What a fantastical start to spring break. This past weekend, I was fortunately enough to join some 350+ wonderful people at the Medical Student Advocacy & Regional Conference in Washington, D.C. In previous years, MARC has landed either during required courses or in the middle of break, so I’m thankful for the opportunity to attend this year.

The weekend itself was a whirlwind. Congressional speakers, issue briefs, advocacy pitches – oh my! Some people have said that MARC is a wonderful “Welcome to the AMA” conference, and I couldn’t agree more. Unlike the interim and annual conferences, where policy conversations are driven by member-written resolutions steeped in Parliamentary procedure, MARC delves directly into the issues and prepares students to speak with Congressional staffers. This year, my colleagues and I brought attention to the rising cost of prescription drugs and importance of generic drug development, universal background checks for firearm purchases, and graduate medical education funding. Furthermore, as part of the Committee for Legislation & Advocacy, I got to help prepare informational briefs on maternal mortality, housing as a social determinant of health, and consolidation in health care.

Beyond re-igniting my interest in policy, MARC allowed me to reconnect with friends and develop my voice. I got to explore Capitol Hill and D.C. for just a little bit before coming home to SoCal, and it was a blast. The entire experience reminds me why I love the people in this organization, and I’m so excited to see them all again at Annual-19.