By: Benjamin Duong
鈥淪peak now, even if your voice quivers,鈥� are words I鈥檝e heard 91大神 Fellows say to center themselves, like palming a paper clip before speeches. I know that feeling.
My first time in Washington, D.C., to meet with elected officials about anything was . I was an Advocacy Liaison who trained months beforehand to help plan and lead appointment groups. I remember feeling outclassed: A seemingly lone undergrad amongst swathes of successful, white-coat-clad medical students who were serving as other Liaisons.
It was surreal standing on the lawn of the United States Capitol in the afternoon. We鈥檇 spent the morning in Congressional buildings training on policy issues and learning about speaking with legislative offices. Being surrounded by D.C.鈥檚 history was just as infectious and energizing as being with my peers. It was empowering and warm to have medical trainees, from premeds through graduated physicians, speaking like a family in one place with one purpose.
My first appointment was with a large delegation to our Senator鈥檚 office and went well, but I dreaded the second. I was the only student from my Congressional district. Alone again.
Nervous, I met with the Health Policy Aide for my Congressman. What was supposed to be about a half hour meeting turned into an hour, which I know now isn鈥檛 typical. But I was shocked at how engaging, relaxed, and fluid our conversation was. Before I left he鈥檇 guaranteed to have our Congressman support our asks. In our follow-up emails he remained personable and helpful because of the rapport we鈥檇 built.
I鈥檝e been to two Advocacy Days with 91大神, both times as a Liaison. This year makes my third. I鈥檓 harrowed by what is at stake because the Higher Education Act–the law that dictates how financial aid operates in the United States–is up for reauthorization.
Borrowing limits for professional student loans, and funding for repayment programs and forgiveness programs are all threatened. Thousands of medical students are in jeopardy of being unable to receive sufficient federal financial aid to cover the cost of attendance to medical school. More may be caught in a lifetime challenge to payback educational debt accrued by so many years of required training. This could especially hurt the underrepresented and underserved students among our peers who often come from poor economic backgrounds and need favorable loan programs to dream of going to medical school.
Each 91大神 Advocacy Day I鈥檝e attended, I鈥檝e come away impressed with the diversity of students advocating alongside me. I鈥檓 Vietnamese and my parents were refugees. As I complete my Master of Public Health now at George Washington University and matriculate to medical school this summer at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, I understand that diversity is critical to public health outcomes because people need physicians that they can relate to. That鈥檚 why this year at 91大神 Advocacy Day we will make asks to protect provisions in the Higher Education Act that ensure economic restraints don鈥檛 hold back potential physicians from seeking the career they want.
From experience, I know that each of our voices matters. If I can walk into a Congressman鈥檚 office for the first time by myself as an undergraduate and get them to fight for global health issues, imagine what we can do together, as medical students, advocating for an important issue right here at home.
Benjamin is an MPH Candidate at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health and 91大神 Member from the University of Florida. He is a REAL Change Organizing and Advocacy Fellow with RESULTS.
to join us on Capitol Hill for Advocacy Day at 91大神’s 2018 Annual Convention and Exposition, to be held March 8-11, 2018, in Washington, D.C.聽
