Student Advocacy Virtual Hill Day 2017: Lobbying for GME and the Higher Education Act AACOM has provided resources for student participation, making it easier than ever to make your voice heard. March 8, 2017Wednesday Kate Samano Contact Kate Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Topics advocacygraduate medical educationmedical schoolpolicystudents The American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) joined forces Wednesday, March 8 with osteopathic medical students and faculty for a Virtual Hill Day in Washington. Graduate medical education policy and the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act were the focus of interactions with legislators as the profession’s emerging leaders advocated for the future of the DO workforce. Participants who were unable to storm the Hill by foot put their fingertips to work, persuading legislators by sending emails, flooding social media feeds, and calling representatives directly. “As medical students, we tend to focus on just our classes or rotations. But it is equally important for us to take part in the legislative process when it directly affects issues such as graduate medical education and student debt. COM Day provides us with a chance to make our voices heard and to advocate for ourselves and our patients,” says Harika Kantamneni, OMS-IV, from the University of Pikeville-Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine. [story-sidebar id=”200352″] Virtual resources are available from ED to MED, AACOM’s larger national grassroots advocacy campaign that gathers and delivers policies that impact osteopathic medical students and schools. Resources include: An Advocacy Toolkit with sample communications and background information A Find Your Legislators search function A webinar explaining the Higher Education Act ED to MED helps the osteopathic education community stay involved in policy discussions long after Virtual Hill Day. “AACOM’s Virtual Hill Day provides osteopathic medical students with a unique opportunity to advocate alongside our peers in Washington, DC. Using our social media influence by sending tweets, snaps, or Facebook posts to our legislators, we can campaign for causes that will affect us and our nation’s health care infrastructure for years to come,” says Owais Durrani, OMS-III, from the Oklahoma State University Center of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine in Tulsa. Educating Congress about the impact of policy on medical education helps secure the future of health care for physicians and patients. Those who aren’t in Washington are encouraged to make their voice heard on social media. Sharing personal stories with pictures and videos can help grab legislators’ attention. Join the movement. @ed2med @AACOMGR #COMDAY17 #DoneWithDebt pic.twitter.com/PNZ9ehqOaM — Dakotah Rose Forell (@DRForell) March 8, 2017 First meeting of the day is with @SenatorMenendez! Looking forward to representing #NJ today at #COMDay17 with @ASam_I_am! pic.twitter.com/wdd4xpk1C5 — Ronak (@rmistry91) March 8, 2017 I will be the 1st Dr. in my family thanks to federal aid! Please support Higher Education Act reauthorization @SenSherrodBrown #COMDAY17 — Alyssa Ritchie (@alyssamritchie_) March 8, 2017 @ed2med @AACOMGR #COMDAY17 pic.twitter.com/Ku3qm4sTSQ — Dakotah Rose Forell (@DRForell) March 8, 2017 Thank you @RepKevinYoder for your remarks and Q&A session during our #COMDAY17 on Capitol Hill Dinner! #futurephysicianworkforce #meded pic.twitter.com/DVQlVSNZ1A — AACOM GR (@AACOMGR) March 8, 2017 It's time to advocate for the #futurephysicianworkforce. Welcome to #COMDAY17 – reach out to your Congressmen today! https://t.co/qvJY5AmMa8 pic.twitter.com/LyPLL52n30 — Shawn Hamm (@Shawn_Hamm) March 8, 2017 "As the need for doctors increases, so does the need for federal #financialaid." Why do you advocate? #futurephysicianworkforce #COMDAY17 pic.twitter.com/G2KD7TZG7E — Farrah Rink (@FarrahRink) March 8, 2017 More in Advocacy BEL DO Day Scholarship applications due Dec. 20 The AOIA is looking for scholarship candidates who want to become more involved in medical advocacy and public policy. AOA Annual Report charts successes of past year Highlights include public policy advocacy efforts to decrease regulatory burdens for physicians and expand the impact of the profession at the federal and state policymaking levels. Previous articleShould you moonlight during residency? Next articleWhat it means to be "Keepers of the Flame"
BEL DO Day Scholarship applications due Dec. 20 The AOIA is looking for scholarship candidates who want to become more involved in medical advocacy and public policy.
AOA Annual Report charts successes of past year Highlights include public policy advocacy efforts to decrease regulatory burdens for physicians and expand the impact of the profession at the federal and state policymaking levels.