AboutMe

Kyla Zhang

Experience

Student Researcher, NASA Undergraduate Award Program - STudent Academic Research Review (STARR), September 2022 - May 2023

Research Topic: Reproductive Health of Men and Women in Microgravity
Published research review paper - Reproductive Health of Men and Women in Microgravity May 2023
Final Presentation at Oregon NASA Space Grant Spring Symposium, May 2023

Research Intern, Oregon Health & Science University Medical School, June 2022 - present

Researching Cryptic Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) under the supervision of Hematopathologist Wei Xie M.D., Ph.D.
Contributing to Research Paper “Clinicopathologic Features of Patients with PPM1D Mutations” with Dr. Xie (publishing soon)
Shadowing Dr. Xie’s meetings and resident classes

Medical Intern / Team Lead, Leadership Initiatives: International Public Health Internship, August 2022 - present (until April 2023)

Built & leading a team of 3 high school seniors to work with officials from the Department of Public Health in Nigeria to formulate public health guidelines & policies, and to evaluate & implement health surveillance and disease prevention programs.
Addressing major health concerns in Bauchi, Nigeria by working with local healthcare workers to hold educational workshops targeting Immunization, Reproductive Health, Adolescent Health, Food and Nutrition, Child Health, Drug, Food hygiene and safety, Control of Malaria, and HIV/ AIDS.
Working to solve issues of accessibility, equity, quality, effectiveness, affordability, and efficiency for underserved populations in Nigeria.
Raised $795 ($1k+ with matching) for funding public health initiatives in Bauchi, Nigeria

Medical Intern, Leadership Initiatives: Advanced Medical & Public Health Internship, August 1st - August 12th, 2022

Studied the most pertinent diseases in Nigeria and learned the diagnosis, treatments and preventions for Typhoid, Malaria, Nutritional Anemia, Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI)
- Met and worked with various doctors from Nigeria through Zoom
Created a Public Health campaign and presentation for ARI Prevention
- Campaign and Proposal
- Presentation
- After approval from board, our campaign will be carried out in local areas of Bauchi State, Nigeria
Diagnosed a real Nigerian patient live through Zoom
Learned general medical skills: suturing, casting, patient communication, steps for diagnosis, etc.
Talked with many special guest speakers/doctors from the World Health Organization (WHO), Georgetown, various hospitals, etc. of various healthcare fields to learn more about different healthcare professions
Received the Drew C. Richardson Memorial Scholarship (1 of 2 recipients out of 200+ applicants) to attending the internship

Volunteer, Medical City Hospital Plano, Texas - July 2022

Shadowing Geriatrician Dr. Joe Flaherty M.D.
Experienced the daily life of a clinical doctor in a hospital setting post-COVID
Learned the typical hospital protocols and routines in Texas

Student Researcher, NASA Undergraduate Award Program - STudent Academic Research Review (STARR), September 2021 - May 2022

Researched the effects of the human immune system and cancer in microgravity
Published research review paper - Immunity and Cancer in Microgravity, May 2022
Attended the Oregon NASA Space Grant Spring Symposium, May 2022

Initiator and Organizer, Problem Based Learning (PBL) Medical Traineeship Program at Portland Community College, June 2021 - December 2021

I worked with PCC Biology Dept. to create and organize the PBL Medical Trainee Program (BI-198) for 2021 Summer and Fall terms to engage high schoolers in my community during the pandemic.
I invited 9 medical professors and doctors of various fields (Geriatrics, Pediatrics, Hemopathology Research, Oncology Research, Dentistry, Immunology, & Emergency Medicine) and locations (Oregon, Texas, Washington D.C., & Italy) to lead health science PBL cases.
I worked with a non-profit organization to apply for grants from Oregon Department of Education to cover full tuition for 20 students.
I managed the entire program from start to finish:
2021 Summer class homepage: Course materials, Professors & Doctors Bios
- Medical PBL case collection for Summer
2021 Fall class homepage: Course materials, Professors & Doctors Bios
- Medical PBL case collection for Fall
Through this program, students were able to explore the medical fields and deepen their understanding in specific areas through real life cases from practicing doctors and professors.

