Response to Mass Shooting at Brown University

On December 13, 2025, a shooting at Brown University claimed the lives of two students and left nine other students injured, with some victims in critical but stable condition. This marks the 75th school shooting incident and the 43rd shooting at a university this year alone. We mourn for the lives lost and extend our support to the victims affected by this tragedy. 

National APAMSA strongly denounces all gun violence and remains steadfast in our commitment and desire for comprehensive federal, state, and municipal gun control policies as mentioned in our previous statements and in our policy compendium. We, at APAMSA, recognize gun violence as a preventable health crisis and urge legislators to institute stricter gun control measures. 

Measures such as standardizing and closing loopholes in background checks for firearms and increasing funding for mental health programs can be implemented to address root causes of gun violence. Although the 2023 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act has stipulated over $1 billion for improving student mental health, recent administration changes have greatly reduced how that money gets dispersed, denying much-needed mental health professional development grants for colleges and universities. Like disease management, we urge policymakers to focus on evidence-based approaches that have been shown to reduce deaths from gun violence. 

In the wake of this recent act of violence, many students may be experiencing fear, grief, numbness, or distress. These reactions are normal, and you do not have to navigate them alone. Support is available both on campus and through culturally affirming, confidential resources listed below.

For Brown University Students:

Brown University Emergency Services 
  • Mental Health Crisis Stabilization Services: 401-863-3476
  • Public Safety Management: 401-863-4111
  • Administrator On Call (AOC): 401-863-3322
Brown University Student Services  
  • Counseling And Psychological Services (CAPS): 401-863-3476
    • Free virtual care services for all currently enrolled students 
  • BWell (Brown Wellness): Online appointment here
    • A confidential campus resource for students offering wellness check-ins, trauma-informed support, and help navigating care options after distressing events.
  • TimelyCare: More information here
    • Brown has partnered with TimelyCare to provide free therapy services to actively enrolled students
    • Free access up to 12 teletherapy sessions per year & unlimited access to a library of wellness videos
  • Chaplain & Spiritual Support: More information here
    • Office of the Chaplains and Religious Life (OCRL) aims to make available pastoral care and advice for students, staff, faculty, and alumni
  • Bereavement Group
    • When: Mondays @ 7:30PM 
    • Where: Room 411 of Page-Robinson
  • Student Support Services (SSS): More information here
    • Contact for either oneself or one’s peers to access collaborative assistance between University staff and the community to provide thoughtful individualized support during complex factors contributing to a student’s distress.

City of Providence Resources 

  • Family Service RI Crisis Line: 401-854-6678 
    • Offers counseling and support services for anyone in the community. 
    • Available for home visits or virtual counseling
  • United Way of Rhode Island 2-1-1: Call 2-1-1
    • Free and confidential information on mental and physical healthcare, housing, food, and emergency services available in the area
    • Open 24/7/365

24/7 Emergency Hotlines 

Key reminder: If someone is in immediate danger or talking about harming themselves or others, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

  • National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (U.S.): Call or text 988 for trained crisis counselors
  • Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990 or text “TalkWithUs” to 66746 
    • Immediate emotional support after trauma/violent events
  • Asian LifeNet Hotline: 1-877-990-8585 
    • A free, 24/7 hotline for those in distress. Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Japanese, Fujianese offered
  • Trevor LifeLine: 1-866-488-7386
    • Confidential crisis intervention and suicide prevention aimed for LGBTQ+

Counseling & Support Services 

General AANHPI Mental Health Counseling Resources

AANHPI X LGBTQ+ Mental Health Resources

Self-Care Resources

For a more extensive list, please visit https://www.apamsa.org/mental-health-initiative/ and look under Mental Health Resources. 

Please feel free to reach out to mentalhealth@apamsa.org if you would like to talk and we will work together on how APAMSA can best support you and your chapter. 

