When 80 students from UTMB's five schools boarded a 5:30 AM bus on April 1, they transformed from students into healthcare advocates.
Breaking Silos: Connecting Health Sciences and Policy
"UTMB Student Day in Austin was an incredible opportunity to deepen our understanding of the legislative process and its impact on healthcare while advocating for our institution," shared Allie Murphy, an MPH student who attended the event.
Murphy drew a connection between academic training and policy influence. "I had the privilege of speaking with staffers from Representative Ann Johnson's and Senator José Menéndez's offices, who shared insights into their efforts to improve health outcomes for their constituents across our state. This experience motivated me to keep championing public health at the local, state, and federal levels!"
Emily Edgar, another MPH student, emphasized the relationship between various healthcare disciplines and how this unified approach strengthens advocacy efforts. "Our recent UTMB Student Day was a great way to demonstrate to our legislators the importance of the relationship between clinical health and public health," Edgar explained.
"By having a conversation on funding education for expanding practitioners study capability, we as students were able to illustrate how far we can go together to better the health of all Texans."
Faith Adjei-Sarpong, also pursuing her MPH, found that the experience reinforced classroom learning with real-world application.
"Advocating at the Texas Capitol for UTMB and public health was an incredible experience. Engaging with legislators highlighted the importance of policy in shaping healthcare access through more funding for research and accessibility, especially for vulnerable populations," she reflected.
Adjei-Sarpong particularly valued sharing the experience with her cohort and faculty mentor. "I especially enjoyed sharing this experience with members of my cohort and Dr. Dana Wiltz-Beckham, whose Policy & Equity class deeply shaped my understanding of health advocacy. This day reinforced my passion for policy-driven change in public health."
These student reflections illustrate a paradigm shift in how health professionals view their responsibilities.
While previous generations might have maintained separation between their practice and politics, today's healthcare landscape demands practitioners who understand not just the science of health, but also the systems that govern its delivery.
The Legislative Laboratory
For PhD student Alex Holland, the Capitol visit offered an exceptional opportunity to bridge academic research with policy implementation.
"Student advocacy day was great. I had the opportunity to engage directly with elected representatives and their staff, including Terri Leo-Wilson, to learn more about the work they do in addition to discussing my research," Holland noted.
Her interactions exemplify how policy environments can serve as extensions of the research laboratory, where scientific findings gain practical context and potential pathways to implementation.
This exchange of ideas between researchers and policymakers creates fertile ground for evidence-based legislation that can improve health outcomes across the state.
Beyond Textbooks: Real-World Policy Engagement
Throughout the day, students actively engaged in meaningful conversations about healthcare priorities with legislators and their staff.
Armed with their academic knowledge and personal experiences, these future health professionals articulated compelling perspectives on issues affecting healthcare delivery in Texas.
After visiting both chambers, students spent the afternoon in legislative office meetings, many connecting with representatives from their home districts.
These direct exchanges showed students how healthcare policies evolve from abstract concepts to legislative action.
Building Tomorrow's Healthcare Leaders
UTMB's approach of integrating policy education with advocacy experiences produces graduates ready to navigate the complex healthcare policy landscape.
As healthcare debates continue, professionals fluent in both medicine and policy become increasingly valuable. These future physicians, researchers, public health experts, and nurses are learning to translate clinical needs into policy priorities.
Dr. Jochen Reiser, UTMB President and CEO of the UTMB Health System, acknowledged their efforts: "I'm incredibly proud of the dedication our UTMB students show both in and out of the classroom to ensure the highest quality of care for patients."
This dedication now encompasses both clinical and advocacy excellence—a powerful combination producing skilled practitioners who will become influential healthcare leaders for Texas and beyond.
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