Residents
Class of 2023
Mustafa Arch, D.O.
Mustafa was born in Syria, moved to England at the age of 3, then to Anaheim
Hills at the age of 10. He later attended UC San Diego with a major in
Biochemistry and a minor in Business. He then packed his bags and moved
to the desert to attend Midwestern University in Arizona for medical school.
He initially pursued Anesthesia out of medical school, completing a preliminary
year of Medicine in Long Beach and 1 year of Anesthesia in Arizona before
deciding to change career paths to Family Medicine. In his free time,
he likes to play competitive soccer as well as watch sports and play video
games. He is a huge fan of Manchester United, England, and the LA Clippers
(LAs true team). Although he's not very good at them, his favorite video
games include FIFA, League of Legends, and Apex. He also enjoys traveling
and has been to more than 20 countries.
Jaehee Choe, D.O.
Jae was born in South Korea, but grew up in New York and Connecticut. When
he was 13 and just learning to talk to girls, his father thought it would
be a wonderful idea to move the family back to rural South Korea so Jae
could spend his teenage years in an all-boys school learning calculus.
(Love you dad!) He went to undergrad at Sogang University in Seoul where
he majored in political science and learned important life skills, such
as deflection and procrastination. After his parents talked him out of
becoming a professional martial artist, he moved to San Francisco and
worked as an accountant before being accepted at Arizona College of Osteopathic
Medicine. He loves being back in California, living close to Koreatown
and training alongside his fellow residents. In his free time, he enjoys
chilling with his dog, dabbling in Olympic weightlifting, and eating.
Sometimes, he does all three things at the same time.
Aris Melkonian, M.D.
Aris Melkonian is a third-generation Iraqi-Armenian who was born and raised
in Iraq. He graduated from University of Baghdad College of Medicine and
practiced medicine in his home country for six years. In 2016, Aris immigrated
to the United States, where he immediately started working hard to complete
his U.S. medical licensing qualifications. His goal for residency was
to stay as close to the great community of Glendale as possible and, thankfully,
he was able to achieve that by matching at his top-choice program: Adventist
Health Glendale. Aris speaks fluent English, Armenian and Arabic. He enjoys
volunteering at the Glendale Free Clinic in his spare time. He also spends
his weekends exploring new restaurants and outdoor activities.
Andrew Nguyen, D.O.
Andrew was born and raised in San Jose, Calif. He completed his undergraduate
degree in biological sciences at the University of California, Irvine.
He then attended medical school at Touro University California in the
Bay Area. He is excited to be back in SoCal to experience the weather
and beaches (with social distancing of course). His hobbies include traveling,
hiking, weight lifting and playing badminton.
Naira Sargsyan, D.O.
Naira was born in Armenia and raised in Glendale. She attended the University
of California, Irvine for her undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences.
She then went on to pursue a Master’s degree and ultimately her
medical degree from the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine where
she also founded the university’s first arts and humanities journal,
Thrive. Naira is happy to be back in Glendale, providing care for the
city that helped shape her. She is especially interested in women’s
health and pediatrics. She enjoys spending time with her family, binge-watching
shows, and being outdoors.
Laura Spanko, D.O.
Laura was born and raised in San Jose, Calif. She earned her undergraduate
degree in Biology at the University of Oregon where she also played club
lacrosse. She moved to New York City after college to perform virology
research at Mount Sinai before going to medical school at Touro College
of Osteopathic Medicine in Harlem. She is excited to be back in California
and to have the opportunity to provide medical care and resources to the
community of Glendale. Laura likes to spend her free time outdoors - hiking,
biking, playing tennis and relaxing on the beach.
(Sophia) Yifei Sun, D.O.
Sophia was born in Beijing and raised in Chino Hills, Calif. She completed
her undergrad at the University of California, San Diego, with a degree
in Physiology & Neuroscience and worked for a couple of years prior
to attending Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, Calif.,
for medical school. Her hobbies include: sleeping, eating good food (Korean
BBQ), taking her two golden retrievers out to hike or a playdate, and
driving to Mammoth Mountain for weekend snowboarding trips.
Class of 2024
Samuel Almasi, D.O.
Samuel has lived in Glendale all his life. He studied biochemistry at the
University of Southern California and completed medical school at the
Western University of Health Sciences. He feels very blessed that he can
continue his training in Glendale, close to his family, community, and
Church. Samuel became motivated to pursue a career in medicine after witnessing
the powerful impact a medical mission group had in Armenia by sharing
the Gospel and providing medical services to the villages in need. In
his free time, he enjoys taking trips with his wife, spending time with
family, and building websites. Above all, Samuel is saved and motivated
by his faith in Jesus Christ.
Brian Le, D.O.
Brian was born and raised in the East Bay in Northern California. He became
an Eagle Scout, which is where he developed his love for the outdoors.