Authors: David Kim, Mia Park, Brian Leung

Signed: Region I Director, Brian Vu and Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University APAMSA Chapter Co-Presidents, Jerome Dovan and Sophia Dutton

For questions regarding this statement, please reach out to Brian Leung at rapidresponse@apamsa.org.
For local support, please contact the Region I Directors, Brian Vu and Stephanie Lam, at region1@apamsa.org. 

by Network Director

December Ask Me Anything (AMA) with Dr. Steven Chen

Our December AMA is here! ❄️💙
Join us for a special APAMSA Dermatology AMA with Dr. Steven Chen, Associate Professor of Dermatology at Harvard! Come hear about his non-traditional path into medical dermatology, how he balances a busy clinical and family life, and his advice for aspiring physicians.
📅 Fri, Dec 19 | ⏰ 4:30PM ET / 1:30PM PT
📍 Zoom ID: 916 1299 4823 🔒 Password: 556521

Questions? Please reach out to our Professional Development Director, Annie Nguyen, at professionaldev@apamsa.org. 

by Network Director

Statement on the Rollback of Universal Hepatitis B Vaccinations

On December 5, 2025, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to overturn guidelines for universal hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccinations at birth despite decades of evidence-based recommendations. Hepatitis B vaccinations are highly successful at reducing the incidence of acute hepatitis B infection by 99% in the United States and preventing progression to chronic HBV infection. 

Current guidelines recommend that all infants receive a series of 3 doses of the HBV vaccine, starting immediately after birth and followed by two additional shots at 1 to 2 months and 6 months of age. The newly voted rules will only recommend HBV vaccinations at birth for infants born to mothers with positive or unknown hepatitis B status. Infants born to mothers with negative hepatitis B status will no longer receive a HBV dose at birth. Instead, mothers will need to discuss with their physicians to decide to vaccinate at birth or delay until at least 2 months old. By delaying vaccination by 2 months, this policy creates a window of infection that puts undue risk upon infants of mothers with negative hepatitis B status.

What is Hep B? 

Hepatitis B virus is a bloodborne pathogen that can be passed down from mother to child. Acute infection can manifest as jaundice and nonspecific symptoms like fever, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting an average of 90 days after exposure. Infected children and adults can also be completely asymptomatic. Two in three individuals living with hepatitis B infection do not know they are infected.

Unvaccinated children can acquire the virus and develop chronic hepatitis B, which has no cure. Children are especially at risk to develop chronic hepatitis B infection:

  • 90% of infants when infected at birth 
  • 50% of children between age 1 to 5 

In the United States, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) individuals represent half of all chronic hepatitis B infections in the United States despite making up 7.5% of the U.S. population. 

Why is this a concern?

HBV causes permanent damage to the liver over time, causing cirrhosis and liver cancer. In fact, chronic hepatitis B is responsible for more than half of all hepatocellular carcinomas in the world. The risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma increases with every year of chronic HBV infection. 

Call to Action

National APAMSA strongly condemns the ACIP decision to roll back universal hepatitis B vaccination at birth. Institutionalized vaccine hesitancy is a disservice to our communities, especially to Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities who face a disproportionate burden of chronic hepatitis B infections. These rules will undoubtedly reverse the decades-long progress in reducing hepatitis B in the United States and hurt all communities that we, as future physicians, swear to serve. As mentioned in our policy compendium and Hepatitis Initiative, APAMSA is committed to advocating for universal hepatitis B vaccinations and increased funding and awareness for hepatitis screening. We urge that ACIP and policymakers reconsider their decision to pivot from evidence-based recommendations that can potentially harm the next generation of Americans. 

Our Current Work

  1. National Hepatitis B Pledge:  Inspired by Stanford’s Asian Liver Center and San Francisco’s Hep B Free, we hope to encourage all medical students to develop habits of screening and advocacy for hepatitis that will follow them in their careers as physicians. 
  2. 2025 Advocacy Day and Hepatitis, Equity, Advocacy, and Leadership (HEAL) Summit – APAMSA hosted the inaugural Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill and the HEAL Summit (formerly known as Hepatitis Conference) in Washington, D.C. During this two-day event, students sat down with Congressional members to advocate for increased awareness and funding for Hepatitis B and heard from the nation’s leading experts on hepatitis and advocacy. 
  3. Grants for Hepatitis Screening: – Apply today to receive up to $1500 for hepatitis screening and education events – applications accepted on a rolling basis.
  4. Curated list of resources for hepatitis education and screening tools

For questions about this statement, please reach out to Brian Leung at rapidresponse@apamsa.org. For local support, please contact your regional director.

by Network Director

2026 APAMSA National Conference

On behalf of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, we are happy to welcome you to UCSF and San Francisco for ✨ National APAMSA’s 32nd Annual National Conference ✨ from February 20-22, 2026! 🌉

Our conference theme this year is “Bridging Voices, Building Power: AANHPI Solidarity in Medicine.” This year’s conference will bridge academic and community boundaries to identify work being done on the front lines to serve marginalized communities, preparing future AANHPI physicians to serve their home communities through careers in medicine that address health both in the clinic and beyond.

