Meet the coaches

Dr. Murphy is a Pittsburgh, PA native, attended The University of Virginia for undergrad and graduated with a degree in Chemistry. He worked as an organic chemist for a short while before attending The University of Pittsburgh SOM, and now works as an Internal Medicine attending.

Dr. Murphy has worked with hundreds of students as a premed advisor and as an MCAT tutor. He teaches many of the Chemistry, Physics, and Organic Chemistry and Behavior Science sessions for TPC.

Education

• College University of Virginia, Chemistry
• Medical school University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
• Residency Internal Medicine, UPMC

Dr. Jacqueline Ihnat is in residency. She is a former medical student at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, CT, where she enjoys running, baking, and hanging out with her turtle. She is from St. Louis, MO and majored in business management at the University of Missouri.

She also taught English in Madrid, Spain, for a year before starting medical school. Jacqueline tutors CARS and reviews personal statements/application essays for the TPC premed students.

Education

• College University of Missouri, business management
• Medical school Yale School of Medicine
• Residency

Dr. Ayah Ibrahim is a physician in general surgery. She earned her BS in Psychology with a minor in Biology from the University of Georgia in 2021. Following graduation, she gained hands-on experience working as a medical assistant and personal trainer before beginning her medical education at Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine. During her first two years at Burrell, Ayah served as the president of the Burrell-Aggie Mentorship Club, where she guided pre-medical students in understanding the application process, preparing their resumes, and building strong medical school applications.

As the first in her family to pursue a career in medicine, Ayah understands the challenges and uncertainties aspiring medical students face. She is passionate about making the journey to medical school more manageable and less stressful for pre-meds.

Education

• College University of Georgia, Psychology (minor in Biology)
• Medical school Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Residency General Surgery

Dr. Portnoy is graduate of Binghamton University majoring in Integrative Neuroscience and minoring in economics. He decided to matriculate into medical school and went to New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine.

He matched into Diagnostic Radiology at Morristown Medical Center in New Jersey. In his free time he loves to go to the gym, play sports such as golf and basketball. He also likes to wind down by going for walks, cooking and watching TV.

Dr. Portnoy has worked with many students to help improve their study strategies in pre-med and medical school as well as specifically study for USMLE/COMLEX board examinations since my 4th year of medical school in 2020-2021. He scored in the 90th percentile on his COMLEX and is excited to offer USMLE/Medical School tutoring for The Premed Consultants!

Education

• College Binghamton University, Integrative Neuroscience (minor in economics)
• Medical school New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Residency Diagnostic Radiology, Morristown Medical Center

Jennelle is a first year medical student at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson, AZ. She was a collegiate volleyball player at Tufts University, graduating summa cum laude with degrees in biology and clinical psychology.

Jennelle has particular interests in neurology as well as primary care and its intersections with psychiatry and women's health. As a former student in The Premed Consultants program, Jennelle is excited to use this shared experience to help students navigate their journeys to medical school.

Education

• College Tufts University, biology and clinical psychology
• Medical school University of Arizona College of Medicine

Stephen is medical student attending the Medical College of Georgia. He attended Tufts University as an undergrad, graduating summa cum laude, with a Bachelor’s in Biology.

Stephen was a member of the football team at Tufts and has taken his interest in sports to the medical field where he is interested in sports medicine, orthopedics, and pediatrics. He is excited to work as a coach and mentor within the program.

Education

• College Tufts University, Biology
• Medical school Medical College of Georgia

Charmaine is originally from Riverside, CA. She received a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Creighton University and simultaneously completed prerequisites for medical school. Upon graduation gained clinical experience by working in Federally Qualified Health Centers in the East Bay and serving a diverse population. After this experience, she went back to Creighton University to pursue a master’s in clinical anatomy and assisted in the Gross Anatomy Laboratory by working with first and second-year professional students.

Charmaine has been a coach since 2021 and was a former student of TPC. She has helped countless students with General Coaching, Personal Statement and Essay Review, and Mock Interviewing. She specializes in assisting students with applications to DO medical schools as she will be graduating with a DO degree and applying for residency in Pediatrics.