He went down south to the Inland Empire to earn his undergraduate degree
in Biological Science at the University of California, Riverside. He returned
home to Northern California to complete his Masters in Medical Health
Sciences at Touro University California before heading to A.T. Still University
School of Osteopathic Medicine, Arizona. He spent the last three years
of medical school in beautiful Beaufort, South Carolina. He is very excited
to be back in his home state of California for residency. His hobbies
include going on outdoor adventures with his wife, rock climbing, listening
to crime podcasts, playing guitar, bread baking, following other people's
dogs on social media, and spending time with church friends.
Djordje Milivojevic, D.O.
Djordje was born in Serbia and grew up in San Diego. He attended college
at UC San Diego, where he studied physiology and neuroscience, with a
minor in psychology. His interest in neuroscience carried over to his
research in neural mechanisms for motivation and depression. It was also
during this time, while working as a teacher’s assistant and volunteering
throughout San Diego and Tijuana, that he discovered his love for teaching.
At Western U College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, he pursued
his interests in nutrition education and preventive health, and discovered
that Family Medicine was the perfect field for him. In his spare time,
Djordje enjoys reading novels (including his annual reread of The Count
of Monte Cristo), playing with his little cat, and exercising with his partner.
Narek Asryan, M.D.
Hello everyone, my name is Narek! I was born in Armenia and spent the first
few years of my life there before immigrating to Los Angeles. I spent
the majority of my formative years growing up in the beautiful city of
Glendale, where I now have the incredible luck to return to and serve
as a resident. As an undergrad, I attended UC Santa Barbara, which is
right up the coast here in Southern California. I then spent some time
at Georgetown in Washington D.C., getting a Master's Degree. It was in
D.C. where I realized that I couldn't live anywhere with snow, so I made
my way back to California for medical school in Sacramento! It was an
incredible experience to be a part of a relatively new school and to help
it grow while I also grew in my beginning years of medical education.
I decided to go into family medicine because I thoroughly enjoyed all
the subjects I learned during the preclinical years and all my rotations
during my third year. I wanted to ensure that I retained as much knowledge
as possible and could convert it to practical use, so family medicine
was the only logical selection. When I’m not in the hospital, I
enjoy exercising and going to the beach with my fiancé or spending
time in the beautiful City of Glendale with my family and childhood friends!
Azar Razikeen, M.D.
Azar was born on the teardrop island of Sri Lanka and was extremely fortunate
to travel the world thanks to his father who was a ship Captain. Unfortunately,
he has to live vicariously through the collage of photos his parents have
kept through their travels because his was too young to remember them.
His dad has said that he’s been all over the world, and California
is the best place to live. Hence, Azar was spoiled by SoCal sunshine and
never-ending things to see and do for most of his young life. Glendale
became home through his middle school, high school, and up to graduating
from UCLA with a B.S. on Biology. He parted ways from this great city
for bit and graduated from Wayne State University School of Medicine in
the quaint city of Detroit, Michigan. Hardened by the literal and figurative
frosty Detroit climate (but in all honestly, he believes that he had a
phenomenal learning experience there), he was unthawed by returning to
his home and his family in sunny SoCal. He truly believes that it is a
privilege to practice medicine and treat his patients and hopes and plans
to never lose this passion.
Felicia Salanga, D.O.
Felicia was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley. She attended UCLA
for college where she earned an undergraduate degree in Physiological
Science. She then completed a master's degree in Physiology at Georgetown
University. After graduate school, she returned to UCLA to work as a clinical
research coordinator before attending medical school at Touro University
California. During her free time, she enjoys exercising, doing yoga, cooking,
reading, watching films and TV shows, and spending time with family and friends.
(Jack) Hapetnak Shaybekyan, M.D.
Dr. Shaybekyan was born and raised in Armenia. After graduating from Yerevan
State Medical University in Armenia he moved to the United States to pursue
his career here, and started his residency training in Family Medicine
at Glendale Adventist Health Hospital. Dr. Shaybekyan is fluent in Armenian
and Russian. In his free time, he likes to spend some valuable time with
his wife and little son.
Vesta Yazdani, D.O.
Vesta is a first-generation immigrant who grew up in Texas. At 17 years
old, She moved to Los Angeles and decided never to leave California! Inspired
by her AP Biology and Psychology classes at Santa Monica High School,
Vesta completed a Physiology & Neuroscience major with a minor in
Psychology at UC San Diego. There, she had the opportunity to study at
the University of Granada in Southern Spain on a scholarship. This experience,
combined with her work at FQHC clinics, inspired her to pursue a career
in medicine. She completed her medical degree at Western University of
Health Sciences in Pomona. After that, she began her family medicine training
at California Hospital Medical Center in Downtown Los Angeles and is now
part of the Adventist Health Glendale family!
Her training philosophy is steeped in the family medicine tradition of
giving back to the community. She partners with her patients by taking
a collaborative approach to health and wellness. Ask her about plant-based
foods, optimizing mental health, and increasing exercise!
In her free time, she discovers new cultures through food and cuisine and
loves to explore new neighborhoods in Los Angeles.
Class of 2025
Athenia Barouni, D.O.
