National Director of Political Affairs: Matt Weigand

Student Doctors,

Do you work to shape the political future of our profession and our country? Are you a politically active Osteopathic Medical Student? Get recognized!

Omega Beta Iota, the National Osteopathic Political Action Honor Society, was founded in 2007 to emphasize the importance of the work osteopathic medical students do for our political system. Induction into OBI requires the completion of several requirements, including membership in various organizations, grassroots political activism, and participation in politics at the national level.  Applications for 2009 induction must be POSTMARKED February 14, 2009.

Please send completed applications to:

Position Responsibilities for Local SOMA Director of Political Affairs

Each SOMA chapter should have a Director of Political Affairs. The candidate can be selected either by election or appointment. Like any position, the effectiveness of this position will depend upon the person. The position is designed to be relatively low key; the vast majority of the time there will be few mandated activities beyond what is taken on by individual. The general recommended responsibilities are as follows:

• Inform students of pertinent local political issues, events, and news. Is a politician putting on a townhall meeting on healthcare? Is there a presidential debate in town? Put on your white coats and go! Scan the local news for events like these and inform the student body of them, email or the school bulletin board is a great resource.
• All politics is local! Work with your state osteopathic society. Send them an email telling them who you are and your position. Ask them if there are any events they need volunteers for or if they would like to come speak to the student body. Examine the possibility of a state DO Day on the hill, at your state capital. What local political issues are facing your school? Ask your Dean!
• Remain in contact with national OPAC, the AOA, and the National SOMA Director of Political Affairs. Mostly we will be contacting you to let you know about events in your area or prominent AOA political people coming to your school (invite them!). However, always feel free to contact us if you have questions, issues that merit national attention, or any other reason.
• Promote the AOA's $1000 scholarship to the most politically active student and $1000 scholarship to the most politically active chapter. Write an article about a local political event DO students attended (with pictures) and we'll put it on this website, the SOMA newsletter, or even try to get it in the DO magazine.
• Assist the SOMA officers with DO Day on the Hill and attend if possible.
• Encourage debate and the generation of student opinion on political matters. Are all students registered voters? What issues matter to students?
• Have fun!!

The following are the 2007-8 local SOMA chapter directors of political affairs:

Political Affairs Documents

Background information

Outline of requirements

Student application form

OBI Recommendation Form

OBI Constitution

D.O. Day on the Hill

Registration: Check the AOA's website, www.do-online.org

Date: March 05, 2009

Information:

D.O. Day on the Hill is an annual event where AOA leadership, osteopathic physicians, and osteopathic medical students convene in Washington, DC to lobby legislators on issues important to the osteopathic profession, physicians, students, and patients. It is an awesome opportunity for members of the osteopathic community to join together and lobby federal legislators and their staff members face-to-face. In 2007 over 600 osteopathic medical students attended each year! We make quite an impact when we walk around Washington, D.C. in our white coats!

• SOMA chapters are encouraged to help facilitate student participation in D.O. Day on the Hill by fundraising, providing transportation, etc.
• The particular issues to be lobbied in 2008 have not yet been determined. When they are determined, information will be made available on the SOMA website as well as www.do-online.org.

If you have any questions, please direct them to Matt Weigand, SOMA National Director of Political Affairs, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Leann Fox, Director of Washington Advocacy and Communications in the AOA Government Relations Office at (202) 414-0140 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Reasons to participate in D.O. Day on the Hill (by Alfredo Rabines):

• This is a chance to actively participate in democracy. You will meet with your members of congress and discuss vital information relating to health care in this country. You will forge invaluable networks with leaders in your state, leaders in your school, leaders within the AOA, and with your fellow students from all over the country. This is an opportunity to learn from experienced lobbyists how to be an affective advocate. As a student you know how important funding for higher education is. You can tell your Congress member about the importance of re-authorizing the Higher Education Affordability and Equity Act (HEAEA Act). Another benefit is that you will be an expert on the subject by the time you leave and will be prepared to discuss the issue on a local level too!
• What to expect at your first D.O. Day on the Hill (by Alfredo Rabines):
  • Expect anything; you never know where a meeting will take place or exactly who will be there. Example: You may get an impromptu tour of the Capitol as the Legislative Assistant, aide to the Congressman, tries to find a room to meet in. The meeting may be very brief, 5-minute meetings in the hallway with your Congressman, in between their meetings is not uncommon. Expect to initially hold a meeting with the Legislative Assistant. Hopefully, you'll get to also meet with your Congressman, but their schedules don't always allow this.
  • Don't be intimidated by the physicians in your group. They've been at this a lot longer than you have and have more personal experience with the issues. However, that does not mean that you should just sit back and let them do all of the talking. Be proactive and jump in when you feel comfortable! Students can contribute a different perspective on the issues: how the issues will affect us in the future, how these issues might affect what specialty we decide to go into, and where we decide to practice. We are the future of the osteopathic profession and the issues that we are lobbying for now will affect us in the future. They will also affect our patients, which is another thing to keep in mind!
  • Make sure to be as knowledgeable about the issue at hand as you can be. This will help you to feel more comfortable. You can do this by reading the briefings from the AOA. In the case of medical liability reform, be familiar with the 6 principles that we support. Also, try to have a feel of how these issues are affecting the area that you'll be representing. Real-life examples add a lot more power to your lobbying.
  • You never know who will make up your group. Some groups may be all students with no physicians (this has happened in the past), so just be prepared.
  • If you have questions about anything, feel free to ask someone! The physicians are usually very friendly and helpful. You can find someone from the AOA and ask them questions, or you can try to find students who have attended D.O. Day on Capitol Hill before and ask them anything you want!
  • If you have business cards, bring them. Most people will be leaving their cards with their Senators and Representatives.
  • WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES!!! You will be doing a LOT of walking!
  • YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Share your experiences!!!
  • Bring your camera!
  • BRING YOUR WHITE COAT! (Usually when this message is sent out, it means that there is going to be a press conference!)
  • HAVE FUN!!!

OPAC Scholarships

Two prestigeous scholarships offered by OPAC. $1000 for the most politically active chapter. $1000 for the most politically active student. Apply for 2008 by Wednesday 4pm on April 23rd submit to Keith via email ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or fax (202-544-3525).

• 2008 Campus Scholarship

• 2008 Student Scholarship

SOMA Political Action Training Course (by Dana Block)

Part 1 of the SOMA Political Action Training Course: US Government, Case Presentation
Part 2 of the SOMA Political Action Training Course: How-To Guide, Becoming an Awesome OMS-L
Part 3 of the SOMA Political Action Training Course: D.O. Day Specifics

Osteopathic Health Policy Internship (OHPI) Program

Additional helpful links

• GOAL (Grassroots Osteopathic Advocacy Link) signup -  www.capwiz.com/aoa-aoia/mlm/signup www.everypatientcounts.org
• D.O. Advocacy Action Center - write to your legislators, track Senate and House bills, review elections and candidates, etc): http://capwiz.com/aoa-aoia/home/
• Join OPAC (osteopathic political action committee)
  
• Student Chairmen's Club here.
  
• Sign up for AOAI here.

Suggestions, feedback, questions, speaking request??? Please contact Matt Weigand, SOMA National Director of Political Affairs, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it