Register for the 2026 APAMSA National Conference here.

We are also currently accepting abstract submissions for the Research Poster Session. The deadline for abstract submissions is January 4, 2026 at 11:59 pm ET.

Questions? Please reach out to conference@apamsa.org. 

by Network Director

Jack Nguyen, Pediatrics Student Representative

Network Director

Jack Nguyen is a third-year medical student at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Originally from Pasadena, California, he completed his B.S. in Chemistry at the California Institute of Technology. He is passionate about fostering community and supporting AANHPI voices in medicine through his involvement with APAMSA. He hopes to contribute to initiatives that promote cultural representation, mentorship, and health equity. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, playing tennis, and exploring new video games.

by Network Director

Hayoung Ahn, Neurology Student Representative

Network Director

Hayoung Ahn is a medical student at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, pursuing a concurrent master’s degree in Education. Originally from New York City, she studied Neuroscience & Psychology at Harvard University, after which she conducted research as a lab manager at the University of Chicago. Simultaneously, she took on several volunteer leadership roles for organizations that promote mental health advocacy and Asian American health. Hayoung hopes to blend her interests in media and creative arts with medicine and education in the future. Outside of school/work, Hayoung enjoys hiking and relaxing in nature, going to concerts, and creating social media content!

by Network Director

Amy Dinh, Family Medicine Student Representative

Network Director

Amy Dinh is a third year medical student at California Health Sciences University, College of Osteopathic Medicine (CHSU-COM) in Clovis, California. She was born and raised in Bakersfield, CA and later completed her B.S. in Psychobiology from University of California, Los Angeles. She involved herself in AANHPI spaces as a former intern and administrative assistant to the Southeast Asian Campus Learning and Retention (SEA CLEAR) Project at UCLA and in the last two years as a member and as the volunteer coordinator at her local APAMSA chapter, where she organized a community skin care screening event with local dermatologists. In her free time, she enjoys painting, arranging and transcribing music, and baking.

by Network Director

Allan Chen, Obstetrics & Gynecology Student Representative

Network Director

Allan Chen is currently a 3rd year medical student at Duke University School of Medicine. He grew up in Denver, Colorado and graduated from Duke University in 2021 with a BS in Biology. Since then, he has worked as a medical assistant in orthopedic surgery and completed a Fulbright Scholarship in Mexico. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, baking, watching NFL, music festivals/concerts, and karaoke-ing to Taylor Swift. He hopes to pursue a career in gynecological or surgical oncology and continue his work teaching and working with Hispanic and Asian populations.

by Network Director

James Bautista, Internal Medicine Student Representative

Network Director

James is a second-year medical student at the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM) in Fort Worth, TX. He started in APAMSA as his local chapter President and is now excited to serve y’all as the Internal Medicine Student Representative! What he loves most about APAMSA is finding such a great and supportive community among like-minded students. He is interested in a career in internal medicine or dermatology. Outside of academics, James enjoys playing the violin and tennis, reading, embroidering, and cooking/baking Filipino dishes.

by Network Director

Stefan Wei, Surgery Student Representative

Network Director

Stefan Wei is currently a 2nd year medical student at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. He grew up in Davis, California and graduated from UC Davis in 2022 with a BS in Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior. Since his time as an undergraduate, Stefan has found fulfillment in promoting unity and collaboration within his local AANHPI communities. As a member of the Student Specialty Section, he looks forward to using his previous experiences to create impactful and sustainable structures that will empower students’ professional development all while fostering a supportive culture. Outside of school, he enjoys snowboarding, traveling, cooking, and watching sports (LIGHT THE BEAM).

by Network Director