COMP (CA): Student, Faculty & Alumni Spotlight
College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Blake Han, DO2026 Student DO of the Month
I am nominating Blake Han for Student D.O. of the Month because he is one of the most insightful and quietly effective leaders in our class. He consistently goes above and beyond, not for recognition, but because he cares about doing what’s right and making sure things work for everyone.
In SGA, Blake has been instrumental in advocating for student concerns, especially during our third year. He’s taken the initiative to set up meetings with ClinEd and the Deans, bringing attention to issues with preceptors and scheduling. I’ve seen Blake go out of his way to check in with me and others in the cohort to touch base on how things are going and get back to classmates if it’s an area of concern he’s been able to address with the deans or ClinEd. Blake follows through, checking in with classmates, communicating solutions, and ensuring students feel heard. He’s a steady, thoughtful presence and a strong problem-solver behind the scenes.
What makes Blake stand out even more is how much time he gives to others, even while studying for boards or on busy rotations. For the past three years, Blake’s hosted high-yield tutoring sessions for first- and second-year students on subjects including but not limited to cardio, neuro, and renal, all while juggling his own schedule. Blake doesn’t just make Anki decks that get lost under all the due dates, he’s created an organized system for using Anki effectively, make a thorough resource accessible to students, and hosted Discord and in-person sessions to underclassmen to help others get the most out of Anki as a learning tool.
Outside of med school, Blake volunteers his weekends mentoring elementary students in science and engineering. He has a calm, approachable demeanor that makes it easy for kids to ask questions, and he takes the time to guide them patiently, from helping with homework to building paper airplanes.
On clinical rotations, Blake is well respected by residents, attendings, and peers alike. For example, during both of his internal medicine rotations, he regularly stayed late to help carry the team’s workload, not because he had to, but because he knew it made a difference to help lighten the load. He even showed up on weekends to help attendings when he wasn’t required to. No matter the setting, he’s the kind of person people naturally turn to for support. He stays calm under pressure and steps in when things need to get done.
On a personal note, I’ve always appreciated how observant Blake is, he can read a room, pick up on when someone’s having a hard day, and always seems to have a solution ready, whether it’s school-related or not. Even if he doesn’t say much, you can tell he’s paying attention. He brings consistency, intelligence, and quiet leadership to everything he does. His impact on our class is undeniable, and I believe he deserves to be recognized as Student D.O. of the Month.
Faculty Spotlight: Stephanie White, DO
Dr. Stephanie White, Associate Dean for Clinical Education, splits her time between strategic planning for the future of medical education and creating meaningful content for the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Curriculum. Dr. White’s primary driver is her need to address injustice in the healthcare system. In her clinical education role, she partners with healthcare systems struggling to recruit empathetic, technically competent providers. She facilitates the creation of physician hiring pipelines through pre-matriculation linkage programs, 3rd year core clinical rotations and optimizing residency placement in underserved communities. Her goal is to highlight and begin to close the healthcare access gap for the most vulnerable populations along the west coast. Similarly, as co-director of the DEI curriculum, she emphasizes growth mindset, emotional intelligence and trauma-informed care as the foundation of equitable healthcare delivery. She asserts that “who you are is how you heal.” She teaches her students that their character is fundamental to their work as healers. Her recent essay on life as a woman in medicine illustrated how she puts this philosophy into practice. Read more aacom article
Alumni Spotlight: Lisa Warren, DO ’01
I am deeply passionate about medical education, pediatrics, and wellness, and have dedicated both my professional and personal life to expanding my expertise and skills to better serve my patients and community. After completing my pediatric residency at Baylor Scott & White/Texas A&M in 2004, I pursued further education, earning my Health Care Executive MBA from the University of California, Irvine, Paul Merage School of Business in 2019.
I have been part of WesternU/COMP since 2011, first as a faculty member and now as Dean, as well as an engaged alumnus. Outside of my professional commitments, I cherish spending time with my family and am passionate about health and fitness. I am a certified yoga instructor and enjoy outdoor activities such as running half marathons, hiking, and water sports. I also find joy in attending live music events.