APAMSA Policy Compendium
If APAMSA is missing a resolution on an important area of AANHPI-related health policy, please reach out to our Resolutions Director at organizedmed@apamsa.org.
Last Updated: 05/2024
10.000 Health System Reform
10.001 Defending Access to Affordable Health Care
1) APAMSA recognizes that increased access, quality, and affordability should be the guiding principles of any move to reform health care; 2) APAMSA supports actions that increase the number of insured AANHPI’s, expand essential health benefits, and improve the quality and affordability of health care; 3) APAMSA opposes actions that make health care less accessible and less affordable for AANHPI communities. (Res 3, A-18)
10.002 Calling for Disaggregation of AAPI Health Outcomes Data
1) APAMSA advocate for federal/state legislation and other efforts by organizations and public agencies to disaggregate data regarding health outcomes and representation in medicine of multiple ethnic groups of the Asian American and Pacific Islander umbrella. (Res 3, B-18)
10.003 Promoting Access to Linguistic and Culturally Relevant Health Care
1) APAMSA supports efforts by medical schools and academic hospitals to emphasize to students and residents that good clinical practice requires the provision of culturally and linguistically relevant health care; 2) APAMSA support efforts to make all health resources and services available in as many languages as is clinically necessary, and to create a culture that encourages clinicians to provide equitable care to LEP patients; 3) APAMSA supports increased funding towards efforts and innovative practices that alleviate cultural and language barriers to health care. (Res 4, B-18)
10.004 Addressing the Lack of AAPI Health Outcomes Data
1) APAMSA supports the inclusion of Asian American patients in clinical trials; 2) APAMSA opposes actions by federal agencies that result in obscuring of AANHPI data or discouragement of AANHPI participation in surveys and Census questionnaires to the extent that they may ultimately harm AANHPI health.
10.005 Reaffirming that Vaccinations are a Public Health Advancement
1) APAMSA supports efforts by public officials to increase vaccinations; 2) APAMSA will strongly advocate for vaccinations for the public and support legislative limits on exemptions from vaccinations.
10.006 Support of a Single-Payer Universal Health Care System
1) APAMSA recognizes that a single payer universal health care system would grant coverage to all AANHPI’s, as well as improve access, quality, and accessibility of health care for all AANHPI’s; 2) APAMSA supports the implementation of a single payer universal health care system in the United States; 3) APAMSA supports intermediate actions that would facilitate a transition to a single payer universal health care system without increasing the number of uninsured or underinsured AANHPI’s.
10.007 Protecting the Rights of Health Care Students Living With Hepatitis B
1) APAMSA encourages health professions schools to develop ADA-compliant anti-discrimination policies based on disability that explicitly include and provide reasonable accommodations for persons with hepatitis B; 2) APAMSA supports efforts at health professions schools to educate faculty, staff, and students about hepatitis B and the rights and protections of individuals with disabilities under the ADA; 3) APAMSA encourages chapters to refer impacted and interested individuals to resources such as the Hepatitis B Foundation helpline or the Department of Justice; 4) APAMSA requests that health professions schools monitor and track instances of discrimination against students with hepatitis B so that appropriate action may be taken to address and prevent such incidents from occurring; 5) APAMSA supports efforts by its chapters to collaborate with professional organizations and advocacy groups in advocating for the rights of individuals with hepatitis B.
10.008: Promoting Gender and Sexuality Equity in Medicine and Healthcare
1) APAMSA recognizes and denounces discrimination against SGM populations at the individual, interpersonal, and structural level; 2) APAMSA encourages medical professionals to adopt a sexuality- and gender-affirming approach to patient care that respects intersectional identities; 3) APAMSA encourages medical professionals to advocate for SGM patients in the face of challenges and barriers to health care when encountered; 4) APAMSA advises medical institutions to acknowledge and act on the importance of educating medical students on SGM topics and care to better equip future physicians and address current inequities affecting the SGM community; 5) APAMSA advises medical institutions to implement gender-affirming practices and nondiscrimination policies wherever applicable; 6) APAMSA advocates for legislation and policies, and supports organizations and public health agencies that aim to promote health equity and well-being of SGM populations.
