AMSA National President Responds to State of the Union
Dear AMSA members,
Yesterday, President Obama delivered his first State of the Union address to Congress and to the American people. The speech addressed a great many concerns for the country, from jobs and the economy to health care reform and affordability of education. Our country is facing trying times, and we as future physicians have a unique responsibility and ability to help guide issues of enormous consequence that could determine not only the future of our own profession, but the future of the nation.
As your representative organization, AMSA has been working intensely this past year to represent the views of future physicians in the health care reform debate. With your help, we have spent countless hours and resources to assure that reform is focused on creating a system that is best for physicians and patients. Last night, we heard the President reinforce the importance and urgency of health care reform. He asked Congress to move forward in finishing the job. We, too, need to push our Congressional leaders to complete their goals and improve current reform legislation to truly reach the goals of expanding access, eliminating health disparities, controlling costs, and expanding primary care. As the President said, "Do not walk away from reform. Not now. Not when we are so close."
As America suffers, poor and marginalized populations lack adequate health care around the world. Patients in developing countries without access to prevention and treatment, with inadequate or nonexistent health systems, and those plagued by infectious diseases like tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, are at highest risk during this time of economic vulnerability. Now more than ever, U.S. global health aid is vital to the survival of these patients, and the continued scaling up of successful programs such as PEPFAR coupled with the creation of a robust and comprehensive global health strategy are among AMSA's top priorities this year.
The President also noted an issue near and dear to many future professionals and current students - the student debt burden continues to grow, as costs increase and loan and scholarship assistance lags behind. AMSA will continue to push for student debt reform, both for college and medical students, and for continued support of programs like the National Health Service Corps, that incentivize primary care while helping students pay for their education.
AMSA continues to be the leading voice of future physicians. We will continue to advocate for health care for all, alleviating the student burden for graduate and undergraduate students, and expanded global health funding. As our government embarks on a new year of political leadership, so too does AMSA -- in representing you, our members, the future physicians of American medicine.
Dr. Lauren S. Hughes, MPH
AMSA National President, 2009-2010