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12/13/2022

Student Member/Leader Q&A with Jass Kaur

 


OSMA member leaders work tirelessly on behalf of our members to ensure OSMA is meeting the needs of physicians and responding to the ever-changing healthcare landscape.


MSS Jass Kaur

Jasskiran (Jass) Kaur

  • District 4

  • 4th-year Medical Student, applying to Primary Care Internal Medicine residency

  • Member since 2018


Q: Tell us about your medical careerWhat is your role and where are you currently practicing?  

A: I am currently a 4th-year medical student at the University of Toledo. As a first-generation college student and now a medical student, my passion to pursue medicine came from watching my family navigate the complex Western healthcare system which is quite different from their experiences with Eastern medicine. I became a translator and educator for my family's healthcare concerns. My experiences with my family and interactions with similarly vulnerable populations throughout volunteering at free health clinics emphasized the need for advocacy. Throughout my medical journey, I witnessed the impact of healthcare inequities ranging from lack of transportation, low health literacy, limited food access, financial concerns, and more. While I was able to lessen the burden of these equities by connecting patients to resources through free health screenings and food bank donations, I felt hopeless in alleviating the situations of our patients long-term. I began to look for potential solutions for systemic change and how to better advocate for these patients. I became involved in organized medicine with the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Ohio State Medical Association (OSMA). I saw the impact medical students could have by creating policies on pertinent health topics. My future goals as a primary care physician go beyond the four walls of the exam room. I want to continue advocating for my patients through direct involvement in health policy while expanding my knowledge base to be a great primary care physician.


Q: How long have you been a member of OSMA? What are the different ways you have been involved in the organization over the years? 

A: I have been a member of OSMA since my second year of medical school. I served as the OSMA representative at my medical school’s AMA chapter for a year. After attending my first OSMA Medical Student Section (MSS)  meeting, I was excited to become more involved through taking a leadership role. I served as Vice Chair of OSMA last year and currently serving as the Chair of the OSMA MSS. 


Q: What are you looking forward to in working with the OSMA Council this coming year?

A: I am looking forward to the in-person meetings! Since my time in OSMA, I have experienced multiple virtual meetings. I hope to meet many OSMA staff, physicians and medical student sections students. Furthermore, as the OSMA MSS Chair, I hope to focus on further engaging medical students in OSMA and learning how to be effective advocates. Last month, we had Joe Rosato speak to the students about the importance of advocacy and voting in this upcoming election.


Q: What do you see as some of the biggest issues facing healthcare in the coming year? How can OSMA work to address these issues?

A: I’m looking forward to serving my patients and physician colleagues by being their voice for health and legislative issues to improve the delivery of safe and effective care.


Q: What do you see as some of the biggest issues facing healthcare in the coming year? How can OSMA work to address these issues?

A: In the coming year, I feel that government policies that regulate or restrict the standard of medical care are the biggest issues facing healthcare. Furthermore, policy issues that continue to be priorities for the OSMA such as prior authorization as well as the scope of practices will continue to be issues facing our healthcare systems. 

OSMA has done a great job educating physicians on these issues as well as advocating for them at the State House. The Advocacy Bootcamp was a great way to learn how to be an advocate. I hope OSMA continues to have educational events for its members on how to be better advocates. 

 


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