10.009 Addressing Weight Stigma and Weight Discrimination in Medicine and Healthcare
1) APAMSA denounces weight stigma and discrimination in medicine and healthcare, recognizing it as a barrier to providing high-quality and egalitarian care, and thus leading to poorer health outcomes; 2) APAMSA supports advancing research on the impact of weight stigma on health outcomes, particularly among AANHPI populations; 3) APAMSA upholds a weight-inclusive approach to patient care and endorses medical training that improves provider attitudes and empathy toward higher BMI patients; 4) APAMSA promotes adopting medical equipment that are usable by patients of all sizes and ensuring that specialized instruments for higher BMI patients are readily available; 5) APAMSA further supports deeper investigation into how bodily factors like weight affect public perceptions of Asian Americans and the intersectionality of weight, gender, and race.
10.010 Defending Access to Abortion Services
1) APAMSA recognizes the access to safe, voluntary, high quality, and affordable abortion services as a fundamental aspect of health care, to which all people have a right, and thereby recognizes the right of all people to have access to the aforementioned abortion services in a safe and secure environment; 2) APAMSA opposes further local, state, and federal legislative attempts to restrict abortion services, as well as other family planning services such as contraception; 3) APAMSA advocates for legislative changes to protect this right and thereby to ensure the health of all communities; 4) APAMSA advocates for the safety and protections of abortion care providers such as physicians, midwives, nurses, doulas, and more, and condemns the threats and acts of violence against said providers.
1) APAMSA supports the development of anti-discrimination and anti- harassment policies for healthcare organizations (including but not limited to departments, hospitals, and clinics); 2) APAMSA supports community-led research initiatives assessing the success and effectiveness of anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies and implementation protocol; 3) APAMSA promotes increased reporting and meaningful organizational response to reporting; 4) APAMSA offers support and work to provide resources for AANHPI healthcare workers reporting instances of racism and harassment in the workplace.
10.012 Addressing Environmental Sustainability in Anesthetic Practice
1) APAMSA supports efforts by public health officials and hospital administrators to minimize anesthetic contributions to global warming without sacrificing quality of care, and be it further; 2) APAMSA will strongly advocate for improved operating room design, use of regional IV anesthetic techniques over gases when applicable, and waste minimization and disposal practice where appropriate with regards to environmental sustainability, and be it; 3) APAMSA advocates for the safety and well-being of the communities that will be disproportionately impacted by the global health crises brought about by increased temperatures worldwide.
10.013 Advancing Women’s Health Equity & Inclusion in Research
1) APAMSA encourages all chapters to work closely with research programs in schools to support female researchers and ensure accurate inclusion of biological sex as a variable in research studies; and be it further; 2)APAMSA will collaborate with American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) and other concerned organizations on national initiatives aimed
at the recruitment of female students into research and medicine; and be it further; 3) APAMSA advocate for legislation and policies that support organizations, partners, and public health agencies promoting research and health equity for women; and be it further; 4)APAMSA support efforts to make mentorship, sponsorship, and resources for research fundings and involvement more accessible for female researchers, to create a culture of support for women in science.
20.000 Immigration
20.001 Protecting Undocumented Patients at Student-Run Clinics and Teaching Hospitals
1) APAMSA recognizes fears of detention and deportation as significant deterrents for immigrant families seeking health care; 2) APAMSA supports efforts by chapters to educate student-run clinics about the rights and options of undocumented immigrants seeking care; 3) APAMSA encourages initiatives to distribute language-appropriate printouts at student health clinics that express APAMSA’s support of undocumented immigrants’ rights and access to healthcare, and also directs them to resources such as pro bono legal help; 4) APAMSA encourages efforts to recruit specialists to offer pro-bono help at these clinics, including services such as post-surgical rehabilitation; 5) APAMSA opposes the presence of ICE at teaching hospitals and medical school rotation sites; 6) APAMSA supports legislation and policy designating healthcare facilities as sensitive locations where U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enforcement actions cannot occur. (Res 1, A-18)
20.002 Supporting Refugee and Migrant Health and Safety
1) APAMSA encourages efforts by chapters to promote and advocate for the health and safety of refugees and migrants; 2) APAMSA oppose any actions or policies that involve separation of immigrant children from their families; 3) APAMSA support greater public oversight of living conditions within public and private detention facilities to ensure they meet the standards set by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care. (Res 1, B-18)
20.003 Supporting Health Care Access for Undocumented Immigrants
APAMSA supports efforts by public officials to make health coverage more accessible to undocumented individuals, including measures to expand Medicaid and other public health plans to income-eligible individuals regardless of immigration status.
