Committees — MedConnect
The bridge from pre-med
ambition to medical school
APPNA MedConnect helps aspiring physicians of Pakistani descent get accepted to medical school — pairing pre-medical students with physician mentors who have walked the same path.
2026 Committee
Leadership
Chair
Ghazal Javaid, MD
Member
Hebba Ahmed, MD
Member
Sara Ahmed, MD
Member
Fihr Chaudhary, MD
Overview
About the committee
The purpose of the APPNA MedConnect Committee is to help aspiring physicians of Pakistani descent get accepted to medical school. The committee works directly with pre-med students, guiding them through every stage of the application process — from building a competitive profile to navigating interviews.
MedConnect pairs students with physician mentors from across the APPNA network, offering MCAT preparation guidance, clinical shadowing opportunities, and honest, experience-based advice from physicians who have walked the same path. It is the first point of connection between a student's ambition and APPNA's broader community of practicing physicians.
Ad Hoc Committee · Pre-med mentorship
Purpose & mission
What MedConnect sets out to do
The APPNA Med Connect Committee aims to provide mentorship, resources and opportunities, and direct application services to undergraduate pre-medical students who are applying — or looking to apply — to medical school.
Aid pre-medical students on their journey to medical school acceptance.
Help strengthen their medical school application.
Perform outreach to find opportunities for pre-medical students.
Prepare students for medical school by providing insight into the process of applying.
Provide support and share experiences to help pre-medical students prepare for medical school.
How it helps
What they do
Physician mentorship
Pairs students with physician mentors from across the APPNA network for honest, experience-based advice from those who have walked the same path.
MCAT preparation
Guidance and resources to help pre-medical students prepare for the MCAT.
Clinical shadowing
Access to clinical shadowing opportunities that build real exposure and strengthen a student's profile.
Application & interview guidance
Support through every stage — building a competitive profile, direct application services, and navigating interviews.
Get started
Join MedConnect
Purpose & mission
Sign up as a mentee
Get paired with a physician mentor and receive guidance through every stage of the medical-school application — from building a competitive profile to navigating interviews.
For physicians
Sign up as a mentor
Share your experience and guide the next generation of Pakistani-American doctors — offer MCAT advice, shadowing opportunities and honest, first-hand guidance.
Programs
Featured Programs
MedConnect
Physician Mentorship for Pre-meds
MedConnect pairs pre-medical students with physician mentors from the APPNA network for
View All 
MedConnect
MCAT Prep & Application Guidance
Guidance and resources to help pre-medical students prepare for the MCAT and navigate every stage
View All
Contact Details
Committee email
Ghazal Javaid
Bassem Rafiq
Related committees
APPNA MERIT
Office of CME (RESA)
Young Physicians (YPC)
Young Physicians Canada
All committees
Get involved
The purpose of the APPNA MedConnect Committee is to help aspiring physicians of Pakistani descent get accepted to medical school.
Programs
Featured Programs
MedConnect
Physician Mentorship for Pre-meds
MedConnect pairs pre-medical students with physician mentors from the APPNA network for
View All
MedConnect
MCAT Prep & Application Guidance
Guidance and resources to help pre-medical students prepare for the MCAT and navigate every stage
View All