02/18/2026
Happy Chinese New Year! What a wonderful way to start off the Year of the Horse by spending it with my college advisor, Peter van Houten. 40 years ago my original college counselor told me that I would not get into medical school if I continued with all the extracurricular activities I was doing that made me happy. So instead of dropping my activities, I switched counselors and found Peter. He believed in me and encouraged me and was even our advisor for a pre-medical club that I was in charge of. I wouldn't be a doctor today if it wasn't for him. We've still kept in touch all these years and he recently invited me to the International House at UC Berkeley, where his wife, Nancy, endowed a scholarship honoring her late brother. May everyone be as fortunate as I have been in finding such amazing mentors. Wishing everyone prosperity and health this Lunar New Year!!