COM Outlook Spring 2020

48 | DR. KIRAN C. PATEL COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE CLOSING Notes CLOSING NOTES While Capitol Hill rarely takes a break from its active life of politicians, tourists, and every- day citizens, the Capitol witnessed the arrival of another demographic when 26 teams of osteopathic medical students representing the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) went to Washington, D.C., for the annual COM Day on the Hill event held October 17. The event aims for osteopathic medical students to network, raise social media awareness, and voice their opinions to politicians regarding policies that directly affect medical students. The KPCOM was represented by two of its Student Government Association (SGA) leaders— Regina Zambrano, third-year student and SGA president, and Charles Bisbee, second-year student and SGA president-elect. “Getting the opportunity to be there and advocate for medical students in person was indescrib- able,” Bisbee said. “AACOM showed up in full force to speak up for graduate medical students and residents.” One of the federal programs that demanded attention was Grad PLUS Loans—a topic Zambrano felt strongly about preserving to maintain and increase the number of U.S. physicians. “I advocated for preservation of the Higher Educa- tion Act, which is an umbrella policy that maintains Grad Plus Loans,” she said. “I am extremely passionate about keeping Grad PLUS Loans available and uncapped for all graduate stu- dents, because not all students are fortunate enough to come from families that can cover the costs of medical school.” Another KPCOM value is aid- ing the medically underserved. For Bisbee, advocating for the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program is a way to facilitate more residency opportunities and care in areas of need—a win-win for students and patients. As medical students being directly affected by politics in higher education programs, taking action is necessary to ensure the future of medical education is attainable for aspiring students, Zambrano explained. “We had differing opinions regarding the Higher Education Act and Grad PLUS Loans in 2018, which led to an interesting conversation that taught me a lot about how to handle opposing political view- points,” Zambrano added. “I was excited to sit down with Florida Senator Marco Rubio’s team once again in 2019 and grow on my experience from 2018.” o SGA Leadership Advocates on Capitol Hill From left: Regina Zambrano; Eric A. Goldsmith, D.O., FACOS, assistant dean of clinical affairs and president of the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association; and Charles Bisbee