Candidates for Region II Representative

Adina Ahmed, OMS-III, Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine

Hello! My name is Adina Ahmed, and I am an OMS-III at NSU KPCOM. As a Florida native who completed both my undergraduate and medical education in this region, I am deeply invested in supporting osteopathic medical students across the Southeast and strengthening our connection to the osteopathic internal medicine community.

During my preclinical years, I actively sought leadership and service opportunities that focus on collaboration, advocacy, and community engagement. I served as President of the Student Advocate Association and as Vice President of Medical Students Against Abuse, where I organized events centered on student wellbeing and coordinated initiatives addressing food insecurity and supporting vulnerable populations in Broward County respectively.

My clinical and academic interests are rooted in Internal Medicine, and I completed my core Internal Medicine rotations at a community hospital in South Florida, where I worked closely with students and trainees from across the region. These experiences strengthened my ability to communicate effectively, collaborate with peers from different institutions, and represent the perspectives of students within the broader osteopathic community.

If elected as SOIMA Regional Representative, I will strengthen communication between SOIMA national leadership and local chapters across our region while helping organize meaningful regional opportunities for students to connect, learn, and grow within osteopathic internal medicine. I am committed to advocating for students across Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee and ensuring their voices and perspectives are represented at the national level.

Marisela Benitez, OMS-II, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine—Moultrie

My passion for internal medicine began long before medical school while watching my father navigate multiple chronic health conditions, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Seeing how physicians guided his care through complex illness showed me the vital role internists play. They not only diagnose disease, but help patients understand and manage their health over time. That experience sparked my interest in a field built on clinical reasoning, continuity of care, and patient advocacy, and inspired my focus on the prevention and long-term management of chronic disease, particularly cardiovascular conditions that affect many communities we serve.

Since entering medical school at PCOM South Georgia, I have sought opportunities to help students explore internal medicine through leadership and collaboration. As president of the Student Osteopathic Internal Medicine Association (SOIMA), I organized an Internal Medicine Speaker Series and coordinated a multi-campus event featuring fourth-year students who had recently matched into internal medicine across PCOM, sharing their experiences entering the field. I have also participated in tri-campus events with ACOI speakers. Through these experiences and attending the ACOI national conference, I connected with students and national leaders and saw how ACOI fosters mentorship and collaboration for students pursuing internal medicine.

My commitment to advocacy and community engagement has shaped my approach to medicine. Through outreach initiatives, including CPR and first aid training for migrant farmworkers, I have seen how health education and preventive care can empower communities and improve outcomes. During these workshops, I watched participants grow from hesitant to confident in their ability to respond during an emergency and protect their coworkers and loved ones. Their enthusiasm for learning these lifesaving skills reinforced my desire to become an internal medicine physician who not only treats disease but also prioritizes health literacy and expands access to preventive care.

Having grown up in Florida and completed my medical training across the Southeast, I feel a strong connection to the communities that make up Region II. My experiences in leadership, community outreach, and collaboration across campuses have strengthened my commitment to reinforcing the values that drew me to internal medicine: mentorship, prevention, and patient advocacy. As Region II Representative, I aim to expand opportunities for engagement with ACOI while representing students in our region at the national level. I plan to do this by supporting additional panels that introduce students to fields within internal medicine, promoting preventive health services such as student-led blood pressure screenings, and contributing to a collaborative network of future internists dedicated to advancing the mission of ACOI.

Rachel Curtis, OMS-II, Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine—Florida

I am running for Regional Representative (Region 2) to contribute to communication and representation within SOIMA. This role provides an opportunity to support the connection between national leadership and local chapters, and to help ensure that information, opportunities, and student perspectives continue to be shared across the region.

Through my current role as SOIMA Treasurer, I have been involved in coordinating organizational efforts, managing logistics, and supporting initiatives that require consistent communication and follow-through. In addition, my experience founding and leading a student organization has given me practical experience coordinating across groups and maintaining organization in settings with multiple moving parts.

My background in clinical research and healthcare environments has also shaped how I approach responsibility, with a focus on attention to detail, clear documentation, and reliability when working within structured systems.

I am also interested in supporting continued visibility of academic and professional opportunities, including research involvement and case reports, as well as highlighting initiatives across different schools.

Overall, my goal is to represent the region in a thoughtful and dependable way while contributing to a steady and accessible flow of information between students and leadership. I believe my experience and approach align well with the responsibilities of this role. Thank you for your consideration.

Alexander Kanfer, OMS-II, Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine - Tampa Bay

My name is Alexander Kanfer, and I am an OMS-II at Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine (NSU-KPCOM). I am honored to express my intent to run for the position of ACOI Region 2 Representative.

I have always taken pride in supporting my peers and communities through leadership roles. As Region Representative, I would leverage these past experiences to effectively communicate, teach, lead, and mentor my region’s SOIMA chapters in both virtual and in-person settings, while also fostering collaboration and communication between chapters across the region.

