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Tomorrow is Election Day! If you have not already mailed in, dropped off, or cast your early vote, make sure that you visit your polling place tomorrow, Tuesday, November 3. Both osteopathic medical student and physician voices must be heard at the polls. History tells us that doctors are less likely to vote than the general public, yet voting is one of the most important and effective ways that you can impact the federal policies and programs that affect you, your patients, your communities, and your future. Make sure you are exercising this important right. Get answers to your voting questions and find helpful resources and information compiled by osteopathic medical student Manjot Mashiana, and go vote tomorrow!
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Update on COVID-19 Stimulus Negotiations
COVID-19 relief negotiations remain stalled over testing and liability protection language, with no likelihood that an agreement will be reached before the election. Without a pre-election deal, COVID-19 relief may be combined with fiscal year (FY) 2021 spending bills, which must be signed into law before December 11 to prevent a federal government shutdown. Also set to expire on December 11 is funding for several important public health programs, including the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) Program, which focuses on increasing primary care access in rural and underserved areas. AACOM will continue our efforts to protect programs of importance to the osteopathic medical education community as Congress works to pass the FY21 spending bills, and urges you to send a message to Congress in support of sustaining the THCGME Program long-term.
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Medical Students: Make Sure You Vote!
Manjot Mashiana, fourth-year student at the William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine, is calling on her medical student colleagues to commit to voting in tomorrow’s election. Read her ED to MED guest blog post for helpful tips, resources, and voting information to make sure you are prepared to make your voice heard. The outcomes of this election will have an impact on your education, your patients, and your future—make sure you vote!
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Administration and Federal Agencies
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Last Call for Medical Students to Apply for Students to Service Loan Repayment
Fourth-year osteopathic medical students must submit their applications by November 5, 7:30 PM ET, for the 2021 Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)’s National Health Service Corps Students to Service Loan Repayment Program (S2S LRP). The S2S LRP provides up to $120,000 in loan repayment assistance to medical or dental students in their final year of school in exchange for a commitment to provide primary healthcare services in eligible health professional shortage areas with the greatest needs. Interested individuals may view recorded webinars or visit the S2S LRP web page for more information about the program and application instructions.
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ED Releases 2021 – 2022 FAFSA Form for Student Aid
In October, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced the 2021 – 2022 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) cycle. Interested students can find tools and resources and complete the FAFSA form on the FAFSA website. ED will be rolling out an enhanced myStudentAid mobile app at the end of the year with a new dashboard to provide more personalized information, alerts, and account updates. ED also expects to unveil a simulator that will enable student feedback on the FAFSA experience.
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Barrett Sworn in as Supreme Court Justice; Healthcare Oral Argument Looms
On October 26, following a party-line Senate confirmation vote of 52 – 48, Amy Coney Barrett became the fifth woman confirmed to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). Justice Barret is filling the seat left vacant following Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's passing on September 18. Her confirmation solidifies the court’s conservative majority.
On November 10, just days after the 2020 election, SCOTUS is scheduled to hear oral arguments in California v. Texas, which could have far-reaching ramifications for the entire healthcare system. The case will determine whether the Affordable Care Act (ACA)’s individual mandate, or requirement that all Americans maintain a minimum level of health insurance coverage, is constitutional even with zero financial penalty, and if not, whether the entire ACA falls. California is leading 20 states and Washington, D.C. in support of the healthcare law, while the Trump Administration and 18 states argue for striking down the ACA.
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Featured Federal Resources and COM Engagement
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Reminder for Postdoctoral Researchers: Apply for Primary Care Research Service Award: HRSA is accepting applications for its FY21 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards. The program trains and supports postdoctoral healthcare professionals who are planning to pursue careers in biomedical and behavioral health research related to primary care. Applications are due by November 9. See application guidelines.
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Reminder for Health Professions Researchers: Apply for NIH Loan Repayment Program: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Extramural Loan Repayment Program repays up to $50,000 in qualified student loan debt per year in exchange for the commitment to conduct at least two years of NIH mission-relevant research for no less than 20 hours per week. The program aims to recruit and retain highly qualified health professionals into biomedical or biobehavioral research careers by helping alleviate student debt. Apply before the November 20 deadline. Learn more.
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Deadline Extended for Hospitals to Submit Medicare GME Affiliation: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services extended the deadline to submit Medicare Graduate Medical Education (GME) affiliation agreements to January 1, 2021. During this public health emergency, two or more teaching hospitals can form a GME group to combine direct and/or indirect medical education resident caps and train residents. New or amended agreements should be emailed to Medicare_GME_Affiliation_Agreement@cms.hhs.gov with “new” or “amended” in the subject line. Learn more.
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