Pre-Med & Beyond: Exploring Your Career Pathway
Conference Location: UCSF Fresno, 155 N. Fresno St., Fresno, CA, 93701
Conference Cost: FREE
Pre-Health Educator Day
Registration Opens January 19, 2026
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR EDUCATOR DAY
Target Audience:
- Counselors
- STEM Instructors/ Faculty
- Pre-med Advisors
The first day of our annual ROAD Conference is dedicated to pre-health educators, providing valuable insights on guiding students toward a medical career. Gain expert advice and practical tools on topics such as the future of healthcare in the San Joaquin Valley and organizations that support students on their medical career journey.
AGENDA
8 am
Registration and Continental Breakfast Available
9 am
Welcome
- José M. Barral Sánchez, MD, PhD, Vice Dean, UCSF School of Medicine Regional Campus at Fresno
9:15 am
Keynote Address
- Omar Guzman, MD, MPP, Assistant Medical Director- Advocacy, Assistant Medical Director- Advocacy, Kaweah Health, Emergency Medicine Residency
9:45 am
Panel | Medical School Admissions: What Educators Need to Know
10:30 am
BREAK
10:45 am
Charting the Path Forward: Advising Students Through Opportunities, Experience, and Affordability
- Noreen Balos, PhD, Admissions Advisor, Medical Education, UC Merced
- Lilia De La Cerda, MPH, Director for Center for Access to Science for All (CASA), Fresno State
Noon
Empowering Educators: Simulation, Innovation, and Vendor Collaboration
1 pm
End of Conference
Pre-Medical Student Day
Priority Registration Opens January 19, 2026
General Regsitration Opens February 2, 2026
click here to register for student day
Target Audience:
- High School Students
- College Students
- Students in their Gap Year
The second day of our annual ROAD Conference is designed to support pre-medical students on their path to becoming medical professionals. Students will have the opportunity to network with peers, explore diverse pathways to medical school, learn from current medical professionals, and participate in an interactive clinical experience.
AGENDA
8:30 am
Registration and Continental Breakfast Available
9 am
Welcome
9:15 am
Keynote Address
- Audrey T. Garcia-Lahrs, MS, MPH, UCSF San Joaquin Valley Program in Medical Education (SJV PRIME)
10 am
Physician Panel: Careers in Practice: Perspectives from the Profession
- Elizabeth Black, MD
- Sukhjit Dhillon, MD
- Claudia Garcia, DDS
- Marina Roytman, MD, FACP, FAASLD
- Geetha Sivasubramanian, MD
- Samantha Valle-Oseguera, PharmD, APh, BCACP
- Johana Velazquez, DNP, FNP-C, PHN, DSD, RN
10:45 am
BREAK
11 am
Your Route to Medicine Breakout Sessions
High School: College Ready & Career Focused: Starting Your Pre-Health Path
- Connie Calderón-Jensen, MA, Associate Director, UCSF Latinx Center of Excellence
- Angel-Max Guerrero, Pipeline Programs Manager, Center for Science, Education & Outreach, Office of Opportunity & Outreach, UCSF
College/Gap Year: Rapid Rounds: Networking Edition
- Varsha Babu, MD
- Elizabeth Black, MD
- Fernando Cruz, MD
- Sukhjit Dhillon, MD
- Claudia Garcia, DDS
- Scott Reichelderfer, MD, MPH
- Marina Roytman, MD, FACP, FAASLD
- Geetha Sivasubramanian, MD
- Samantha Valle-Oseguera, PharmD, APh, BCACP
- Johana Velazquez, DNP, FNP-C, PHN, DSD, RN
Noon
Lunch, Simulation Activities and Resource Fair
1:30 pm
Closing Keynote
- Michele DiTomas, MD, MS, Assistant Deputy Medical Executive for Palliative and Complex Care, CMF Hospice Medical Director, Califorina Correctional Health Care Services
2:15 pm
Raffle (must be present to win) and Closing Remarks
2:30 pm
End of Conference
The ROAD Conference is generously funded by Cal Viva Health, the California Medicine Scholars Program, Fresno-Madera K16 Collaborative. and California Department of Healthcare Access and Information(HCAI)