Over the past year as Vice President of my campus’ SOIMA chapter, I have realized how programming shapes the perspectives of pre-clinical students. Whether volunteering with members at a food allergy awareness event, organizing visiting speakers, or tutoring students for clinical skills exam, I have a deep appreciation for exposing students to many careers in Internal Medicine and its subspecialties. This appreciation stems from my personal experience. Without meaningful exposure to Internal Medicine and its subspecialties, I wouldn’t be as motivated to strive for success in my early career. Fostering a connection to Infectious Disease has inspired me to pursue additional research, leadership, mentorship, and service opportunities to prepare for success in this field. Without an early connection to my specialty of choice, I do not believe I would be as motivated or driven of a student. I am convinced that by increasing early exposure to a variety of careers, other medical students can be similarly motivated to lead increasingly determined and productive lives. ACOI has the potential to catalyze this type of change in the osteopathic medical school community and would be honored to play a role in continuing to drive ACOI’s programming in these areas and to assist in developing new programs with similar aims.

Under the mentorship of Dr. MarkAlain Déry, I have also learned the importance of assuming meaningful leadership early in my career and using these experiences to transform my skills and intentions as a future physician. I value growth through professional experiences. While I know I already possess strong leadership, communication, ethics, and empathetic skills, I realize that I can benefit myself and my future patients by continuing to develop these capabilities. I strongly believe that this role within ACOI would be a worthy investment.

I would be honored to represent and advocate for osteopathic medical students in my region, to both learn from them and support meaningful components of their osteopathic medical school experience. I would strive to support the region’s chapters by serving as their liaison, mentor, representative, and peer. Through the parallel avenues of ACOI and local SOIMA chapters, genuine support for future physicians during this formative period of their careers is possible; I would be proud to contribute to strengthening these opportunities.

Mahathi Mula, OMS-II, Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine

My name is Mahathi Mula, and I am an OMS-II at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine. I am running for SOIMA’s Region II Representative position and would be honored to serve the osteopathic medical students in our region.

One of the aspects I value most about osteopathic medicine is the sense of community that it fosters. Throughout my journey to medical school, the experiences that have meant the most to me have been those where I connected with people through service, research, student organizations, and social events. I genuinely enjoy meeting new people and learning about and from their experiences, which is what draws me to this leadership role.

My interest in Internal Medicine stems from a desire to approach patients holistically,  understanding how the various facets of a patient’s life and health intersect. I find it meaningful to use evidence and clinical reasoning to guide care in complex health conditions. In addition, I’m very interested in the role of internal medicine in community and public health, particularly in preventing disease and improving long-term outcomes.

Before medical school, I completed my Master of Biomedical Sciences at Rutgers University and my undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Georgia. I have been involved in projects focused on health equity and community engagement, including co-founding a campus initiative during my undergraduate career that provides free menstrual products to students and contributing to the creation of animated health promotion videos covering a variety of health topics for women in New Jersey’s correctional system. These academic foundations taught me the value of health equity and community engagement, as well as the meaningful accomplishments that can be achieved when people work together toward a shared goal.

At ACOM, I currently serve as the Class of 2028 Student Representative and am active in our SOIMA Chapter, where I also serve as the community outreach coordinator. If elected as Region II Representative, I aim to strengthen communication among schools, foster collaboration, and ensure students feel supported in their academic and professional growth. I am excited to meet fellow students across the region, learn from their experiences, and help build a more connected SOIMA community.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Samuel Saintil, OMS-II, William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine

As a second year medical student the human body has continued to leave me in utter awe. There is so much to know, understand and uncover, the thought of which truly excites me.

The idea of integrating knowledge across multiple systems, understanding how disease processes interact, and uncovering the underlying story of each patient, to me, has always been the essence of being a physician. While all specialties are fascinating, I find that the “in-between” of Internal Medicine where complexity lives and systems overlap, is where the most meaningful learning and impact occur.

This passion has not only shaped my career interests but has also driven my leadership and service. As Vice President of the WCUCOM SOIMA chapter, I worked to actively promote Internal Medicine among my peers. One of our most impactful initiatives was an in-person Physician Specialty Series, strategically aligned with the organ systems we were studying each block. This allowed students to contextualize their learning while gaining real-world insight into the field, making Internal Medicine more accessible and engaging.

In addition to this role, I have developed strong experience as a liaison—serving as a bridge between individuals, ideas, and organizations. As the SNMA Region III MAPS Liaison, I facilitated communication between the Regional Board and pre-medical chapter presidents across multiple states, ensuring alignment, engagement, and continuity. Similarly, as a Physiology Course Liaison, I worked closely with faculty and students to advocate for student needs while maintaining clear and effective communication. These experiences have strengthened my ability to listen, represent, and connect—skills that are essential for this position.

If selected as SOIMA Region II National Liaison, I plan to build upon existing initiatives while introducing opportunities for deeper connection and mentorship. I am committed to continuing and expanding physician engagement through structured programming such as specialty talks, while also developing a mentorship network that connects students with physicians and residents who align with their goals and interests. In medicine, success is often shaped not only by what you know, but by who guides you along the way. I want to ensure that every student has access to meaningful mentorship that supports their growth.

Ultimately, my goal is to strengthen communication, foster connection, and cultivate a community that inspires the next generation of osteopathic internists. I would be honored to serve in this role and contribute to the continued growth and impact of SOIMA.