Pedro Girl Goes to Medical Congress

SAN PEDRO — Sixteen-year-old Ashlee Quezada recently was accepted to the Congress of Future Medical Leaders in Washington, D.C.

The Congress, which takes place Feb. 14 through 16, is an honors-only program for high school students who want to become physicians or go into medical research fields.

Ashlee, a junior at Mary Star of the Sea High School, takes all honors and advanced placement courses. She has been on the principal’s honor roll throughout high school and maintains a 4.0 GPA. She is a member of the National Honors Society and the California Scholarship Federation. She also volunteers at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach.

Ashlee was nominated by Dr. Connie Mariano, the medical director of the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists to represent California, based on her academic achievement, leadership potential and determination to serve in the field of medicine.

During the three-day Congress, Ashlee will join students from across the country and hear Nobel Laureates and National Medal of Science Winners talk about leading medical research; be given advice from Ivy League and top medical school deans on what is to be expected in medical school; witness stories told by patients who are living medical miracles; be inspired by fellow teen medical science prodigies; and learn about cutting-edge advances and the future in medicine and medical technology.

“I am greatly honored to be representing the San Pedro area at the congress in February. After high school,” she said. “I plan to major in biology and later move on to medical school. I hope to achieve my life-long dream of being a doctor in the fields of anesthesiology, oncology, or pathology.”