Swimming through a sea of white coats: Finding my voice in advocacy 

I still remember the feeling of stepping into Washington, D.C., surrounded by a sea of white coats. It was my first time attending the American Osteopathic Association‘s DO Day advocacy conference, and as a recipient of the AOA Bureau of Emerging Leaders Scholarship, I carried both excitement and a quiet sense of responsibility.

If I’m being honest, I was also nervous.

Advocacy had always felt important to me, but also somewhat distant—something I admired rather than something I actively did. That changed the moment I arrived. The structured bill overview handouts provided me with a foundation, but it was the people I advocated with who transformed my experience. I found myself bonding quickly with fellow osteopathic medical students and physicians, each of us bringing unique perspectives shaped by our training and our patients.

There was something powerful about being surrounded by individuals who shared not just a profession, but a philosophy of practicing medicine.

Advocacy in action

Visiting the AOA’s Washington, D.C., headquarters made it all feel real. I enjoyed meeting members of the AOA Board of Trustees, hearing their journeys and realizing that they too once stood where I was. Advocacy was no longer abstract; it was accessible.

As we walked between meetings, our white coats became more than just symbols of medicine. Walking through the streets of D.C. and into legislative offices, I felt a heightened sense of purpose. I’ve always believed the white coat carries weight—but in that setting, it felt amplified. We weren’t just clinicians; we were storytellers, educators and representatives of our patients.

Between meetings, I also found myself having meaningful conversations with osteopathic medical students who were eager to learn more about family medicine and my journey into primary care leadership. Their enthusiasm for advocacy and health policy was energizing and reminded me why mentorship matters so much in our profession. During our discussions with legislative assistants, we used real patient and training experiences to strengthen our case for increasing Medicare physician compensation and expanding residency positions in rural and underserved communities, particularly within primary care.

Those conversations felt impactful because they connected policy directly to the realities we witness every day in medicine. Seeing students so engaged, informed and passionate about shaping the future of healthcare was incredibly motivating and gave me hope for the future of advocacy within our profession.

One moment stands out vividly. A Senate committee researcher approached our group and asked to see our research packet. It was unexpected, but also affirming. They wanted to hear from us—to understand what we see every day in our clinics and communities. That interaction stuck with me, as it showed me that our voices matter, and our experiences have the power to shape policy.

As someone deeply passionate about obesity medicine, lifestyle medicine, health equity and serving underserved communities, I often think about the gap between clinical care and systemic change. DO Day helped bridge that gap for me. It showed me that advocacy is simply an extension of patient care—just on a broader scale.

DO Day takeaway

My involvement with the AOA Leadership Academy, the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians Future Leaders Program and committees focused on new physicians and women in leadership has already shaped how I see my role in medicine. But this experience solidified some things for me.

I want to be an advocate.

Not just during events like DO Day, but consistently—through teaching, through academic medicine and through community engagement. I want to bring the voices of my patients into rooms where decisions are made.

Because at the end of the day, advocacy isn’t about politics. It’s about people.

And this was the first time I truly felt like I belonged in that space.

Related reading:

DO Day CME now available on-demand