Southwest
Regional
Elections

Surasri (Nat) Prapasiri, MD

Bio-sketch
Dr. Prapasiri embarked on his advanced academic journey at New Mexico State University, where he earned a Master of Public Health degree in 2008. This accomplishment laid a solid foundation for his medical education at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine (UNM SOM), where he ultimately obtained his medical degree in 2016. After successfully completing his Internal Medicine Residency at UNM SOM, Dr. Prapasiri joined the Division of General Internal Medicine faculty in 2019. Roles and Responsibilities Dr. Prapasiri plays a pivotal role in providing primary care to the New Mexico community.

His responsibilities extend to several key roles:

• Associate Chief Medical Information Officer for Ambulatory Services: In this capacity, Dr. Prapasiri is deeply interested in AI technology, focusing on enhancing providers' efficiency and accurately capturing their work. He is also dedicated to standardizing care processes within the current EMR system and fostering transparency among frontline staff and providers.
• GIM Advisory Council Member: As a respected member of the GIM Advisory Council, Dr. Prapasiri’s insights and leadership drive strategic initiatives aimed at bolstering recruitment and retention efforts, as well as optimizing clinical practice efficiency.
• Clinical Documentation, Education, and Compliance Committee Volunteer: Dr. Prapasiri actively contributes to this committee, working to enhance healthcare documentation standards and fostering accuracy and efficiency in medical records.
• Vice President of UNM SOM Alumni: Dr. Prapasiri maintains a strong connection to the UNM SOM Alumni, serving as the Vice President and fostering relationships within the alumni community.

Outside of his professional commitments, Dr. Prapasiri finds joy in exploring the natural beauty of New Mexico through activities such as hiking, skiing, snowboarding, and running. Additionally, he nurtures his love for travel by venturing to international destinations, where he immerses himself in diverse cultures and picturesque landscapes. These experiences provide inspiration and rejuvenation, allowing him to bring a well-rounded perspective to his work and personal life

Personal Statement

I am excited to apply for the position of SGIM Southwest Regional President. My journey with SGIM began during my Internal Medicine residency in 2017, where I attended my very first clinical vignette poster presentation at a regional conference in Denver. From that moment, I fell in love with SGIM. The atmosphere was electrifying, filled with passionate clinicians and scholars eager to share their knowledge and experiences. The sense of community and shared purpose was palpable, and I was inspired by the collaborative spirit and dedication to advancing the field of general internal medicine. I was captivated by the depth of discussions, the quality of research presented, and the opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals who shared my enthusiasm for improving patient care. I felt like I was at home, surrounded by colleagues who share my values. This experience ignited a profound commitment to SGIM's mission and values.

Throughout my career, I have actively participated in various SGIM/ACLGIM events. My involvement with the Mountain West Regional planning committee was a significant milestone in my professional development. As a member of this committee, I had the privilege of collaborating with dedicated colleagues to organize impactful regional meetings that fostered networking, knowledge-sharing, and professional growth among our peers. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, we partnered with the New England Region to create an online virtual meeting, demonstrating our adaptability and commitment to maintaining engagement and professional development even in challenging times.

In 2023, I served as secretary/treasurer for the Mountain West Region, and I gained valuable experience in leadership and conference planning. This position honed my organizational skills and reinforced my commitment to advancing the goals of SGIM. It also allowed me to develop a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by our regional members.

In 2024, I joined the newly formed Southwest Region and continued my service as a co-secretary/treasurer, assisting with the planning of our regional conference in San Francisco. During the planning committee meetings and the conference, I had the pleasure of meeting many amazing and wonderful colleagues in this new community. I have been inspired by the dedication and enthusiasm of our members and am motivated to contribute to our collective success. As SGIM Southwest Regional President, I aim to leverage my background in regional planning and leadership to further enhance our region's programs and initiatives.

My vision for the Southwest Region includes fostering greater collaboration among members, promoting diversity and inclusion, and creating opportunities for professional development and mentorship. I also plan to increase SGIM membership in states where active participation is currently low, including my own state, New Mexico.

I am committed to ensuring that our regional meetings are not only informative but also engaging and inclusive, providing a platform for all voices to be heard. I am confident that my experience, dedication, and vision align with the goals of SGIM, and I am eager to serve as our Southwest Regional President. Together, we can continue to advance the practice of general internal medicine and make a meaningful impact on the lives of our patients and communities.