30.000 Mental Health
30.001 Increasing Mental Health Resources and Fighting Stigma
1) APAMSA supports increased mental health resources at undergraduate and medical schools; 2) APAMSA supports efforts at undergraduate and medical schools to promote awareness of mental health resources and reduce stigma surrounding mental illness; 3) APAMSA supports legislation that increases access to culturally and linguistically relevant mental health care. (Res 2, A-18)
1) APAMSA continues to recognize and denounce racial discrimination at the individual, interpersonal, and structural level; 2) APAMSA continues to support increased vigilance investigating and resolving microaggressions and discrimination at undergraduate and medical schools; 3) APAMSA encourages academic and medical institutions to actively promote a positive racial environment, respecting every individual’s cultures, cultural practices, and cultural events; 4) APAMSA advises academic and medical institutions to recognize and denounce any racial microaggressions on the individual, cultural, or institutional level; 5) APAMSA encourages academic and medical institutions to raise awareness and take collective action to identify implicit bias, power, privilege differentials, and systemic racism inherent within academic medicine and our own lived experiences; 6) APAMSA supports legislation and policies that expand or continue protections against racial discrimination; 7) APAMSA supports legislation that increases access to culturally and linguistically relevant mental health care, particularly in the face of racial discrimination.
40.000 Racial Disparities
40.001 Advocating for Recognition of Southeast Asians and Pacific Islanders as URM
1) APAMSA will reach out to scholarship programs, pipeline programs, and other programs aimed at or catered to URM students and urge them to be inclusive of Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander students in all communications promoting their programs; 2) APAMSA will ask AAMC and AACOM to release a statement calling on medical schools to consider including Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander students in outreach and admissions efforts intended to increase student body diversity.
40.002 Improving Campus Diversity Initiatives
1) APAMSA believes the core mission of all campus diversity committees and initiatives should include a) active recruitment of URM students and b) curriculum reform efforts aimed at equipping students with the tools to address structural barriers to health care; 2) APAMSA encourages all chapters to work closely with diversity programs at their schools in pursuit of the above two goals through activities that include (but are not limited to) active involvement in the admissions process, calls for positive change to university policies, and periodic evaluation of their university’s fulfillment of specific, measurable diversity objectives; 3) APAMSA will collaborate with AMA-MSS, the Student National Medical Association (SNMA), the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA), Association of Native American Medical Students (ANAMS), and other concerned organizations on national initiatives aimed at the recruitment of URM students into medicine.
40.003 Defending Race-Conscious Admissions in Undergraduate Medical Education
1) APAMSA recognizes that increased enrollment of students from communities that are historically underrepresented in medicine is beneficial and necessary for improving patient care; 2) APAMSA supports the use of race-conscious recruitment, admission, and retention practices by medical schools in the pursuit of a diverse and inclusive student population; 3) APAMSA opposes legislation and efforts that would dissolve or otherwise deter medical schools from employing race-conscious admissions policy to promote a diverse and inclusive student population.
40.004 Against Racism in Medicine
1) APAMSA opposes all forms of racism both in medicine and in society at large; 2) APAMSA actively promotes an antiracist culture, including but not limited to a) rejecting all race-based medicine & science (e.g. race-based adjustments in eGFR and pulmonary function tests) and affirming that racism, not race, is a risk factor, b) supporting the creation of organized student anti-racism coalitions, including collaboration with other minority-based student organizations to address these issues within education, research, and clinical practices, and c) supporting institutional funding and creation of offices, staff, and spaces dedicated specifically to the needs of underrepresented groups in medicine.
40.005 Denouncing Housing Discrimination of AANHPI
1) APAMSA supports further research on the impact of housing discrimination on health and health inequities in AANHPI communities; 2) APAMSA denounces AANHPI housing discrimination in all its forms, and supports legislation and national fair housing policies that address persistent patterns of discrimination and inequity that negatively impact AANHPI health.