Co-Founder/Leader, and Treasurer, LOHS Asian American Student Union (AASU), September 2020 - Present

Co-founded and co-leading LOHS AASU, aiming to bridge the gaps in student bodies and unify the local community by sharing our Asian cultures and values against ethnic division/tension during the pandemic.
Successfully organized the Asian Cultural Festival on 4/16/2022:
- Invited 10 community performance groups, 40 cultural booths, and foods from 9 different Asian restaurants;
- United our entire local community with a sold out crowd of 800+ representing all ethnic groups;
- Funded the event by 13+ sponsorships/donations and Lake Oswego Municipal Grant (total of ~$10,000)
- List of Our Sponsors
- List of Our Food Donors
City of Lake Oswego awarded us another $10,000 grant for our next 2023 Asian Cultural Festival
Filed for the Non-Profit Organization status for AASU
Hold general weekly meetings + occasional special school wide cultural meetings/events

Founder & President, LOHS Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) for Future Health Professionals Chapter, Summer 2021 - Present

Led club members to the Oregon HOSA State Leadership Conference (SLC) in March 2022
- Total Chapter Awards: 1st and 5th in Nutrition, 2nd in Pathophysiology, and 2nd in Creative Problem Solving
Participated in the 2022 Anatomage Tournament
Led LOHS HOSA team attending HOSA International Leadership Conference, Nashville, June 2022
- Total Chapter Awards: National Geographic Cengage Test Finalists in Microbiology and General Chemistry
- Finalist in Team Creative Problem Solving
Weekly meetings for studying/service projects

Youth Council Leader, United Chinese American / Chinese Friendship Association (CFAP) Youth Council, Summer 2020 - Present

Worked with Asian-American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Vote to reach out and encourage people to vote in the crucial 2020 elections.
Facilitated, organized and hosted online classes and sport events for elementary students in my community during the pandemic.
Helped write grant applications and was awarded $110,000 from Oregon Community Foundation and $5000 from the City of Lake Oswego for Youth Programs.
Volunteered in 2022 Chinese American Convention & UCA National Youth Convention to organize the meetings with the US congressional leaders.
Earned US President’s Volunteer Service Award (Gold) for volunteering 200+ hours during the pandemic.

Software Developer, LOHS First Tech Challenge (FTC) Robotics Team, Sept. 2018 - Mar. 2020

Programmed the robotic control for the team
Top 10 teams in Oregon (out of 209 teams)
Represented Oregon in 2019 World Championship in Houston.

Destination Imagination Team, Sept. 2015 - May 2016

Designed and built a robotic squirrel using Lego hardware & software
Won the State Championship
Represented Oregon in the World Tournament at the University of Tennessee. Ranked 19th worldwide.

Education

Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME), Brown University, 2023 - 2031

Brown PLME combines undergraduate education and professional studies in medicine in a single eight-year program. https://plme.med.brown.edu/

Biology, Portland Community College, OR, 2020 - present

BI-231 Human Anatomy & Physiology I
BI-232 Human Anatomy & Physiology II
BI-233 Human Anatomy & Physiology III 
BI-222 Human Genetics
BI-287 Introduction to Immunology
BI-234 Microbiology (IP)
BI-241 Pathophysiology (IP)
BI-198 Biology Independent Study (2 terms)
CH-102 Organic Chemistry Principles
CS-160 Exploring Computer Science
CIS-121 Computer Concepts II
PSY-201A Intro to Psychology Part 1
PSY-202A Intro to Psychology Part 2 (IP)
GS-108 Physical Science (Oceanography) (IP)
SPA-211C Inter Spanish Conversation (IP)

Total: 15 classes / 56 credits (including IP ones)  / GPA: 4.00
Portland Community College President's List 2020, 2021, 2022

Lake Oswego High School, Lake Oswego, OR

Planned Graduation 2023
GPA: 4.63 (W); 4.00 (UW)

Leadership

Team Lead at Leadership Initiatives: International Public Health Internship, August 26, 2022 - present (until April 2023)
Organizer and Coordinator, Medical Problem Based Learning (PBL) Program at Portland Community College, June 2021 - December 2021
Founder and Co-President of HOSA Future Health Professionals Chapter at LOHS, Spring 2021 - present
Co-Founder and Co-Leader of the LOHS Asian-American Student Union, Fall 2020 - present
LOHS Green Team, Co-Chair of Campus Stewardship: Summer 2021 - present, Member: Fall 2019 - Spring 2021