Athenia was born and raised in Glendale, California. She worked for three
years as a clinical laboratory coordinator for a research company called
PAREXEL, right by the ER on campus. She stayed in the southwest and went
to Burrell COM for medical school in Las Cruces, NM. As an avid foodie,
she started to perfect her cooking skills while living alone and loves
making healthy, colorful dishes. She loves counseling patients on the
importance of diet, exercise, and overall well-being. She loves to travel
and is always planning her next adventure!
Tyler Dawson, D.O.
Tyler was born and raised in sunny San Diego. He stayed local to attend
college at the University of California San Diego and studied biochemistry.
During his time at UCSD, Tyler and his family discovered their love for
pickleball. Following graduation, he competed in tournaments all across
the US. Tyler teamed up with his brother to take home the California State
Pickleball Championships back-to-back years. During this time, he was
also an EMT and completed Fire Academy. The experience ultimately led
him to pursue medicine and gave him the desire to connect with patients.
He attended medical school at Touro University Nevada and then was blessed
to match at Adventist Health Glendale for further training. In his free
time, he enjoys surfing with his wife, taking his pup Luna to the dog
park, and playing pickleball with his family.
Arusyak Harutyunyan, M.D.
Arusyak was born, raised, and trained in Armenia. She earned her MD from
Yerevan State Medical University and practiced medicine in her home country
for over ten years. In addition to her commitment to individual health,
she is very passionate about the population's health. This interest inspired
her to obtain her Master of Public Health from the American University
of Armenia. Arusyak has led multiple international research studies focusing
on Maternal and Child Health, Tobacco Control, and Tuberculosis Control.
She published in peer-reviewed journals and extensively presented her
work at numerous international scientific conferences. Arusyak is incredibly
excited to join the Adventist Health Glendale Family Medicine Residency
and deliver well-rounded quality healthcare to our multi-ethnic community
of Glendale. Her clinical interests include women's health, maternal care,
pediatrics, and adolescent medicine. She speaks fluent English, Armenian
and Russian. Outside of day-to-day work, she enjoys traveling worldwide,
exercising, exploring different beauty hacks for skin care, and spending
time with family and friends.
Alexander Jensen, D.O.
Alex was born in Los Angeles, California, and spent his youth in the San
Fernando Valley. He received his undergraduate degree in Biochemistry
from the University of California, Los Angeles. Before attending medical
school, he worked as a physical therapy aide and volunteered as a wrestling
coach, where he developed an interest in sports medicine. Alex traveled
north to the bay area to study medicine at Touro University, California,
and is very glad to be back in Southern California, close to his family
and friends. In his free time, he likes to listen to music, travel, exercise,
and play with his adorable nephews.
Fay Kamsut, M.D.
Fay was born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand. She studied Psychobiology
at UCLA and completed medical school at Loma Linda University. Fay likes
baking cakes, making pasta, exploring national parks, traveling, and watching
F1 in her free time.
Talin Nazarian, D.O.
Talin Nazarian was born and raised in beautiful Glendale, California. She
completed her undergraduate degree in Anthropology at the University of
California, Los Angeles. She then moved to the desert to Henderson, Nevada,
to receive her M.S in Medical Health Sciences and attend Touro University
Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine for medical school. She is thrilled
to be back home, serving the community members that influenced her to
begin a journey in medicine. Her hobbies include landscape photography,
outdoor adventures, and enjoying family time with her niece and nephew!
Lara Parsekhian, D.O.
Lara was born at this very hospital and raised in Glendale, California.
Growing up, she aspired to pursue her love for art, follow in the footsteps
of the most remarkable educator she knows, her amazing mother, and become
a ceramics teacher. Although Lara still makes pottery to this day, she
ultimately decided to go down the path of most resistance and became a
physician instead. Lara earned her Cellular and Molecular Biology undergraduate
degree at California State University, Northridge. During her undergraduate
education, she volunteered in a patient-centered position at Adventist
Health Glendale, where her love for this hospital and its people blossomed.
She then went to medical school at Western University of Health Sciences,
College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific in Pomona, California.
She is so thankful to have the opportunity to stay in Glendale for residency
and serve the community that raised her. During basketball and football
season, Lara can be found glued to the TV during her free time. Her sports
allegiances mainly lie in the bay area, and she is a life-long Golden
State Warriors fan (go dubs!). The only exception, which confuses most
people, is that she is also a huge Minnesota Vikings fan (SKOL!). After
work and on the weekends during the rest of the year, you can find Lara
at the gym, hanging out with her friends, and attending comedy shows.
Christine Sayegh, D.O.
Christine was born and raised in Los Angeles. She attended UCLA as an undergrad
and then worked in clinical research in the ED. Following her time in
California, Christine moved to Arizona for medical school at Midwestern-AZCOM
and had a blast. She then matched to residency in Emergency Medicine in
Miami, where she met lifelong friends amongst her class and faculty. After
completing one year of EM residency in the land of Mr. Worldwide, Christine
transferred to Adventist Health Glendale's Family Medicine program and
returned to the City of Angels. Her first job was as a scribe in the ER
right here at AHGL many years ago, and she is happy to have come full
circle and looks forward to making new memories! She is a fan of standup
comedy, The Office, Kygo, piano, memes, long walks on the beach with her
Maine Coon, and traveling worldwide.