Education

• College Creighton University, marketing
• Medical school Kansas City University

Dr. David Jevotovsky is in the Tri-Institutional Pain Fellowship (Cornell, MSK, and HSS). He graduated from Emory University with a major in Human Health and a minor in English before earning his MD/MBA dual degree from NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the Stern School of Business. During his time at NYU Grossman, he also served on the admissions committee, interviewing prospective applicants.

Dr. Jevotovsky scored in the 99th percentile on the MCAT and has worked with several independent tutoring clients in general chemistry. He now specializes in personal statement creation and editing, as well as providing interview trail tips, including mock interviews.

Education

• College Emory University, Human Health (minor in English)
• Medical school NYU Grossman School of Medicine (MD/MBA with Stern School of Business)
• Residency Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, NYU
• Fellowship Tri-Institutional Pain Fellowship (Cornell, MSK, and HSS)

Dr. Jared Zhao is a physician in residency. He trained at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Originally from Texas, he graduated magna cum laude from the University of Southern California (USC) with a major in biochemistry and minors in Spanish and in healthcare studies.

Jared scored in the 99th percentile on the MCAT. He worked as a Supplemental Instruction leader for the Freshman Science Honors program at USC and spent multiple years as a private tutor.

Education

• College University of Southern California, biochemistry (minors in Spanish and healthcare studies)
• Medical school Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
• Residency

Paramesh Karandikar attended New York University, where he majored in Chemistry. While at NYU he worked as a writing tutor as part of the Writing Center, assisting fellow students with all manner of writing including applications essays. After graduating, he spent a year at the Koch Institute at MIT performing cancer research before beginning his medical degree at UMass.

Paramesh scored at the 98th percentile for his MCAT and works in TPC as both a MCAT tutor and admissions coach.

Education

• College New York University, Chemistry
• Medical school T.H. Chan School of Medicine, University of Massachusetts
• Residency Diagnostic Radiology

Sophia Pei is a graduate of McMaster Medical school. She is now a resident in psychiatry at Toronto Metropolitan University in their inaugural cohort. Prior to medical school, she attended the University of Southern California where she got a combined Master and Bachelor of Science in Computational and Quantitative Biology.

Sophia scored a 523 on the MCAT and has passed USMLE Step 1. She has extensive experience teaching and tutoring in college level biology, chemistry, physics, and math.

Education

• College University of Southern California, combined Master and Bachelor of Science in Computational and Quantitative Biology
• Medical school Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University
• Residency Psychiatry, Toronto Metropolitan University

Dr. Samuel Zverev is a physician who earned his MD from NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine. Samuel graduated magna cum laude with a major in Human Biology, Health, and Society and a minor in Health Policy from Cornell University. Before medical school, Samuel spent a year conducting research in psychosocial oncology and machine learning at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Cancer Center, and in medical school he conducted research in the field of orthopedic surgery.

Samuel has worked on his medical school admissions committee for over 2 years and has mentored students for over 5 years.

Education

• College Cornell University, Human Biology, Health, and Society (minor in Health Policy)
• Medical school NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine

Lyle graduated summa cum laude from SUNY Stony Brook with a major in biology (neuroscience) and a minor in chemistry before attending University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School and working as a research fellow at Harvard Brigham Women’s Hospital.

She will be pursuing radiology residency at UCSF after completing a transitional year at Memorial Sloan Kettering. She has been coaching and tutoring students for over a decade and is passionate about each and every one’s unique journey to medicine!

Education

• College SUNY Stony Brook, biology (neuroscience), minor in chemistry
• Medical school University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
• Residency Radiology, UCSF (transitional year at Memorial Sloan Kettering)

Anika Kumar is completing a general surgery internship and incoming ophthalmology resident at UCSF. Anika graduated with degrees in molecular biology, public health, and data science from the University of California Berkeley before matriculating at UCSF School of Medicine.

Anika has extensive premed coaching experience and has been tutoring for the MCAT and general premedical prerequisite coursework for over 4 years.

Education

• College University of California Berkeley, molecular biology, public health, and data science
• Medical school UCSF School of Medicine
• Internship General Surgery
• Residency Ophthalmology, UCSF

Lily is a 3rd year medical student at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, currently completing a scholarly research year in the Department of Ophthalmology at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary.