40.006 Denouncing Gun Violence and Supporting Gun Reform
1) APAMSA denounces gun violence, recognizing it as a imminent and preventable public health crisis which requires comprehensive public health and legislative response and solutions; 2) APAMSA supports a) federal and state research on firearm-related injuries and deaths; b) increased funding for and the use of state and national firearms injury databases to inform health policy; and c) legislative action for sensible gun laws that include, but are not limited to, promoting adequate oversight of firearms and ammunition, banning assault-type weapons, supporting gun buyback programs, mandatory training and licensing, and safe and secure firearm storage.
40.007 Redefining AAPI/APIA as AANHPI
1) APAMSA will henceforth use “AANHPI” in all future initiatives, published materials, and communications when referring to communities it represents, 2) APAMSA will release a statement encouraging U.S. medical schools and relevant stakeholders to acknowledge the unique history and cultural obstacles faced by Native Hawaiian communities; 3) APAMSA supports further research on the impact of discrimination and historical injustices on health outcomes and health inequities in the Native Hawaiian population.
40.008 Rectifying the Inequitable and Racist Effects of “The Flexner Report”
1) APAMSA will (a) acknowledge the harm created and sustained by the adoption of “The Flexner Report” and (b) work with appropriate stakeholders to create, distribute, and promote curricular materials that educate about this history; 2) APAMSA will advocate for the commissioning of a new comprehensive study to evaluate medical education in the United States, incorporating standards on antiracism, health equity, and justice training as well as other interventions preparing medical trainees to care for an increasingly diverse patient population; 3) APAMSA will advocate for the creation of HBCU-affiliated medical schools and support funding efforts for currently existing and future HBCU-affiliated medical schools, with the goal of achieving a physician workforce that is proportional to the general population in terms of race and ethnicity; 4) APAMSA will work with appropriate stakeholders to increase the number of scholarships, loan repayment programs, and other relevant measures to minimize the financial burden of medical training for Black medical students and other groups underrepresented in medicine; 5) APAMSA will advocate for studying the possibility of including antiracism competency as a part of graduation requirements for LCME- and COCA-accredited medical schools as well as ACGME-accredited residency programs.
40.009 Recognizing Cultural Trauma as a Source of Health Disparities
1) APAMSA supports the recognition of cultural trauma as a cause of health disparities; 2) APAMSA encourages culturally-sensitive trauma-informed care that acknowledges and integrates an individual’s cultural beliefs, values, and practices; 3) APAMSA promotes cultural awareness, responsiveness, and understanding to prevent cultural trauma, eliminate disparities, and advance health equity for all groups.
1) APAMSA advocates for federal legislation that promotes health equity within US-Affiliated Pacific Islands, including but not limited to Medicaid parity and the continued funding of federal safety net programs like disaster relief and health services; 2) APAMSA supports political equality and representation of U.S. territories; 3) APAMSA affirms its support for the health and well-being of individuals living in the US-API, especially in consideration of its large AANHPI population.
1) APAMSA calls attention to the dramatic rise in anti-Asian hate in the context of COVID-related political rhetoric that has exacerbated bias, discrimination, and hate against people of Asian descent; 2) APAMSA recognizes the disparities in health outcomes experienced by AANHPI communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, including but not limited to a disproportionately mortality burden among NHPIs and high case fatality rates and excess mortality among Asian Americans compared to the overall population and white Americans; 3) APAMSA advocates for public health policy and initiatives that advance our understanding of AANHPI health disparities and contribute to the mitigation of such disparities with respect to not only COVID-19 but also future pandemics and other disease burdens facing AANHPI communities; 4) APAMSA reaffirms its call for the inclusion of AANHPIs in all health data collection and reporting by race and ethnicity, and further that this data be disaggregated by AANHPI subgroups to the furthest extent possible; 5) APAMSA acknowledges disparities in disease burden facing all people of color and seeks to work in allyship towards advancing shared goals in ameliorating health disparities.
