Med students not waiting to make a difference

Power of social media helps inform public about health care, writes

When I stepped into the halls of the faculty of medicine and dentistry at the University of Alberta last September, I was filled with the excitement that grips every new medical student. I wanted to learn medicine, to help and, perhaps above all, to make a meaningful impact within the health-care system.

There's a sense that the system we're entering is stretched thin, and I knew that even as a new student, but I wanted to contribute to improving conditions for physicians and patients.

Our role as medical students involves much more than classroom learning. Through practicums in family doctors' offices, we delve into the lives of the people we aspire to serve. We listen to their stories and they shape our understanding of the health-care landscape we are about to enter. It's a grounding reality that reveals the urgent need for change in primary care.

I heard from countless patients at the clinic where I was volunteering that they could not find a family doctor. This was disheartening, but I also understood how overworked and tired the family physicians were at the office I was serving.

In school, I became involved with the Alberta Medical Association by being elected the provincial governance representative. By observing the inner workings of the AMA, I saw an untapped potential of social media as an advocacy tool. As a member of Gen-z, I understood the power of social media, even when it comes to serious matters such as health care. I recognized that it was important for the AMA to cater its social media to its new generation of budding physicians. I viewed this as a medium to advocate for more money allocated to primary care in response to the 2024 provincial government budget announcement.

I was hoping it would put pressure on the

We understood that our message had to reflect the urgency of this issue.

government and show that Alberta needs to make primary care more attractive to prevent medical students in their fourth year from choosing other provinces. This is an unfortunate reality that I learned of upon speaking to my peers and conducting student surveys.

Thus, the AMA Medical Students Advocacy Committee was born. With the support of AMA president Paul Parks and the board, I initially hired a team of eight medical students and worked alongside some AMA staff to bring the committee's ideas into action. We started to create posts about various health-care topics and created educational graphics showcasing our opinions.

The birth of the committee marked a turning point. Our mission was clear: to ensure that the insights of tomorrow's physicians were heard today, particularly on topics as critical as the state of primary care in Alberta. We understood that our message had to reflect the urgency of this issue, not just for health-care providers but for the well-being of every patient.

On our Instagram page, @amamedicalstudents, we took on the conversation about primary care. We shed light on the challenges and opportunities ahead through compelling content and videos. The AMA amplified our content on its official page and allowed our voices to be part of the broader health-care dialogue. We realize that our efforts are more than just about advocacy. We are not waiting until we earn our degrees to make a difference; we are taking action now, ensuring that the voices of medical students contribute to a more robust, patient-centred approach to health care.

In this digital age, the AMA Student Advocacy Committee is a testament to what can be accomplished when passion meets innovation. As we look ahead, we believe that our collective voice will continue to advocate for the betterment of Alberta's health care, reinforced by social media's power and reach.

Follow @amamedicalstudents and @albertadoctors to see medical school student content on relevant health-care issues.