Katherine Yu didn’t expect to find herself helping shape national health policy when she started medical school. Getting involved in organized medicine as a first-year med student changed the trajectory of her education, career goals — and her perspective.
Now entering her third year of medical school, Yu was appointed in June to be the sole medical student representative on the American Medical Association (AMA) Council on Legislation after serving a half-year term since last November. Her path into the AMA began with a single meeting, but her growing leadership has deepened her commitment to advocating for a better future for physicians and patients.
Physicians need to be at the table, talking about what's important to us. ... If we don't do that, we're not going to see changes in medicine that are important for patients and for the profession as a whole. - Katherine Yu
What does the AMA Council on Legislation do?
The Council on Legislation is one of the seven national-level councils of the AMA. Each one is responsible for providing subject matter expertise and advice to the AMA. When there are upcoming bills that are being introduced or regulatory updates that affect medical practice, education, biomedical research, or health care economics and delivery, that's all relevant to the Council on Legislation.
One of my AMA mentors likes to say, “If you don't have a seat at the table, you're the one on the menu,” which is incredibly true. Physicians need to be at the table, talking about what's important to us and what is threatening the practice of medicine right now. If we don't do that, we're not going to see changes in medicine that are important for patients and for the profession as a whole.
What’s the role of the medical student representative?
You essentially have all the same rights and responsibilities as any of the other members on the council. You're treated as an equal to the physicians. You represent the medical student voice and are in a unique position to consider and advocate for the kind of health care system you want to practice in in the future.
Students truly represent the future of medicine. We're going to be the physicians that live with whatever decisions are made now about health care. To anyone thinking about getting involved with organized medicine, if you have the opportunity to be in that room, you definitely should take it.
How did you first get involved with organized medicine?
When I first started medical school here, I never imagined that I would be helping to shape how the largest national organization representing America’s physicians responds to ongoing policy and legislative developments. I ended up joining as an M1 [first-year medical student] because an upperclassman suggested that I come to a meeting. I didn't really know much about what the AMA did at that time, but I flew out to Orlando for the meeting, and it was an incredible experience.
It was amazing to see the level of passion people had for their policy ideas, and the spirited debate between opposing factions on the floor. It was incredible to think that the discussions we had at the medical student level could culminate into officially codified AMA policy, shaping the national zeitgeist on key issues in health care. From there on, I became more and more involved and eventually ended up taking on around a dozen committee and leadership roles. I absolutely loved the work and learned so much from every role. It really has been a stepwise progression to get to where I am today, and I am so grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had thanks to the AMA.
Do you see organized medicine and advocacy being part of your career going forward?
I do hope that advocacy will continue to be a significant part of my career. As I become a physician, I look forward to continuing to build my understanding of the challenges and the gaps in our health care system.
Even being on clerkships, having direct experience with patients and the complexities of health care delivery in this country has made me a better educated and more effective advocate. At the same time, my clinical rotations have shown me how important advocacy is. I hear physicians talking all the time about problems with scope of practice or the lack of funding for the resources that patients really need. They often end the conversation by saying, “Too bad there's nothing we can do about it.” But my experiences in the AMA and organized medicine have shown me that not only is there so much we can do, but also that there is often more than one way to advocate for change on any given issue.
I'm really excited, as I move forward in my career, to be able to bring those issues forward using the skills I have gained in the AMA and hopefully make real change.
What advice would you give to a medical student considering getting involved with physician advocacy?
There are so many ways to get involved, including some great first steps that are low stakes and easy to get started with. One of those is coming to your first AMA meeting. I think that's such a great way to test the waters and see if advocacy is something that you would be interested in.
One thing I wish more people knew is that directly speaking with legislators isn't the only way to advocate. You can write your own policy, serve as a policy reviewer, write op-eds on issues you care about, or play a role in developing institutional infrastructure to strengthen an organization's advocacy as a whole. There really is a place for everyone, no matter what your skill set or interests are.
Current Carver College of Medicine students interested in learning more about organized medicine can sign up for a special AMA newsletter to receive resources and opportunities for getting involved.