Women Health Series

Maria is a naturopathic doctor who attended the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. She has a strong interest in integrative dermatology, mental health, environmental medicine, and epigenetics. Maria’s passion is to help make integrative medicine more accessible, especially in the state of Florida where naturopathic medicine is currently not regulated. She is an active member of the FNPA and has participated in naturopathic advocacy and lobbying events such as the DCFLI. In the future, she aims to help others reach their own health goals by providing individualized treatment plans that address the multiple root causes of illness. She also loves animals and would like to help make integrative veterinary care more accessible as well.

Joyce Chen is a first-year medical student at California Northstate University, College of Medicine. She graduated from Cornell University in 2017 with a degree in Human Biology, Health and Society and from Brown University in 2019 with a Masters's degree in Medical Sciences. Having previously worked on the business side of skincare and cosmeceuticals, she developed a strong interest in dermatology. She hopes to help empower her future patients to make informed decisions about the medicines and products they use to improve their skin health.

Sarah Semaan is a medical student at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine. She graduated from San Francisco Sate University in 2016 with a degree in Biology with concentration in Physiology. She has a strong interest in dermatology and believes that skin is an important reflection of one’s inner health. Sarah is also a strong believer that patient education is a critical part of patient care and her goal is to provide quality care of her patients and provide them with the knowledge they need to make proactive decisions about their health.

Anastasia Shakhbazova is a 2nd year medical student at the University of California, Riverside. She graduated from the University of California, Riverside in 2018 with a degree in biology and a minor in psychology. Anastasia has developed a strong interest in dermatology since learning that a person’s skin can often show signs of other underlying problems. In addition, she also likes that providing treatment for skin conditions gives an opportunity to increase the patient’s overall well-being and self-esteem. She believes that eating a well-balanced diet, staying hydrated, getting exercise, and having proper sleep hygiene can contribute to a healthier body and mind, which can all result in more youthful skin.

Tess Engel is a second-year medical student at UC Davis interested in dermatology and integrative approaches to patient care. She is in the Rural PRIME track program and hopes to help expand healthcare access in rural communities. She got her undergraduate degree in nutrition with a minor in biological sciences at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. In her spare time, she enjoys baking, being outdoors, painting, pilates, and travel.