50.000 Medical Education
50.001 Reducing Drug Industry Influence on Continuing Medical Education
1) APAMSA recognizes that CME that is free from industry sponsorship will increase rational prescribing, reduce commercial bias in medical education, and protect patients from unnecessary and potentially harmful drugs; 2) APAMSA encourages the attendance of “pharma-free CME” which requires that a) no speakers and committees involved have industry ties or payments and b) no monetary or non-monetary industry contributions are used to support the CME; 3) APAMSA supports alternatives to industry sponsorship to keep CME low-cost and objective for participating healthcare providers.
50.002 Increasing Skin Tone Representation in Dermatology
APAMSA supports the equitable representation of darker skin tones in dermatologic medical education, including but not limited to didactic materials and practice-based learning.
50.003 Increasing Access to Type II Diabetes Education, Awareness, and Prevention in AANHPI
1) APAMSA support efforts at medical schools and clinical settings to promote type 2 diabetes awareness, education, and health advocacy in AANHPI; 2) APAMSA supports integration of culturally informed type 2 diabetes prevention and treatment within medical education curriculum and clinical guidelines; 3) APAMSA support research efforts on type 2 diabetes prevalence and clinical presentations in AANHPI.
50.004 APAMSA Support and Advocacy for Osteopathic Medical Students
1) APAMSA will support representation of Osteopathic Students and Physicians through collaborating with Osteopathic Organizations and national policy organizations to ensure representation of AANHPI osteopathic physicians, students, and residents; and be it Further; 2) APAMSA will encourage awareness of the benefits of evidence-based Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine for musculoskeletal conditions in order to further patient and allopathic physician understanding of osteopathic medicine; 3) APAMSA will release a statement supporting the Fair Access in Residency (FAIR) Act H.R. 751, ensuring Medicare-funded GME programs allow participation of DOs. This bill will affirm that residency programs do accept both osteopathic and allopathic students and that the COMLEX and USMLE are equally accepted.
Call for Resolution Authors!
APAMSA’s Advocacy branch has an annual resolutions cycle, which culminates in the House of Delegates meeting at the annual National Conference every winter.
Do you have an area of AANHPI-related health policy that you are passionate about? This is your opportunity to manifest your ideas as national APAMSA policy. As an author you will have the unique responsibility of shaping APAMSA’s future actions and values, and your resolution may impact our organization’s advocacy initiatives for AANHPI health on a national level.
To help brainstorm/write a resolution, check out this mastersheet and put your name down next to the resolution you’d like to help with. Don’t see a resolution you think should be on the list? Start a new one and others will sign up to help you write it! If you have never written a resolution before, don’t fret! We will guide you through the process.
Resolution ideas and drafts are accepted all year. First drafts should be completed by September 15 for Advocacy branch directors to provide feedback, and final drafts will be due in November.
Check out previously adopted resolutions in the APAMSA’s policy compendium! You can also click here for a refresher on resolutions and their importance!
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to email our Resolutions Director at resolutions@apamsa.org!
Statement on Current Events in Afghanistan
Current events in Afghanistan and the impending humanitarian crisis with the likelihood of increased number of displaced people
Facing crisis and emergency levels of needed humanitarian assistance, Afghanistan’s needs have risen sharply because of conflict and COVID-19. Since the end of May 2021, the number of people internally displaced because of conflict and in need of immediate humanitarian aid has increased by 550,000, adding to the already 3.5 million internally displaced people before this year (1).
As future medical professionals, we are deeply concerned about the people of Afghanistan and the threat posed to their rights, safety, and ability to access health care. We support the World Health Organization’s call to ensure access to health care during this turbulent time (2-3).
Many members of the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association are descendants of refugees that have fled past conflict, famine, and poverty. Southeast Asian refugees represent one of the largest refugee communities to resettle in the United States after being forcefully displaced by war and its aftermath in the 1970s. While there are differences regarding the context of what’s happening in Afghanistan vs. Southeast Asia, the desire to pursue safety and opportunity are shared between both groups regardless of time and place (4-7).
We urge our government to take swift action to ensure the safety of refugees, including but not limited to: keeping borders open to those fleeing from violence and persecution, permitting permanent resettlement in the United States, and ensuring refugees feel safe and supported by ending the ongoing deportations of all undocumented immigrants regardless of country of origin (8-9).
APAMSA has long supported providing culturally and linguistically relevant resources, including but not limited to financial assistance and mental health support. Government and nonprofit entities, especially those involved in healthcare, must commit to Afghanistan refugees for years to come.
Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of the horrific terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives on that fateful day. Let’s honor their memory by committing to being a country inclusive of diverse backgrounds committed toward building mutual respect and support that can resist hate and divisiveness in all of its forms.
For questions or concerns, please reach out to rapidresponse@apamsa.org.
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/08/20/afghanistan-internally-displaced-crisis/
- https://www.who.int/emergencies/situations/afghanistan-crisis
- https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/un-refugee-agency-says-afghans-risk-have-no-clear-way-out-2021-08-20/
- https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/vietnamese-american-refugees-witnessed-fall-saigon-urge-us-accept-afgh-rcna1708
- https://www.searac.org/programming/national-state-policy-advocacy/immigration/
Statement on Texas Senate Bill 8
On September 1, Texas law SB8 went into effect, outlawing virtually all abortions 1. By allowing third-party lawsuits against clinicians that provide abortions and restricting access to vital components of reproductive healthcare, SB8 creates a coercive environment for patients and clinicians. Additionally, it would escalate the financial and logistical barriers many abortion patients already have to confront regarding their care 2.
SD8 is an example of a “heartbeat bill 3.” In 2019, APAMSA opposed the passage of “heartbeat bills” in several states 4. We continue to oppose efforts to undermine patients’ ability to access a necessary component of their health care, recognizing that these discussions and decisions ought to remain at the discretion between patients and their health care providers without undue external interference.
SD8 will likely inspire attempts to pass similar restrictions in other states 5. APAMSA encourages its members to stay informed on local state laws, and to use accurate information from verified sources, such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, to guide their patients 6.
APAMSA believes clinicians should be permitted to provide comprehensive, patient-centered, and evidence-based care and counsel. This includes the full spectrum of reproductive health care services like pregnancy testing and counseling, contraceptives, and abortions. For questions or concerns, please reach out to rapidresponse@apamsa.org.
Statement on Hurricane Ida
On August 29th, Hurricane Ida made landfall on the Gulf Coast. Its impact was particularly felt in Louisiana, making it the second most intense hurricane to hit the state after Hurricane Katrina of August 2005. More than a million people in Louisiana currently have no power. There have been reports of infrastructural damage and heavy flooding in coastal areas. This is more apparent within healthcare, as local hospitals’ capacities to admit victims of Hurricane Ida are being pushed to near full capacity from the ongoing COVID-19 surge.
As the storm progressed north, devastation has also been felt throughout the East Coast, particularly New Jersey, New York, and Philadelphia. As of September 3rd, about 4.5 million people on the East Coast remain under flood warnings.
National APAMSA has been in contact with the local chapters to offer support to those impacted by the hurricane. In addition, we encourage everyone to support the local organizations in helping those affected.
- Mutual Aid Louisiana https://www.gofundme.com/f/hurricane-ida-mutualaidlouisiana
- Imagine Water Works https://donorbox.org/imagine-water-works
- WC Kitchen https://donate.wck.org/give/355034/#!/donation/checkout?c_src=ida-homepage
- Cajun Navy Relief www.cajunnavyrelief.com
- Hands on New Orleans https://www.handsonneworleans.org/
- New Orleans Musician Clinic https://neworleansmusiciansclinic.org/
- Second Harvest Food Bank https://no-hunger.org/
For support or for more information, please contact your regional director at region1@apamsa.org (New England), region2@apamsa.org (New York/New Jersey), region3@apamsa.org (Mid-Atlantic), or region9@apamsa.org (Southeast). For questions or concerns, please reach out to rapidresponse@apamsa.org.
Statment on Anti-Trans Legislation
On April 6th, 2021, Arkansas overrode a veto from the governor to pass Act 626–which banned gender-affirming treatments for transgender youth. Arkansas was only one of 33 states in 2021 that have altogether introduced over 100 bills intended to interfere with the rights of trans individuals. These bills aim to ban gender-affirming treatment, forbid trans students from participating in sports, require teachers to refer to students using their biological sex, and prohibit discussion of LGBTQ issues at school.
Proponents claim that gender-affirming treatments are dangerous and not evidenced-based. Alan Clark, the state senate sponsor of the Arkansas bill, criticized that puberty blockers and hormone treatments are “at best experimental and at worst a serious threat to a child’s welfare.”
