Sat Mar 22, 2025: Inside the Journey: Kaiser Permanente Medical Students Share Their Path to Medicine

Jose Barrera, MS II
Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine
José is a second-year medical student at the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine in Pasadena, CA. Prior to starting on the pre-med route, José was pursuing a career as a firefighter. Since then, his academic career began at San Diego Miramar Community College, where he earned A.S. degrees in Chemistry, Biology, and Physics in 2015. Following his community college experience, he transferred to UCLA where he earned a B.S. in Biophysics and a Minor in Spanish in 2018. Following his undergraduate education, José worked in research for 3 years and completed the post-baccalaureate program the UC Davis School of Medicine. Currently, José serves as an officer for the KPSOM LMSA chapter and as the Pacific Regional Representative for the Emergency Medicine Residents’ Association (EMRA) Medical Student Council. As a non-traditional medical school applicant, José’s journey from community college to medical school spans 12 years, and he is passionate about mentoring students embarking on their premed journeys, especially those in community college.

Destiny R. Rochester, MSII
Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine
Destiny is a first-generation, second-year medical student at the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J Tyson School of Medicine. Destiny grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida before attending Harvard University where she concentrated in Human Evolutionary Biology with a secondary in Psychology. Following the completion of college, she worked as a remote medical scribe for various companies covering specialties such as internal medicine, nephrology, and orthopedic surgery. Being the first in her family to go to college and medical school and a second-generation immigrant, she hopes to provide the patient-centered care to her patients she felt her family needed when she was growing up. She loves opportunities to mentor pre-medical students, and even more so first-generation students, providing the support every applicant is deserving of having in this long process.

Leslie K. Flores, MS I
Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine
Leslie Flores is a first-year medical student with a passion for primary care and community health. She graduated from UCLA in 2022 with a degree in Biology and is a first-generation student. Taking a nontraditional path to medical school, she spent two years working as a medical assistant and conducting clinical research in psychiatry, gaining valuable hands-on experience in patient care. These experiences solidified her commitment to addressing healthcare disparities and advocating for underserved populations. Leslie aspires to become a primary care physician, where she can build meaningful relationships with patients and provide comprehensive, compassionate care.

Jared J Duran, MS II
Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine
Jared is a second-year medical student at the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine in Pasadena, CA. Born and raised in Yuma, Arizona, in a Mexican household, he developed an early passion for medicine, aspiring to become a physician since middle school. He attended the University of Southern California, where he studied Pharmacology and Drug Development and conducted research in a neurology lab focused on Parkinson’s disease for four years. During his gap year, he continued his research and worked as a medical scribe in a urology clinic, an experience that introduced him to the specialty and shaped his future career aspirations. As a first-generation student whose parents did not complete their schooling in the U.S., Jared navigated the path to medical school by seeking mentorship and resources on his own. Now, he is passionate about mentoring aspiring medical students, particularly those unfamiliar with the application process, MCAT preparation, or resume-building. Jared is also deeply committed to his Christian faith, which remains the foundation of his life, keeping him grounded through the challenges of medical school.

Luis A. Perez Velasquez, MS I
Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine
Luis was born and raised in Maturin, a small city in the east side of Venezuela. He lived there until Ihewas 17 years old and moved with his family to Spokane, WA. He received his Associate’s Degree from Spokane Community College and his Bachelor’s degree from Gonzaga University. During undergrad and his gap years, he worked as an in-person medical interpreter, which exposed him to all kinds of sectors within medicine and social services. He is interested in healthcare accessibility and the impact of cultural competency in medicine. During his free time, he loves playing guitar and writing music. He has played since high school, and he would say being a guitarist has always been a big part of who he is. He also loves languages. He has been learning Portuguese over the last year and hopes to continue learning different languages for the rest of his life. He believes language is a beautiful tool for learning about cultures and the ways in which people live. He also loves spending time with friends, usually barbecuing or sharing Venezuelan food with his friends. He’s a very social person, so he loves spending his free time around friends, watching sports, or just exploring around Pasadena with his fiancée Elizabeth.