern period is about three months from Jan. 9th to Mar. 25th, I do my best to contribute to the success of EHC program.

Currently my status is also a senior year in Keio University majoring Economics. Before graduating from the university, I will spend my final college life at VIA. Last year I studied in UC Santa Barbara as an exchange student and now work in Palo Alto. California is becoming my second home town.

James Andrews: Stanford Host

Hi, my name is James, and I am a second year medical student here at Stanford. I am from Florida, and I went to college at the University of Florida (Go Gators!), where I majored in Biology and French. Before coming to Stanford, I spent time in France teaching, doing research, and traveling.

Within medicine, my interests include medical ethics, neuroscience, and international health. I am still deciding what I would like to specialize in as a physician, but I am really thinking about Neurology or Pediatrics. I am also a huge indie rock music fan, and my favorite way to spend my free time is listening to new music or going to concerts with friends. I am incredibly excited to be a host this year, and I can’t wait to meet you all.

Stephanie Chan: Stanford Host

My name is Stephanie. I graduated from Stanford this year with a major in Biology and a minor in Computer Science. My hobbies include juggling, ballroom dancing, learning guitar, and listening to music. I am very excited to be a Medical Host for VIA this year and can't wait for all the cultural exchange to begin!

Yvonne Chan: Stanford Host

Hi! My name is Yvonne, and I am a sophomore who is majoring in Biology here at Stanford. I am very interested in biology, medicine, health care, Asia, cultures, languages, and traveling. I enjoy meeting new people and broadening my perspective on the differences between cultures. I hope to become a surgeon one day and hope that my job can still allow me to travel and meet new people.

For fun, I like to listen to music, watch movies, anime, and drama, read a variety of books, and hang out with friends. I currently volunteer with United Students for Veterans Health (USVH), work in a lab where I look at early development, and teach fourth graders science at a local elementary. I hope to meet you all soon and cannot wait until spring! Until then, please don’t hesitate to email me at yychan@stanford.edu so I can get to know you all before we meet!

Peter Chang: Stanford Host

I am a junior at Stanford majoring in Human Biology. My primary interests are in health policy and healthcare systems. In the past, I have worked in a medical research lab and interned with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality in Washington, DC. I currently conduct research on publicly funded clinics, volunteer as an HIV counselor, and intern at a local healthcare market consulting firm.

Diane Tseng: Stanford Host

My name is Diane, a senior majoring in Biological Sciences at Stanford. During my free time, I like to play tennis, try different kinds of foods, or watch movies. I am also volunteering as a translator at Arbor Free clinic, and pursuing an honors thesis in a Stanford immunology lab. I am especially interested in exploring health care for the elderly in both the US and Japan, and I look forward to meeting and welcoming our friends from Japan!

Kenta Nakamura : UCSF Coordinator

Hello! My name is Kenta and I am a first year medical student at UCSF. Along with my colleagues, I will be helping to coordinate the San Francisco portion of the exchange. The school and the city have much to offer and I look forward to welcoming everyone shortly!  

I graduated from UCLA with a degree in Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics in 2005. My research and clinical interests are in cardiology, though I find other disciplines fascinating as well. I was privileged to return home to the Bay Area and my family’s Japanese restaurant. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, photography and skiing.

Jay Starkey : UCSF Coordinator

I warmly welcome you to the EHC program! I am a medical student at UCSF. I lived in Tokyo for 2 years and loved it. In my career as a physician, I plan to collaborate with people in Japan and speak Japanese often. I have not yet decided on a specialty, but I am interested in neuroimaging (brain MRI), geriatrics, and Alzheimer's disease.  I am also interested in medical informatics (using computers to solve medical problems). I have written a few articles about what it is like to be a medical student for www.usjapanmed.com (some in Japanese) if you are interested.

I am married and have two children. In my spare time, I like to watch Totoro and Doraemon with my daughter, play the guitar, and develop websites (see my website www.the-starkeys.com). I wish you the best and look forward to meeting you!