Awards and Honors

2023 Coca-Cola Scholars Regional Finalist, Top 250 out of 91k+ applicants
2023 Elks Oregon Most Valuable Student (only one female and male winner for the state)
2021-22 & 2022-23 Two-Time NASA Undergraduate Award Program - STudent Academic Research Review (STARR) awards by Oregon NASA Space Grant Consortium
2022 HOSA Drew C. Richardson Memorial Scholarship recipient (1 of 2 recipients out of 200+ applicants) to fully fund Leadership Initiatives’s Advanced Medical & Public Health Internship, Spring 2022
US President’s Volunteer Service Award 2021 (Gold for volunteering during COVID-19)
Portland Community College - Presidents’ List (2020 - present)
State Champion in Nutrition, 2022 Oregon HOSA SLC
2nd Place in Pathophysiology, 2022 Oregon HOSA SLC
Finalist in Microbiology, 2022 HOSA ILC National Geographic Cengage Test
1st Place, USA Softball 16B Tournament State Champions, July 2021
1st Place, North American Fastpitch Association (NAFA) 16U Tournament National Champions, July 2021
1st Place, USA Softball 16B Tournament Western Nationals Champions, July - August 2021
Gold Medal, 2022 JUHE Chinese Essay Contest in Heritage Speaker Category
1st Place, District Bowling Champions, January 2022
5th Place, Oregon High School Bowling State Finals, February 2022
2022 United Chinese Americans (UCA) National Youth Convention Scholarship for attending the conference in Washington DC.
2018 Lake Oswego Little League All Star
Oregon District 4 Champions; Position: Pitcher; Represented Oregon in Little League Softball World Series, July - August 2018
4th Place, 2018 Little League Softball World Series; Position: Pitcher, August 2018
2019 Collins Aerospace Innovate Award in FTC Robotics State Finals and represented Oregon in 2019 FTC World Championship in Houston
AP Scholar with Distinction, 2022
2016 Oregon State Champion, represented Oregon in the Destination Imagination World Tournament at the University of Tennessee

Volunteer / Community Service

Coaching kids softball/baseball through private lessons and camps - Inspiring kids to be active with sports, Fall 2020 - present
Planning/Organizing Asian Cultural Festival
Organizing Fundraisers/Events to raise money for AASU/HOSA
Volunteered for Neelam Gupta’s Campaign for Oregon’s District 38 State Representative
National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, 2021 - present.

Sports

Softball High School Varsity Team, Position: Pitcher, Spring 2020, 2021, 2022
Club Softball Team - ‘Lake Oswego Renegades’ Position: Pitcher, 2012 - 2021
Recreational and Competitive Tennis, 2016 - present

Portfolio

OHSU Internship Research Paper “Clinicopathologic Features of Patients with PPM1D Mutations” with Dr. Xie (publishing soon)
NASA Undergraduate Award Program (STARR) research review paper - Immunity and Cancer in Microgravity, May 2022
NASA Undergraduate Award Program (STARR) research review paper - Reproductive Health of Men and Women in Microgravity (IP), May 2023
Leadership Initiatives Advanced Medical & Public Health Internship, August 2022
Diagnosing my first real patient in Nagari Medical Clinic, Bauchi State, Nigeria, August 2022
Public Health Campaign Proposal for Acute Respiratory Infection Prevention for Bauchi State, Nigeria, August 2022
Public Health Campaign Presentation for Acute Respiratory Infection Prevention for Bauchi State, Nigeria, August 2022
Portland Community College Problem Based Learning (PBL) Medical Traineeship Program, June 2021 - Dec 2021
- Summer 2021 PBL Medical Traineeship Program -
  - Course materials, Professors & Doctors Bios
  - Medical PBL case collection for Summer
- Fall 2021 PBL Medical Traineeship Program -
  - Course materials, Professors & Doctors Bios
  - Medical PBL case collection for Fall
Led LOHS HOSA team attending HOSA International Leadership Conference, Nashville, June 2022
Organizing Asian Cultural Festival April 2022 - KGW Portland News Report on The Culture Festival
FTC Robotics World Tournament representing Oregon, Houston, April 2019
Softball Little League World Series, 2018 (4th in the world)
- ESPN / KGW Portland News Report on World Series Semi-final
- More Softball Collections on National, State and Varsity games
Destination Imagination Global Finals, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2016