Alexander Friedman, DO

Bio-sketch
By way of introduction, I am an academic hospitalist at Riverside County Medical Center (RUHS-MC). I migrated from NYC to Southern California in 2014 for residency, which I completed at UC Riverside in 2017. Since that time, my clinical work has been in hospital medicine, while my academic affiliations are with the UCR and Loma Linda Schools of Medicine. I engage in academic rounds with medical students and residents, serve on hospital- and residency-based committees, and assist with curriculum design for IM program’s EBM thread. Over the past 7 years, I have been increasingly involved with SGIM and now look forward to taking on roles beyond conference judging.

I live in Orange County with my partner and a cat. I enjoy hiking in the San Bernardino Mountains (but really love the PNW), reading science fiction (recently enjoyed Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Children of Time series), and strategy-based board games (like Azul).

Personal Statement

I am writing to express my strong interest in serving as Secretary-Treasurer of the SGIM Southwest Chapter. Having been a member since 2017 and enjoyed serving as a conference judge every year since 2018, I am looking forward to expanding my responsibilities and contributions to our organization.

In my current position as an academic hospitalist, I am co-director of the residency program’s Evidence Based Medicine curriculum, while also serving as chair of the IM department’s research committee. I am also a section editor of the forthcoming 7th edition of Kochar’s Clinical Medicine for Students. Additionally, I participate in multiple hospital committees, including Medication Error Reduction Improvement Team (MERIT), Performance Improvement / Patient Safety Committee, Physician Advisory Group and Code Blue Committee. In 2023, I was the lead physician member of a hospital-wide quality improvement project for medication reconciliation that has resulted in improved fidelity and reduced error in the transcription of home medications upon admission and discharge. In all of these endeavors, I have consistently provided organized, precise, timely, and succinct documentation to each group’s stakeholders and have thereby improved the group’s function.

I am committed to applying the skills I have developed to improving the quality and efficiency of communication between the Chapter and its constituents. Thank you for considering my application.

Lawrence Ma, MD

Bio-sketch
Dr. Lawrence Ma is the new Associate Director for Clinical Services at the VA Palo Alto Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC). Previously he was an Associate Clinical Professor at the University of California San Diego where he completed medical school and residency. He is triple-boarded in pediatrics, internal medicine, and geriatrics and has cared for patients as a primary care provider across the age-spectrum. During his time at UCSD, he was very active teaching medical students across the four-years and residents from all 3 residencies. He completed the SGIM TEACH program and has been recognized with several teaching awards including the Internal Medicine Clerkship Excellence in Teaching Award and the Internal Medicine Residency Graduating Housestaff Teaching Award. He has also been passionate about supporting faculty colleagues in better understanding and navigating the faculty promotion process.

Personal Statement
I’ve been fortunate to have been able to attend regional and national conferences representing all 3 of my sub-specialities over the years. SGIM has really stood out to me as an organization that has been inviting, supportive, and really tries to elevate its members through its educational programming and opportunities. As membership-chair, I want to use this platform to build our community and continue serving the interests of medical students, residents, and attending physicians.

Jaclyn Vargas, MD

Bio-sketch
Dr. Vargas is a Medicine and Pediatric Hospitalist and Clinician Educator practicing within UCSD at Rady Children’s Hospital and San Diego VA Medical Center. She obtained her medical degree at Keck School of Medicine of USC and completed her Medicine-Pediatrics Residency and Pediatric Chief Year at LAC+USC (now LA General). She is active in undergraduate medical education and graduate medical education within the Medicine and Pediatric Residency Programs. Her interests include medical education, quality improvement, safe healthcare settings for patients, and safe learning environments. She has given local and national talks on Microaggressions and Mistreatment, also incorporating it into the UCSD Medical School curriculum. She has won several teaching awards including Excellence in Teaching Award for Internal Medicine Clerkship and Clerkship Humanism in Medicine Award. 

Personal Statement
I was fortunate to be introduced into SGIM as a resident and have been a part of the Regional Meeting Planning Committee for over 7 years. I have participated as Mentorship and Workshop Co-Chair and now aim to have a more active leadership role and continue my service for SGIM. As DEI Chair elect, I will work with regional leadership and members to promote a diversity and inclusivity within our region and at our meeting.