However, medical expert groups and studies say otherwise. Most professional societies—the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Endocrine Society—espouse the efficacy of these treatments at improving the wellbeing of trans youth. A National Institute of Health (NIH) prospective study that began in 2015 found that earlier gender-affirming treatment leads to better overall mental health. Given that nearly 1 in 3 trans youth attempt suicide in a given year, this new wave of anti-trans legislation poses an increased threat to an already marginalized community.
Our AAPI communities would also be devastated by these laws. Research from the Trevor Project, a non-profit addressing suicide prevention in LGBTQ youth, demonstrates that AAPI trans and non-binary youth are at 3 times the risk for attempting suicide compared to their cisgender peers. In 2020 alone, the organization served around 9,000 AAPI LGBTQ individuals. Another study reported that 54.7% of AAPI LGBTQ students have experienced harassment or assault due to their gender expression, and 82.3% have heard negative remarks about transgender people at school.
These chilling statistics remind us that there is more work to be done. APAMSA opposes these discriminatory laws that would severely undermine the well-being of trans individuals and their loved ones in AAPI communities and beyond. In medical education, we can advocate to our school leaders for more curricular resources and educational events concerning the foundational importance of gender affirming care. At our various institutions, we can work to establish clear, confidential pathways for transgender individuals to report mistreatment and discrimination. On a policy level, we can fight for local, state, and federal governments to recognize trans rights as human rights. We stand with the trans and nonbinary members of APAMSA and urge all our members and allies to show solidarity and advocate for the trans community in this ongoing fight against injustice and discrimination.
In solidarity,
Your APAMSA National Board
Statement on mass shooting in Indianapolis
APAMSA mourns the senseless murders of Amarjeet Johal, Jaswinder Kaur, Jaswinder Singh, and Amarjit Sekhon, alongside Matthew Alexander, Samaria Blackwell, Karlie Smith and John Weisert. This massacre in Indianapolis took place exactly one month after eight other lives, including those of six Asian women, were taken in Atlanta.
We cannot separate these events from the current climate of racial violence. 90% of the workers at the FedEx center in Indianapolis were members of the Sikh community – a community that has endured hatred from the days it first settled in America in the 19th century. From the Bellingham massacre of 1907, to attacks and discrimination post-9/11, to the Oak Creek gurdwara massacre in 2012, our Sikh American siblings have been targeted over and over again. To deny that this crime was racially motivated is to deny the historical and personal experiences of our colleagues, patients, and loved ones.
To our Sikh American family: we see your resilience, your dedication to justice, and most deeply in this moment, your grief. We stand with you. We fight for you. And we mourn with you.
Statement on the deaths of Adam Toledo and Daunte Wright
On March 29th, Adam Toledo, a 13-year-old Latino boy, was brutally shot to death by a white policeman in Chicago, IL while he was trying to comply with the officer’s orders to raise his hands. A few days later on April 11th, Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, was fatally shot in Minneapolis, MN after being pulled over for driving with an expired license plate–only ten miles from where Derek Chauvin is on trial for the murder of George Floyd.
APAMSA mourns for these unnecessary deaths, and we condemn these acts of police brutality. As discussed in a previous statement, APAMSA stands firmly with the Black and Brown communities during these heartbreaking times. We will not forget the pain from the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and Ahmaud Arbery; from the murders of Angelo Quinto and Christian Hall from our own communities; and the suffering that white supremacy has caused us all. We recognize that systemic racism is a public health threat, pledge to learn more about these issues that threaten the well-being of marginalized communities, and will continue to fight against all forms of racism.
Black Lives Matter.
In solidarity,
National APAMSA
Statement on violence in Myanmar
National APAMSA stands in solidarity with medical students and healthcare workers in Myanmar.
It has now been nearly two months since the Myanmar military executed a coup d’etat to overthrow the country’s democratically elected government, prompting widespread peaceful protests demanding a return to democracy and a civil disobedience movement (CDM). CDM is a no recognition, no participation movement against the military junta consisting of nationwide protests and labor strikes.
