The UNC School of Medicine is pleased to announce the acceptance of the ninth class of the Fully Integrated Readiness for Service Training (FIRST) Program. The FIRST Program was established in 2015 and provides participants the opportunity to complete their medical degree in three years, instead of four, and has a directed pathway into an affiliated North Carolina Residency program. Following training, scholars will take part in three years of service in a rural and/or underserved area of North Carolina.
Medical students Amara Nwangwu, Cecilia Pankau, Christiana Daniel, Deepthi Gowrishankar, Gabrielle Jones, Jesus Reyes, Jose Ibarra, Kamryn Mills, Kassidy Lovins, Matthew Hutchens, Nina Danesvhar, and Rob Hall have been accepted into this year’s accelerated medical curriculum. These students were selected based on their commitment to the following specialties: Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Medicine-Pediatrics, Pediatrics, and Psychiatry. The program expansion across the state of North Carolina and into various primary care specialties is supported by the American Medical Association Reimagining Residency Program.
The Director of the FIRST Program, Dr. Caroline Roberts noted, “We are so excited to have this amazing group of twelve students join our FIRST Program. They were selected because of their passion for caring for the underserved, their roots in North Carolina (with many of them representing rural communities in NC), and commitment to their chosen specialties and the people of North Carolina. Many of these students are results of intentional pre-medicine pathway programs for students interested in primary care, such as MedServe, the MED program, and Med Excel, and it is exciting to continue to provide dedicated pathways into service to NC Communities.”
These latest scholars will complete their medical school training in May 2026, enter residency, and begin practicing medicine in an underserved NC community as early as 2029 (depending on the specialty).
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Amara Nwangwu (Psychiatry, UNC Chapel Hill) is originally from Lagos, Nigeria but has called Charlotte, NC home for the past few years. She graduated in 2022 from the University of Richmond with a Bachelor’s in Psychology. She then spent her gap year working for the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry as a research and development coordinator. This experience, alongside volunteering at Central Regional Hospital and several psychiatric clinics, instilled in her a passion to treat groups facing stark disparities in access to mental health care and outcomes. Outside of medicine, she enjoys tennis, reading, cooking and spending time with friends and family. |
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Cecilia Pankau (Family Medicine, MAHEC) grew up in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, IL and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in neuroscience and minor in Spanish from the University of Kentucky. Before attending medical school, she worked as an English teaching assistant in Spain where she focused on enhancing her teaching skills and improving her Spanish linguistic and cultural competency. Her desire to develop trusting and longitudinal relationships with patients of all backgrounds is what makes her most excited about her future career in family medicine. Resulting from her strong passion for working with underserved communities, she intends to focus her career on supporting the physical and mental health needs of marginalized populations and expanding access to healthcare for all. During her free time, Cecilia enjoys rock climbing, cooking, exploring local coffee shops, and going on walks with friends and family. |
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Christiana Daniel (Pediatrics, UNC Chapel Hill) is from Gastonia, North Carolina. She graduated summa cum laude from NC State University in 2023 with two bachelor’s degrees in political science and biological sciences. Every week in college she volunteered with College Mentors for Kids working with local elementary school kids on NC State’s campus. This is one of the many things that ignited her passion for working with the pediatric population. She also has a passion for working with unhoused populations and ensuring they receive high quality healthcare. Outside of medicine she enjoys traveling, the gym, and watching documentaries. |
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Deepthi Gowrishankar (Medicine-Pediatrics, UNC Chapel Hill) (she/her) grew up in Cary, NC and studied Economics and Information Science at UNC Chapel Hill. Following her graduation, she worked as a consultant for private healthcare companies as well as for federal agencies. Her time working with organizations such as the American Cancer Society and Active Minds fueled her passion for healthcare, and she continued this passion by supporting the UNC ED and COVID vaccine distribution efforts during the pandemic. She has developed a passion for primary care and a strong desire to be a healthcare advocate for her NC community. She lives with her husband and 2 dogs in Durham, and outside of medicine, she loves going on hikes, doing photography, and playing music. |
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Gabrielle Jones (Internal Medicine, MAHEC) is originally from Redding, California. She is a hands-on individual with a passion for vintage motorcycles, crafting, and DIY projects. She proudly earned her BS in Biology in 2023 from UNC Asheville as a non-traditional, first-generation student, graduating magna cum laude with distinction in biology. She has spent her career in various roles, from working dual diagnosis treatment for Native Americans in Portland, Oregon, to specializing as an ophthalmic tech in ophthalmology for the majority of her career. Through her years of experience, she became passionate about the care of older patients and aspires to pursue a career in geriatric primary care. Living with her two cats, Franck and Rhubarb, Gabrielle is eager to return to Asheville and the mountains of WNC. She is driven by a commitment to making a difference in underserved and rural populations. |