Originally from New York, Lily received her Bachelor of Arts from Washington University in St. Louis, majoring in Global Health with minors in Psychology and Biology. During college, she served as an EMT on the campus Emergency Support Team. She later spent a gap year as a research associate at the Thyroid Head and Neck Cancer Foundation before beginning medical school.

Lily is committed to mentoring pre-medical students and empowering them to reach their goals with confidence throughout the journey to medicine.

Education

• College Washington University in St. Louis, Global Health (minors in Psychology and Biology)
• Medical school Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Michelle graduated summa cum laude from Cornell University with a major in business while simultaneously taking prerequisites for medical school. She attended UMass Medical School. She will be pursuing diagnostic radiology residency in Boston.

Michelle has extensive experience tutoring and mentoring students, including those who chose a non-traditional major or path. She specializes in reviewing personal statements and mock interviews.

Education

• College Cornell University, business
• Medical school UMass Medical School
• Residency Diagnostic radiology, Boston

Dr. Bagheri is a second-year resident physician in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at HonorHealth in Scottsdale, AZ. He earned his medical degree from Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine, where he also served on the admissions committee. Originally from California, he graduated from Pomona College with a major in Biology and a minor in Spanish. Dr. Bagheri has published over 25 peer-reviewed articles and brings a strong academic and research background to his work, with particular interests in musculoskeletal medicine, rehabilitation, and pain management.

Outside of medicine, Dr. Bagheri enjoys playing and watching soccer. He is passionate about mentorship and is dedicated to helping pre-medical students navigate the challenges of the application process and their journey into medicine.

Education

• College Pomona College, Biology (minor in Spanish)
• Medical school Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine
• Residency Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, HonorHealth

Klara is a 3rd year medical student at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She is in the MD/MPH program and is currently taking a year to pursue her MPH at the NYU School of Global Public Health.

Originally from New York City, Klara received her Bachelor of Arts from Brown University, majoring in Public Health. During college, she founded and led her school’s chapter of Saving Mothers, a non-profit dedicated to eradicating preventable maternal mortality. She later spent two gap years working in medical education in New York City.

Throughout medical school, Klara has worked as an admissions ambassador and student interviewer.

Klara is passionate about mentoring aspiring physicians and strives to make the path to medicine more approachable, equitable, and empowering for every student.

Education

• College Brown University, Public Health
• Medical school NYU Grossman School of Medicine

Elizabeth graduated from Columbia University with a BA in psychology. In her time there, she was also a member of the varsity womens’ soccer team and worked at a Maternal Health and Child Development laboratory at the institution’s medical center. Elizabeth excelled in school and scored in the 98th percentile on the MCAT. In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys lifting weights, playing and watching sports, cooking, and enjoying the outdoors.

At TPC, Elizabeth enjoys mentoring students premed students with all aspects of their journey to medical school. She especially values helping students gain confidence in their abilities and become the truest version of themselves.

Education

• College SUNY Downstate College of Medicine, psychology

Dr. Aarushi Jain is a physician who trained at Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine. She earned her BA in Neuroscience with a minor in Psychology at Boston University and completed a Master’s in Medical Sciences at Mercer University School of Medicine.

Since 2023, Aarushi has mentored numerous pre-medical students, providing guidance on coursework planning, MCAT preparation, and the medical school application and interview process. With a strong interest in pediatrics and a deep commitment to child advocacy, she is passionate about supporting students while advancing care for children and families.

Aarushi also has a strong interest in clinical research, with hands-on experience at Massachusetts General Hospital and NYU Langone Health. Outside of medicine, she enjoys playing tennis, paining, pottery wheel throwing and reading.

Education

• College Boston University, Neuroscience (minor in Psychology)
• Medical school Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine

Dr. Gloria Jang is an Internal Medicine resident with a strong background in academic coaching, medical education, and individualized advising for students pursuing competitive healthcare pathways. She supports students across multiple stages of training, including premedical advising, medical school applications, personal statement and secondary editing, interview preparation, academic strategy, and board-focused guidance.

Her areas of specialization include medical school admissions advising, residency application support, interview coaching, academic mentorship, and personalized guidance for students navigating important transitions in medicine. She is especially passionate about helping students strengthen both their applications and their sense of direction, confidence, and purpose throughout the process.