Myanmar’s health workers and professionals in particular—many of whom have been leading CDM —have been systematically targeted by the military. Many health workers have been kidnapped in night raids, detained arbitrarily, or forced into hiding after the military has presented spurious charges against them. According to the World Medical Association, “private clinics, medical personnel carrying out emergency treatment and ambulances have been shot at without any reason.”
Even more concerning is the increasing and deliberate assaults on medical students by security forces. Young Myanmar medical students have marched relentlessly since February despite escalating crackdowns which have led to scores of students being detained at great risk to their wellbeing. Medical students are also dying at the hands of the military. March 14 saw the bloodiest assault on civilians to date with an estimated 94 individuals confirmed dead. Among those slain was Khant Nyar Hein, a 17-year-old first-year medical student from Mandalay who succumbed from a headshot wound.
National APAMSA has joined with our colleagues at White Coats for Myanmar Human Rights, co-signing a letter to the International Federation of Medical Students Association urging them to speak out against the human rights violations the Myanmar military is committing against the people of Myanmar, and in particular toward fellow healthcare workers and medical students.
How can you help?
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Join White Coats for Myanmar Human Rights on April 19th for a webinar “Protecting the Right to Health in Myanmar.”
Registration: https://jh.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xcbaCYD7R4i9zsX0PelF-A. -
Directly support emergency medical needs by donating to: https://givebutter.com/JYXD52. There is over $200K worth of emergency medical supplies and services needed for wounded individuals across Myanmar.
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As our fellow colleagues persist tirelessly on the frontlines, please join medical students across the globe on April 26th for #whitecoatstrike by posting a photo of you with a three finger hand “Hunger Games style” hand salute like so:
And using the following caption (with a personal twist!):
I stand with my fellow healthcare colleagues in Myanmar as they battle at the frontlines against the military junta. To support emergency medical needs on the ground, please consider donating to: https://givebutter.com/JYXD52.
#WhiteCoatStrike #CivilDisobedienceMovement #SaveMyanmar #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar #GM4MD
After April 26th, check @gm4md on Instagram for a photo album/collage of your photos!
Tragedy in Atlanta
Dear APAMSA community:
Less than 24 hours after the release of our Anti-Asian Racism Toolkit, we were horrified by the news out of Atlanta: 8 people were murdered by a white terrorist who deliberately targeted Asian-owned massage parlors. 6 of the victims were Asian women. The names we know so far:
Xiaojie Tan, 49
Daoyou Feng, 44
Julie Park, 70s
Hyeon Jeong Park, 50s
Delaina Ashley Yaun, 33
Paul Andre Michels, 54
Two yet unreleased
Today, we mourn these women who could be our sisters, mothers, aunts. We mourn the communities they represent: femme, low income/working class, the elderly, immigrant — the most vulnerable in our communities. We grieve the loss of their lives individually – wishing them peace as they join our ancestors. We also grieve the loss of their lives as our collective loss, tear drops added to the expanding pool of lives claimed by White supremacy and anti-Asian hate.
That hate did not end after it took these women’s lives. It continues with the denial that this crime was racially motivated, that the murderer deliberately and methodically targeted Asian businesses and Asian workers. It continues with the narrative that minimizes his motive by claiming he had a “bad day,” a “sex addiction,” by taking him at face value when he says he “isn’t racist” instead of judging him by his actions. It continues with our erasure from American history, the silence of our medical education leaders, our exclusion from curricula that claims to teach us how to care for all patients and initiatives that proclaim to center equity.
In the face of this hatred, we send love to you all, our community grieving and in pain. It is absurd that we must bear these tragedies on top of the neverending parade of exams, clerkships, research applications, residency applications, and more. National APAMSA is here for you, and we want to emphasize that we will support you in asking your institutions for time off, for protection, for space to be human.
Sharing a post from @asiansformentalhealth on Instagram with the text:
“Dear AAPI family, As you hear the news of the attacks in Atlanta, please sit down. Please give your weary soul time to breathe and catch up. Please turn off your phones and turn inward toward those you love. Please grieve, cry, wail, and exhale. Give your body the space to acknowledge the pain that you have been carrying for so long.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CMgTRVzDdU-/
In solidarity,
Your APAMSA family
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https://www.reuters.com/article/us-crime-georgia-spas-idUSKBN2B9037
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https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56433181