Florida Academy of Physician Assistants Legislative Days 2018
Writer Atara Marko, PA-S is a Miami Dade College Physician Assistant Program, 2nd year student
This year, eight students from the Miami Dade College Physician Assistant (PA) Program, accompanied by PA Program Director Jaclyn Churchill, volunteered to join The Florida Academy of Physician Assistants (FAPA) on January 17th-19th for Legislative Days in Tallahassee, FL. Participants included Atara Marko, Sarah Kelly, Nathalie Salamanca, Maria Talavera-Carballo, Yailin Pino, Carlos Diaz, Rebecca Valdes, and Samira Caraballo.
Our mission: meet and talk with as many House Representatives and Senators as we can. The MDC group, as well as other students and practicing PA’s, set out to educate legislators about what we do, so they can understand how important it is to pass bills that improve the performance of PA’s in practice in the State of Florida. “Attending Legislative Days in Tallahassee, Florida, together with the Florida Academy of Physician Assistants was an eye-opening experience. I have never been very involved with politics and had only a faint idea of how new bills pass in the House and Senate. Knowing how legislation can deeply and directly impact my future profession, I knew I had to become more involved and proactive this year.”
Attending Legislative Days in Tallahassee, Florida, together with the Florida Academy of Physician Assistants was an eye-opening experience. I have never been very involved with politics and had only a faint idea of how new bills pass in the House and Senate. Knowing how legislation can deeply and directly impact my future profession, I knew I had to become more involved and proactive this year.
We had a great response from all the legislators we met and spoke with. It was amazing to see how a short exchange of words can make an impact on someone’s perception about our profession and the bills that can greatly improve our practice and our ability to care for patients. In addition, the students gained a great new appreciation for the Florida Academy of Physician Assistants, which fights for our profession and works closely with our fantastic lobbyist, Corinne Mixon, who works in our behalf all year long.
MDC PA students are greatly appreciated by FAPA for our consistent turn out at Legislative Days annually. It made me proud to be part of this great educational institution. Being involved in the legislation process and making our voices heard matters, and we must continue to do so as PA-S’s or PA-C’s.
– Atara Marko