Dr. Jang is known for her thoughtful and highly personalized mentoring style. She brings firsthand experience, strong communication, and a deep investment in student growth to her work, helping students identify their strengths, refine their stories, and approach each step with greater clarity and confidence.

Education

• Residency Internal Medicine, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health

Sam is a medical student at Rush University. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Tufts University, graduating summa cum laude in 2023.

During his time at Tufts, Sam served as a student broadcaster and student manager for the university’s baseball team. He was also actively involved in community service, volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts and at Massachusetts General Hospital. These experiences helped shape his passion for medicine, mentorship, and patient-centered care.

Before beginning medical school, Sam took three gap years to gain diverse experiences in healthcare and community engagement. He worked as a medical assistant, served as a Community Health Fellow with Project Horseshoe Farm, and later worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator. Through these roles, he developed a deeper appreciation for the social, clinical, and research aspects of medicine.

Sam is excited to continue his medical training at Rush University while working as a coach and mentor for aspiring medical students.

Education

• College Tufts University, Anthropology
• Medical school Rush University

Avanish grew up in Maryland and attended the University of Maryland, where he volunteered as an EMT and worked as a clinical assistant at a health start-up to gain hands-on experience working with patients. He graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BS in Biology and was selected as one of 5 finalists for the University Medal across all of the 2022 graduating class at the University of Maryland.

After undergrad, he matriculated to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai through the FlexMed Early Assurance Program. At Mount Sinai, he has engaged in extensive research work in Sports Medicine and leadership roles. He served on the Mount Sinai admissions committees for 3 cycles, screening applications for interview invites and sitting in on the admissions panel discussions for interviewed applicants. He has mentored and tutored high school and college students for 5 years and is passionate about providing personalized guidance for students throughout their medical journey.

Education

• College University of Maryland, Biology
• Medical school Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Dillon graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 2025 with a B.A. in Biophysics and Spanish, where he founded an MCAT Mentorship Program for students from underserved backgrounds. Following graduation, he spent the year teaching CPR classes and working as an EMT. Although accepted and committed to Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, he deferred matriculation to 2027 to conduct resuscitation research at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Medicine.

As a first-generation college student and the first in his family to pursue medicine, Dillon understands firsthand the structural barriers many applicants face. This perspective fuels his commitment to mentoring aspiring physicians and expanding access to medical education. In his free time, Dillon enjoys playing guitar, ice skating, and practicing taekwondo.

Education

• College Johns Hopkins University, Biophysics and Spanish
• Medical school Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Rohit is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland, where he graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Business.

As an undergraduate, Rohit was heavily involved in volunteering and leadership with organizations in and around Washington, D.C. Additionally, he conducted research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) throughout all four years of his undergraduate studies, before completing a post-baccalaureate year at the NIH. During this time, he also worked as a medical assistant in an orthopedic trauma clinic. His research interests, both then and now, focus on resuscitation and intensive care medicine.

Rohit remains actively involved in medical education and has served on the admissions committee for three years, screening applications and interviewing prospective students. This gives him firsthand insight into what makes an applicant stand out. Outside of medicine, Rohit enjoys playing tennis, running, and hiking.

Education

• College University of Maryland, Biology (minor in Business)
• Medical school University of Maryland School of Medicine

Ira Chaturvedi is a medical student at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and a graduate of Johns Hopkins University, where she studied Neuroscience and Public Health.

She has experience in tutoring and mentorship, including serving as a teaching assistant for statistics and organic chemistry, where she led small-group sessions, exam reviews, and one-on-one instruction. She has also mentored premedical students through the medical school application process, helping them reflect on their experiences and communicate their motivations for medicine. As an MCAT tutor, she helps students identify areas for improvement, strengthen difficult concepts, and develop study and test-taking strategies tailored to their needs.

Her goal is to make the MCAT and medical school application process feel more approachable and manageable. Outside of medicine, she enjoys dancing, running, hiking, playing piano, and pickleball.

Education

• College Johns Hopkins University, Neuroscience and Public Health
• Medical school Keck School of Medicine of USC