Students Assist America

The United States is in crisis due to the continued spread of COVID-19. As we struggle with complex vaccine distribution challenges, we need to look beyond our overwhelmed healthcare workforce for solutions. They simply cannot do this alone. We need to adopt an all hands-on-deck approach, and nearly 1 million skilled students across health professions are ready to answer that call.

How Students Assist America Can Help

All hands on deck for COVID vaccinations. Students Assist America

An Interprofessional Approach

Students Assist America (SAA), an interprofessional initiative of 12 associations spearheaded by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, is asking federal and state leaders to give hundreds of thousands of students the opportunity to help vaccinate the public, and assist with the related tasks necessary for an effective and efficient vaccine roll out.

Through SAA, future physicians, physician assistants, nurses, social workers, veterinarians, dental professionals, public health experts, optometrists, pharmacists and psychologists have joined together as an interdisciplinary safety net to ensure that the weight of the COVID-19 emergency does not crush the daily operations of the healthcare system and put individuals and communities at further risk.

Providing Relief, Ensuring Safety

As they have for many years when participating in flu vaccination efforts, students providing COVID vaccines are supervised by licensed professionals and are given all necessary PPE to ensure their safety. SAA also advocates for students to receive the COVID vaccine along with all healthcare providers working on the frontlines.

The goal of Students Assist America is two-fold:

Create meaningful opportunities for students with valuable skills and knowledge to help during this pandemic
Enable students to continue moving forward on their educational path while traditional methods of learning are disrupted

Osteopathic Medical Students on the Frontlines of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Osteopathic medical students across the nation have been helping with vaccination efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read stories about how these students have set up vaccination clinics, provided life-saving vaccines, served their local communities and more.

LMU-DCOM students receiving their first dose of the Pfizer, Inc. COVID-19 vaccine.

KCUCOM students serve their community at a vaccine clinic.

WVSOM medical students assist at multiple vaccination clinics throughout WV.

VCOM Carolinas Campus students provide vaccines at community clinic.

VCOM-Auburn discusses COVID-19 vaccination efforts with radio audience.

PCOM Georgia professor gives students an introduction to giving vaccines.

Fourth-year NYITCOM medical student Niki Shah administers a COVID-19 vaccine.

OSUCOM students help vaccination efforts in Tahlequah and Tulsa, OK.

UNTHSC/TCOM students receive vaccines while on rotation.

TUCOM-CA students Nick Huerta, Ruby Gilmor and Hashir Qamar take a quick break from their volunteer work at a vaccine event at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds.

LUCOM students working on the front lines of vaccination efforts.

SAA Advocates

SAA Companion Bill Introduced in U.S. House of Representatives to Permanently Allow Students to Vaccinate (Oct. 22, 2021)
SAA Bill Introduced in U.S. Senate to Permanently Allow Students to Vaccinate (June 17, 2021)
SAA Salutes White House Recognition of Student Vaccinators (Mar. 12, 2021)
SAA Statement to the National Vaccine Advisory Committee (Feb. 4, 2021)
SAA Letter to HHS on PREP Act declaration (Jan. 27, 2021)
SAA Statement to the National Vaccine Advisory Committee (Dec. 4, 2020)
Dr. Robert Cain addresses the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (Dec. 3, 2020)
SAA letter to the Biden Harris COVID Task Force (Nov. 19, 2020)

Optometry student gives COVID-19 vaccine to a drive up patient.

A third-year optometry student at Kentucky College of Optometry at the University of Pikeville gives a COVID-19 vaccination in April 2021.

Media Coverage

Med Students to the Rescue!
The Philadelphia Citizen, Feb 2, 2021
'We will be a Part of History': Eager Medical Students are Helping Speed up US Vaccine Rollout
USA Today, Jan 23, 2021
Med Students Join COVID Vaccination Push
MedPage Today, Jan 13, 2021
Group Pushes to Allow Medical Students to Help in Vaccine Distribution
Yahoo News, Dec 8, 2020, 2m 25s
A Critical Opportunity for DOs to Live Our Philosophy
The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, Dec 1, 2020
Medical Students on the Front Lines
LocalDVM.com, Dec 1, 2020, 0m 44s
Maryland Medical Students Aid COVID-19 Response Efforts
WFMD Radio, Dec. 1, 2020
NBC News Radio via KTSM-AM
El Paso, TX, Nov. 16, 2020, 0m 41s
Delmarva Public Radio 89.5
University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, Nov. 16, 2020. 3m 59s
NBC News Radio via WYRQ-FM
Little Falls, MN, Nov. 16, 2020, 0m 44s
Maryland Lacks Manpower to Give Vaccinations
Baltimore Sun, Oct. 21, 2020

Case Study: Students Assist America Partnerships

Virginia Medical Reserve Corps

I started volunteering with MRC in 2018 as a new student of public health, and they make it very easy. They are very organized. After COVID, it has exceeded my expectations and I love working with students from other health fields.

Sarah Work, Virginia Tech MPH Graduate 2020

This flagship approach initially launched in Virginia through a partnership between Students Assist America and the Virginia Medical Reserve Corps. Responding to the request by Governor Ralph Northam to bring students into the fight against the pandemic, academic institutions across the state are working to ensure their students have the opportunity to help their communities now, during future vaccination efforts, and well into the future once the COVID-19 crisis has passed.

A similar model is operating now in Arizona and more states are coming on board.

Connect with Students Assist America

For more information on the Students Assist America mobilization effort, please contact Virginia Bader at the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine at vbader@aacom.org.

Ron Klain, Chief of Staff to President-elect Joe Biden
Nov. 15, 2020

Collaborating Organizations