✭ • ✭ • ✭ • ✭ • ✭ • ✭ • ✭ • ✭ • ✭ • ✭ • ✭ • ✭ • ✭ • ✭ • ✭ • ✭ • ✭ • ✭ • ✭ • ✭ • ✭ •
Written By: Jianna D’Addario
Position, Member Since: Co-Conference Chair, Joined Fall 2017
Major & Track: Behavior Analysis, Pre-Medical
Current Year: 4th Year
As pre-medical students, it often feels like we are destined to engage in an abundance of science-related material. From our courses, to our research, even to our volunteer experiences, we surround ourselves with what reasoning tells us seems pertinent to our future careers. Speaking personally, it also feels burdensome at times. My freshman year, I focused entirely on getting involved with pre-medical organizations, STEM research, and study groups for all of my science courses that my major and pre-medical track require. It seems to leave little time to be a part of more diverse experiences. However, I am thankful to have had people in my life who steered me away from burnout by showing me other organizations that will help my career in a broader, more multifaceted way. This is where politics, activism, and engagement with public policy comes in.
Last year, I had the opportunity to lobby in Tallahassee against a House Bill (that unfortunately passed) that would place more requirements on minors who need an abortion. After speaking with my representatives and on the floor of a committee hearing, I was invigorated with a desire to have a more active role in health care policy. And these opportunities are vast and varied. Whether it progresses reproductive freedom, ensures insurance accessibility, or dismantles oppressive systems that pervade American health care, it is easy to find where your passions for patient-care crossover into politics. And these things naturally go hand in hand. There’s so many obstacles for patients to receive quality care that are a direct result of weak or profit-driven public policy. As future health care professionals, it is our responsibility to be just as actively involved with this aspect of our patient’s health as our actual practice.
And finding opportunities to do this is easier than expected! At UF alone, there are a multitude of politically-minded organizations to look at when you choose to develop these pursuits. I’ve included some links to Facebook groups of some of the ones that I’m aware of as well as the link to UF’s database of organizations so you can freely browse! Additionally, there are national opportunities for involvement. And beyond that, you can even make personal strives in public policy outside of membership in any one organization. A helpful tool is Congress.gov where you can view legislation that’s being drafted, house bills that will
see the committee floor soon, nominations, and so much more. From there, you can find bills that you would want to advocate for or against and use the tools in your democratic toolbox to apply pressure to your elected officials (like blasting their emails, bringing awareness to the cause, beginning petitions, protesting, etc). And don’t forget: it’s also paramount to educate ourselves on how these policies are drafted and implemented, and to foster a basic understanding of how our government works (or, in most cases, fails to work in a way that truly serves our future patients and their communities).
You’ve probably heard it before - to actively choose to be disengaged from politics at any level is a privilege. There are so many opportunities to make change that can bring us one step closer to truly living in an equitable country and overcoming systemic barriers. There’s a lot of work to be done, and serving patients requires not just a biological understanding of anatomy but also a thorough comprehension of health care policies. Our future patients should be our priority, and this is an inspiring way to be able to help them, now.
Places to Get Involved
Keep in mind this list is not exhaustive in any way. These are just some organizations that I know about or have participated in personally. Whether it be these organizations, other ones, or individual work, I hope you find your path in activism! Good luck, and go destroy oppressive institutions!!
Commentaires