2 NMI sons graduate from medical school

CNMI’s homegrown Joshua Mostales, left, and Richard Aldan graduate from the University of Hawaii at Manoa last week Sunday earning their doctorate from the John A. Burns School of Medicine. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Bringing pride to their families and island, two homegrown medical students have graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa commencement last May 13, 2023, and during the John A. Burns School of Medicine convocation the next day, on Mother’s Day.

Medical students Richard Aldan and Joshua Mostales both received their degrees last weekend and are starting their residency in general surgery.

Mostales acknowledged that the journey to becoming a physician has not been easy.

“Getting into medical school required a lot of hard work and dedication, balancing academics with extracurricular activities like research, clinical volunteering, and job shadowing doctors. As the first person in my family to become a physician, I had to work extra harder to navigate the process,” he said.

Mostales was born and raised in a mixed Chamorro-Filipino household on Saipan, before moving to Portland, Oregon, where he went to high school and college. He remembers attending Calvary Christian Academy, Dandan Elementary School, and Grace Christian Academy.

Interestingly, Mostales said, Aldan also attended GCA at the same time he did. “Richard Aldan and I were at GCA together for a couple years (2nd-3rd grade) before I transferred to another school. But since we were in different classes, we didn’t really know each other back then. I only knew him as the boy in the other class with very long hair (it’s definitely not as long as it used to be). We actually didn’t know we both got into the same med school until our first day at JABSOM. That was when we formally met. He found out I was also from Saipan, approached me, and introduced himself and stated that he was also from Saipan. Since then, we have remained very close friends,” he said.

Aldan said he attended GCA from Kindergarten through high school, graduating in 2015. After having lived on Saipan his whole life, he moved to Cleveland, Tennessee after high school, and attended Lee University, where he studied Biochemistry.

“After completing my undergraduate degree in 2019, I moved to Hawaii for medical school, where I have been for the past four years,” Aldan said.

When considering his future career paths, Mostales said he was attracted to the field of medicine due to its constantly changing and intellectually engaging nature. “However, what drew me most to this career was the opportunity to make a direct and positive impact on the lives of those who are at their most vulnerable. I specifically decided to pursue surgery because of the collaborative approach to patient care and the personal satisfaction of using my hands to help people recover and heal after surgical procedures.”

Mostales was accepted to medical school right away, soon after earning his bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry at the University of Oregon.

Both Mostales and Aldan said the journey to their doctorate had its up and downs and left them feeling quite stressed at times, but also enjoyable and rewarding.

Aldan said he comes from a family involved in healthcare. “I had relatively early exposure to the healthcare field. My mom and dad are nurses, and my uncle is an internal medicine physician. Witnessing the various health disparities present in the CNMI instilled a desire to help improve quality of life for our people.

Aldan said his decision to pursue a career in medicine was solidified by his research experience at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. “My time there showed me how research in the lab can translate to improved health outcomes. Medicine addressed my innate desire for service in a way that was both exciting and meaningful,” he said.

Aldan will begin his residency in general surgery “This may last five to nine years, including any time taken for further fellowship training. After completing my training, I will return home to practice medicine. No matter how far I go from home, my hope is to help create a healthier CNMI.”

Like Richard, Mostales will also be starting his residency in general surgery. “My hope for the future is to continue learning and growing as a surgeon and to make a difference in the lives of my patients,” he said. “Like Richard, I’m starting my residency in general surgery. My hope for the future is to continue learning and growing as a surgeon and to make a difference in the lives of my patients.”

Mostales would like to further specialize in surgical oncology or bariatric/minimally invasive surgery, “although I’m still keeping an open mind. I would eventually like to return to Hawaii to practice and also provide surgical care to the people of Saipan, even if it’s only a couple times a year.”

If Mostales could encourage young people in the CNMI, he’d tell them to not be afraid to dream big. “It’s feels surreal to come from a small island and achieve something as big as become a doctor. I’m so proud to represent my island and community, and I hope to inspire others to pursue their dreams,” he said.

Aldan added, “I believe being both hardworking and humble are essential personal traits. As cliché as it sounds, putting in a small amount of work daily helps bring you closer to your goals. Over time, seemingly distant dreams become very achievable realities. On the note of humility, it is important to realize that no matter how far along you may be on your journey, there is always something new to learn and old to revisit,” Aldan said. “I honestly thought being born and raised on Saipan was the coolest thing! I was always happy to explain to people where I was from. It made for a great icebreaker, and I think it helped people remember me easily. I would say that coming from a relatively unknown place served as a motivation to do well; I often thought that the odds of my peers and professors meeting someone else from the CNMI were so rare that I ought to leave a good impression.”

Mostales and Aldan both credit the support of their family and friends for their unwavering love and support, as well as their teachers and mentors and to the island community.