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Jesus Reyes (Pediatrics, UNC Chapel Hill) is a native from Warrenton, NC. He graduated from UNC Chapel Hill in 2018 after studying psychology. He has vast experience working with Spanish-speaking patients and is passionate about improving the care of this patient population. He also has experience working with pediatric populations and is interested in providing primary care to underserved/marginalized patients. Being raised in a rural area, he aspires to be a pediatrician to serve his hometown and surrounding rural areas. |
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Jose Ibarra (Family Medicine, MAHEC) (he/him) was born in Oregon and grew up most of his life in rural Turkey, NC. In his youth, he worked many summers as a farmworker in NC, after which he became interested in rural health. He graduated from the University of North Carolina in 2020, studying Biology and Medical Anthropology. Shortly afterward, he served as the COVID-19 Response Coordinator with the NC Farmworkers Project, helping fill the healthcare gap for NC’s Farmworkers. He is passionate about giving back and serving his community as a future family medicine physician in his home state. Outside of medicine, he enjoys training Jiu-jitsu and playing chess with friends. |
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Kamryn Mills (Family Medicine, UNC Chapel Hill) is from Randleman, NC and is a graduate of Appalachian State University, where she earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Biology. Growing up in a small, rural town gave her a first-hand view of the disparities that exist in her family and the greater community. These disparities extend to the realm of health, education, and finances and motivated her to become the first in her family to graduate from college. After college, she moved to Asheville, NC for 2 years where she worked in a small, federally qualified health center, as part of the MedServe program under an Americorp fellowship. This experience was completely life-changing and solidified her passion for Family Medicine. After Asheville, she came to UNC SOM for a one-year program called MED EXCEL, aimed towards bringing in underrepresented students who have an interest in practicing primary care in North Carolina. She is looking forward to taking care of patients with a community focus, and prioritizing equity in everything she does. Outside of school, she enjoys reading, cooking, listening to her favorite artist J. Cole, and spending time with her loved ones. |
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Kassidy Lovins (Pediatrics, UNC Chapel Hill) graduated from UNC Chapel Hill in 2021 with a degree in Biology. During her time in college, she participated in Army ROTC and now serves in the North Carolina National Guard as a Transportation Officer. Following her time at UNC, she worked as a scribe in the Emergency Department and at a Urologic Oncology Clinic. She has always had a love for children as the oldest of 3 in her family and she is excited to continue serving her home state as a pediatrician. |
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Matthew Hutchens (Family Medicine, UNC Chapel Hill) is from Broadway, NC and graduated from Campbell University with a major in Biochemistry. After graduation, he served as a medical scribe for nearly three years at Moncure Community Health Center, a satellite clinic of Piedmont Health Services, working with rural, underserved populations in Central North Carolina. This experience, alongside living in rural North Carolina his entire life, has led him to pursue a career as a Family Medicine physician with a desire to provide comprehensive primary care to a community much like his hometown. Outside of medicine, Matthew enjoys hunting, golfing, and spending time with friends and family. |
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Nina Daneshvar (Internal Medicine, Cone Health) is originally from Irmo, SC, and graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2021 with a Bachelors in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and a minor in Spanish. After graduating, she worked for two years in Charlotte as a MedServe fellow, where she served as a medical assistant, Spanish medical interpreter, and community health worker for those without health insurance. She is very passionate about providing comprehensive and longitudinal care for those facing chronic conditions, especially marginalized populations. In her free time, she loves watching movies, doing virtual cooking nights with friends, and playing pickleball! |
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Rob Hall (Internal Medicine, WakeMed Raleigh) is originally from Delaware and has lived in North Carolina since he was stationed at Fort Bragg in 2014. Rob graduated from West Point in 2012 with a BS in political science and commissioned in the Army, serving for nine years. He was a Kiowa Warrior helicopter pilot, Psychological Operations officer, and deployed to Afghanistan in 2014 and 2018. He was also an EMT for Wake County EMS from 2022-2023. While in the Army, Rob supported many of his soldiers through mental and physical health crises, which inspired him to pursue medicine. He is interested in veteran care and hopes to join the Department of Veterans Affairs to serve North Carolina’s veteran communities. |
For more information about the FIRST program, visit the website https://www.med.unc.edu/md/first/.