UVA Medical Students Recognized for Health Policy Leadership at American Medical Association Annual Meeting

University of Virginia School of Medicine students made a powerful and historic impact at the recent 2025 Annual Meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA). The meeting spans two major segments – the Medical Student Section (MSS) Assembly and the AMA House of Delegates (HOD) – and draws medical students, residents, fellows, and attending physicians representing over 190 state and specialty medical societies from across the country to shape the lobbying priorities of the AMA. UVA students participated in both bodies, contributing substantially to national policy conversations and emerging as national leaders.

In the MSS Assembly, UVA medical students were represented by Zain Ahmad and Bhoomi Shah, who, as our UVA AMA/MSV chapter co-presidents, took on the mantle of local campus section delegates. First-year medical student Alexia Childress authored and delivered powerful testimony advocating for the adoption of a policy position to protect children from harmful custody proceedings. Likewise, first-year medical student Cindy Li’s resolution opposing pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) spread pricing passed with overwhelming support and was immediately forwarded to the broader AMA House of Delegates, signifying an uncommonly high-impact and timely policy. Brianna Sells-Baldwin authored a resolution on addressing housing needs among the Native Hawaiian diaspora, which was referred for formal study as an essential first step toward developing policy in this underserved area. Additionally, Bhoomi Shah presented her research during the MSS Poster Showcase on “Real World Experience with Atopic Dermatitis Therapies.”

UVA medical students’ influence extended well beyond the student section. In the AMA House of Delegates, Cindy Li’s immediately forwarded PBM spread pricing policy was officially adopted by the full physician community. Rising fourth-year medical student Ishaan Rischie authored two major policies that were adopted by the AMA: one opposing censorship of diverse health-related information in public libraries and another recommending protection for healthcare workers from surgical smoke exposure. Rusty Hawes, a UVA MD/PhD student, coordinated a successful effort to adopt policies reforming harmful Medicaid estate recovery practices. Rusty also represented medical students from Virginia as one of our MSS regional delegates while Ishaan participated in HOD as a specialty society delegate on behalf of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

The Annual Meeting was the culmination of the 2024-2025 AMA policy cycle, during which 44 UVA medical students served on national MSS Standing Committees, comprising nearly 9% of the total national committee membership across all 195 member medical schools and representing a 400% increase in UVA participation compared to just two years prior. No other institution came close, with no single school exceeding 3% representation. Among the top 15 medical schools by committee membership (each with over 1% representation), UVA accounted for more than a quarter of all standing committee members. UVA was also among the highest in terms of formal committee leadership appointments, demonstrating UVA students’ expertise in the following aspects of health policy:

• Ishaan Rischie, Chair of the Committee on Bioethics and Humanities
• Vishal Reddy, Chair of the Committee on Health Information Technology
• Abhinav Kareddy, Vice Chair of the Committee on Medical Education
• Rusty Hawes, Chair of the Committee on Legislation and Advocacy
• Vignesh Senthilkumar, Subcommittee Chair of the Committee on Scientific Issues
• Shalvi Patel, Subcommittee Chair of the Committee on Global and Public Health

As part of their responsibilities in standing committee leadership, two UVA medical students were invited to lead programs accredited for continuing medical education (CME) during the national conference. Ishaan led a CME-accredited program on “Unionizing in Medicine – A Graduate Medical Education Perspective” that brought together physician leaders from the Committee of Interns and Residents as well as health services experts to discuss the ethicolegal ramifications of unionizing and striking as medical professionals. Vignesh led a CME-accredited program on “Combating Misinformation in the Age of Uncertainty,” during which physician panelists explored the role of physicians in health communication and strategies to address patient disinformation.

Behind the scenes, UVA students contributed extensively to the operations of the national conference through their involvement in various Convention Committees. Rusty Hawes served as MSS team lead for the Reference Committee on Medical Service in the HOD and as co-chair of the MSS Reference Committee, tasked with reviewing and formulating recommendations for all the policies proposed by medical students this year. Vignesh Senthilkumar served alongside him on the MSS Reference Committee. Alexia Childress and Cindy Li worked on the MSS Credentialing Committee, ensuring proper delegate accreditation, while Vishal Reddy supported MSS assembly programming as a member of the MSS Logistics Committee. Muhammad Zulfiqar joined the House Coordination Committees, helping manage policy debates for the Reference Committee hearing on Ethics & Bylaws alongside Ishaan Rischie.

UVA’s presence in regional governance within the AMA was equally impressive. Rusty Hawes completed his second term as Region 6 Policy Chair and was elected unanimously as 2025-2026 Chair of the MSS Region 6 Governing Council. Alongside him, Vignesh Senthilkumar was elected as the new Region 6 Policy Chair, and Alexia Childress was elected as the Region 6 Membership Chair.

Two UVA medical students were recognized with significant individual honors. First, Rusty Hawes was named the AMA Medical Student of the Year by the MSS Assembly, which is one of the highest individual awards given to medical students nationally, in celebration of his exceptional leadership, policy involvement, and service on committees and on the Region 6 Governing Council. Second, by a personal nomination of now AMA President Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, Ishaan Rischie was elected as the Medical Student Councilor on the AMA Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs, one of the AMA’s most respected governing bodies and custodian of the AMA Code of Ethics that provides comprehensive ethical guidance to physicians and informs health policy across the country.

The University of Virginia School of Medicine gratefully acknowledges the Medical Society of Virginia and the Virginia Delegation to the AMA for generously sponsoring student attendance at this year’s (and previous) AMA Annual Meetings. Their support has enabled our students to shape national policy, advocate for patients and physicians, and demonstrate the exceptional leadership that defines UVA School of Medicine’s commitment to medical education and public service.

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