What a fantastic Alumni Gathering we had in Nashville, TN!

We were thrilled to see so many alumni—from recent grads to seasoned professionals—come together to celebrate the LLUSM bond.

A huge thank you to our gracious hosts Drs. Cynthia and John Boskind for opening their beautiful home to us and making the evening so memorable.

We can`t wait to keep the connections growing with more Alumni Gatherings like this! Stay tuned to see where our next Gathering will be!

We were thrilled to host our Meet the Dean dinner in Atlanta, GA, on November 10, 2023. Alumni in the region had the opportunity to enjoy a meal, connect, and learn more about the School of Medicine. Stay tuned for details on upcoming gatherings like this on our Alumni Association website.

#alumnigatherings #LLUSM #LLUSMAA #atlanta #gathering

Reuniting and Reminiscing in Walla Walla, WA!

Our Alumni Gathering - Walla Walla welcomed graduates from as early as the Class of 1960 to as recent as 2011, coming together for a wonderful afternoon of connection and shared stores.

A special thank you to Seth ’11 and Melissa Gillham for being such gracious hosts and welcoming us into your beautiful home.

Next Alumni Gatherings:
- Atlanta, GA | November 10
- Nashville, TN | November 16.

Tap the link in our bio to RSVP

Yesterday, past presidents of the Alumni Association gathered for the annual President`s Advisory Council, where they received reports from the president and executive director of the Alumni Association. They also finalized the 2025 alumni awards.

We can’t wait to reveal the outstanding individuals who are being recognized for their remarkable contributions to our community. Stay tuned for more updates!

Denny Hong ’15 is Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at Kendu Adventist Hospital in Kenya. His journey to Kenya was more than a professional one, he says, it was a calling.

After medical school, Dr. Hong completed his residency in Internal medicine, and pursued a fellowship in tropical diseases.

His initial connection to Kenya was forged during his fellowship training when he completed an international rotation to the country. He felt led to serve there by divine providence, especially after Richard Hart ’70, who didn’t know that he would be visiting Kenya, asked if he would be willing to serve at Kendu Adventist Hospital. The hospital’s chief executive officer had submitted a request for a missionary doctor with Dr. Hong’s exact qualifications three years earlier.

While he has embraced his life and work in Kenya, Dr. Hong deeply misses his family in the U.S. Being so far away from his grandparents, parents, siblings, and extended family for the past four years has proved challenging.

When friends from the U.S. visit, he encourages them to worship with his family on campus and to experience the breathtaking safari at the Masai Mara, one of Kenya’s most famous wildlife reserves.

A challenge he faces is the availability of certain foods such as vegemeat and tofu “i have to make all of it from scratch,” he says, “which is a long process.”

“The most amazing thing I’ve experienced in Kenya are the people,” he says. “When my dad died last year, they pitched in and helped me with funds for funeral arrangements and shared food with us.” #llusmaa

Belen Lohr ’01, is a longtime member of the Alumni Association’s Alumni in Mission Service (AIMS) Council. The Council guides the Association’s work supporting alumni in mission service and medical missions.

Dr. Lohr is board certified in family and in lifestyle medicine. She works at SAC Clinic in San Bernardino, one of the most underserved areas in the U.S. “As a Hispanic provider, more than half of my patients are from the Latino community. I also teach medical students in the clinical skills lab,” she says.

Her earliest memory of the Alumni Association is attending the Annual Postgraduate Convention, especially the vespers mission program.

Dr. Lohr and her husband, Jason Lohr ’01, were missionaries in Nigeria for five years and then in Honduras for two years, shortly after they finished residency.

“I was most impacted by the alumni when we were missionaries and they sent us wonderful care packages with all kinds of treats and small gifts for the whole family. It felt like Christmas all over again,” she says.

When asked about the accomplishment she is most proud of, she says: “During our mission time 2005–2010, I volunteered to lead a choir which grew to have 100 kids from the church and community in Nigeria. I have kept in touch with a large number of the members, many of which have become medical professionals after observing us serve.”

Dr. Lohr enjoys travel and seeing new places, learning about different cultures, and experiencing new foods. “I also love art, like painting nature scenes in oil,” she says. “My perfect day away from work would be to spend time with my family, visiting the beach or a national park.” #llusmaa

Kate Leon entered medical school in 2021 after completing a BS in neuroscience from La Sierra University.

As a child, Kate remembers her mother sharing stories about medical school in Mexico. “During rural medicine clinicals she witnessed some of the most underserved populations in small villages and towns, who were also some of the most grateful for the care and attention they received,” Kate says.

Her mom’s stories sparked Kate’s interest in medicine.
Kate is committed to advocating for greater cultural competency by helping develop a medical Spanish certificate track with the Latin Medical Student Association, aiming to aid medical students in developing greater proficiency in communicating and connecting with Spanish-speaking patients.

“Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the achievements of the Latino/Hispanic community,” says Kate. “It also highlights the ongoing need for progress. As someone raised in an immigrant household, I know firsthand the challenges of accessing and obtaining affordable healthcare. I have witnessed my own family face an unfortunate disconnect with physicians often due to the Spanish language barrier. These experiences motivated me to pursue medicine and provide a familiar voice in Spanish where I can better connect with my patients and develop greater trust. Our community deserves greater representation in medicine as many studies have highlighted patients and physicians from similar backgrounds significantly experience better health outcomes and experiences.”

One of Kate’s proudest achievements is attending medical school, a shared dream with her mother.

“It was during my third-year anesthesia elective where I fell in love with the field of anesthesia,” says Kate. “Being in a unique position where we are entrusted with our patients’ lives and serve as their primary advocate during such a vulnerable time before surgery is profoundly fulfilling and a true privilege,” she says. #llusm #hispanicheritagemonth

School of Medicine faculty, staff, and students have returned from their annual retreat at Pine Springs Ranch. They enjoyed spiritual renewal, time in nature, and an ice cream feed hosted by the Alumni Association. The School of Medicine has taken this annual trip every year since 1961! #llusmaa #llumedschool #pinespringsranch

Jairo Campos Aguilar entered medical school in 2021. His earliest memories of medicine are from his childhood in Honduras, where he lived just five minutes away from an Adventist hospital. After moving to the U.S. when he was 7, he observed his mother, a doctor, and his father, a chaplain and the challenges they faced, including his mother’s inability to practice medicine. This planted the seed for him to pursue medicine.

In his words: “Coming from an immigrant family, I faced challenges growing up, especially witnessing the lack of access to healthcare for people like us. What inspires me is the possibility of giving back to my community, where representation is critical. Only about 6% of physicians in the U.S. are Latino, a population which represents about 20% of the total population. Many studies have shown the difference that can be provided when patients receive care from someone who understands their culture. This motivates me to offer culturally competent care to underserved Latino communities. I want to help others see that no dream is too wild, regardless of where they come from. It’s important to inspire the next generation by showing them that, despite the challenges, success is possible.”

Jairo is considering pursuing Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R). He finds profound meaning in working with patients recovering from life-altering experiences. “Meeting them at what might be the lowest point in their lives, listening to their stories and showing them that moving forward is possible is incredibly meaningful,” he said.

Jairo’s ultimate goal is to serve underserved communities, following the example of Christ. Alongside his wife, Sydney, he aspires to provide care and mentorship wherever they are needed, guided by the biblical call in Isaiah 58:10. This verse, which speaks of helping the hungry and oppressed, inspires his journey. #llusmaaproud #hispanicheritagemonth

The article "Spiders and C.S. Lewis" in the summer 2024 issue of the ALUMNI JOURNAL, tells the remarkable story of Findlay E. Russell ’51. Along with Russell`s unique connection to C. S. Lewis, Russell`s career produced nine books and authored over 300 peer-reviewed articles. He was a consultant for NASA and WHO, an inventor whose creations were awarded medical patents, and most famously, he developed the anti-venom CroFab TM, the first new anti-venom to be approved in over 50 years. Read more about Russell`s life in the summer 2024 ALUMNI JOURNAL. Link in the bio.

Honoring Women in Medicine Month, we
showcase a few of our alumni`s insights then and now.

@llumedschool #WimMonth #womeninmedicine

Theodore Gregorius ’00,  is a board certified orthopaedic surgeon who has extensive experience working with top athletes. He has worked with several sports teams and organizations including the San Francisco 49ers, Stanford University (football), and the Association of Tennis Professionals (SAP).  Dr. Gregorius has also worked with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, the Single-A affiliate of the L.A. Dodgers.
 
Dr. Gregorius was born on an Air Force base when his father was working as an Air Force surgeon. He returned to California with his family when his father pursued a residency in neurosurgery at UCLA. He spent many hours rounding with his father, who went on to become a Professor of Neurosurgery at UCLA. “My great grandfather and grandfather were also medical doctors,” he says, “so in many ways it seemed natural to pursue medicine.”
 
After graduating from Loma Linda, Dr. Gregorius completed a residency in orthopaedic surgery at University of Florida’s Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Institute. He then completed a fellowship in arthroscopic surgery and sports medicine at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. He is now in practice in Newport Beach, California.
 
The most important factor in the doctor-patient relationship, Dr. Gregorius says, is great communication and parallel goals. “I hope to create a stress-free opportunity for patients to learn about their injuries and treatment options. “I love practicing medicine because it’s a tactile application of one’s life view. In my case; to serve others and do what is essential.”

#llusmaa #lluh #lomalindauniversity #llumedschool #doctor #physician