Announcement

The Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA) extends its deepest condolences to the Filipino Canadian community in the wake of the devastating tragedy at Vancouver’s Lapu Lapu Day festival. On April 26, 2025, a vehicle was driven into a crowd celebrating Filipino heritage, resulting in the loss of 11 lives and injuring over 20 individuals.

This senseless act has left an indelible mark on a community that was gathered together in joy and cultural pride. As future healthcare professionals committed to serving Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities, we stand in solidarity with those affected. We honor the resilience of the Filipino community and the dedication of the first responders and healthcare workers who provided immediate care and continue to support the victims and their families.

APAMSA reaffirms its commitment to fostering safe and inclusive environments for all communities. We pledge to advocate for mental health awareness, community support systems, and preventive measures to ensure such tragedies do not recur (Resolution 30.001). In this time of mourning, we offer our support and stand united with the Filipino Canadian community.

For more information on how to help, please look to Filipino BC (@filipino_bc) and at the official City of Vancouver website for more updates and ways to support the community in the future.

If you or someone you know needs support, please reach out:

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 (24/7, nationwide)

Asian Mental Health Collective – Resource Directory: asianmhc.org/resources 

Crisis Text Line: Text HELLO to 741741

On April 10, 2025, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 22, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which requires all voters to provide documented proof of citizenship in person while voting. If passed in the Senate and signed into law, this bill will create unnecessary barriers to voting and disenfranchise millions of eligible voters. 

National APAMSA strongly condemns this bill, as it will have far-reaching effects in limiting the voices of millions of Americans, especially people of color who are disproportionately affected by this potential voting law. We stand by the statements put out by organizations like ACLU and APIA Vote that echo our same concern for diminishing voting access. As mentioned by previous statements, National APAMSA recognizes that voting is a pivotal social determinant of health that underlies our ability as medical students, health advocates, and future leaders of health to serve our communities and strive for better health outcomes. 

Please contact your local Senator to express your opposition against the passage of the SAVE Act. You can use 5 Calls to quickly locate your representatives’ numbers and be prepared with prompts that can help you discuss this particular bill and other issues at ease. Other resources like When We All Vote can also streamline the process to contact the appropriate representatives.

On March 20, 2025, President Donald J.Trump signed a new executive order directing the Education Secretary, Linda McMahon, to pursue the closure of the Department of Education (ED). The ED distributes over $1.6 trillion in federal loans and financial aid for students, enforces civil right laws such as Title VI and Title IX, funds public school budgets, and gathers education statistics. The executive order also directs the Education Department to restrict any federally funded programs or activities under the label of “diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI),” reinforcing previous executive orders aimed at rolling back DEI initiatives.

Given that over 70% of medical students take out loans, especially utilizing federal loan programs like the Direct Unsubsidized Loan or Graduate Plus loans, the closure of the ED will jeopardize these loan programs and loan repayment programs that have been a cornerstone reducing medical education debt.

National APAMSA condemns this policy directive that will undermine student education funding and diminish the protections against racism and discrimination in schools and colleges across the nation. As mentioned in our previous statements and in our official policy compendium, APAMSA continues to advocate and work with policymakers and professional organizations to protect efforts to increase diversity and equity in medical education.

We urge Congress to oppose any bills aimed at formalizing the elimination of the ED and to commit to the protection of the department and countless other diversity programs. Please contact your local Congressional representative to express your support to maintain the Department of Education.

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

On January 20th, as part of President Donald J. Trump’s day-one executive orders, the Office of Personnel Management directed federal agencies to eliminate “gender ideology” from employee resource groups and grants and replace the term “gender” with “sex” on government forms. As a result, vital public health information and data have been erased from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, including HIV testing information, the Social Vulnerability Index, contraceptive eligibility guidelines, the largest adolescent behavioral health monitoring program, multiple resources addressing health disparities among LGBTQIA+ communities, and more. 

National APAMSA denounces the draconian censorship of science, public health, and medicine in federal policy to further disenfranchise marginalized communities. Regardless of federal mandates, we will continue to advocate for the dissemination of evidence-based, culturally competent care and support initiatives that combat health disparities among sexual and gender minorities. We affirm that gender-affirming care is life-saving care, as discussed in our previous statements and policy compendium, and affirmed in the stances of the World Health Organization, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and American Academy of Family Physicians.

We urge all healthcare professionals to adhere to the evidence-based clinical recommendations and guidelines that have ensured quality care for all communities. We urge institutions to support their employees and patients by continuing to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion in their resources and programs. Lastly, we urge community leaders and policy makers to prioritize the health of the public and act against censorship of medical terminology and public health institutions.

To our colleagues in medicine, we stand with you and fight alongside you. We affirm that diversity is what makes our communities strong.

To our patients, please know that there is an overwhelming majority of healthcare workers that will fight to provide the highest level of care possible. Please continue to share your stories and seek the care you deserve. It is our highest honor and privilege to care for you and your loved ones. 

“It is in collectivities that we find reservoirs of hope and optimism.”

― Angela Y. Davis, Freedom Is a Constant Struggle

For questions about this statement, please reach out to Nataliyah Tahir at rapidresponse@apamsa.org. For local support, please contact your region director. To get more involved with National APAMSA’s diversity initiatives, please visit www.apamsa.org/diversity or contact Sandra Kumwong at diversity@apamsa.org.

On Monday, January 20th, President Donald J. Trump issued a slew of executive orders disrupting public health and safety, including actions related to health care, Covid-19 and emergency preparedness, diversity, equity, and inclusion, LGBTQ+ protections, immigration, climate change, reproductive rights, and the death penalty. 

National APAMSA condemns these overwhelmingly unconstitutional policies aimed at disempowering marginalized communities. As discussed in previous statements and our policy compendium, we will continue to uphold health care reform; protection of migrants, refugees, and undocumented immigrants; and advocacy in favor of dismantling racial, ethnic, and gender disparities. 

While these recent events may be discouraging, we encourage our community to practice resilience, center optimism, and remain energized. In memory of Martin Luther King, Jr. this week, we offer a reminder: “We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there ‘is’ such a thing as being too late. This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.” 

We urge community leaders, lawmakers, and judicial systems to challenge these executive actions and fight for justice, equity, and inclusion for all. Find and contact your representatives in Congress by visiting www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member. 

For questions about this statement, please reach out to Nataliyah Tahir at rapidresponse@apamsa.org. For local support, please contact your region director. 

On October 27, 2024, 71-year-old Lich Vu was brutally assaulted by police during an arrest in Oklahoma City, which resulted in severe injuries requiring hospitalization. Body camera footage released by the Oklahoma City Police Department reveals a language barrier between the officer and Vu, who is Vietnamese and speaks English as a second language. The incident brings to light dual issues of police brutality and increased violence against Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities in the wake of COVID-19.

National APAMSA strongly condemns the assault on Lich Vu and reaffirms our stance against police brutality and violence against AANHPI communities, as discussed in previous statements. Police violence is not only a criminal justice issue, it is also a public health crisis. The immediate physical harm inflicted in such incidents is accompanied by long-term psychological and emotional consequences, not only for the individuals directly affected but also for their families and communities. For elderly individuals like Vu, these effects are compounded by the vulnerability that comes with age and the challenges many immigrants face in navigating systems that often fail to protect them.

The health of our communities is deeply intertwined with how institutions like law enforcement uphold—or undermine—public safety and trust. Yet, these harms are preventable, and addressing them requires systemic change.  Accountability must be pursued at every level to ensure justice and to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Our thoughts are with Lich Vu and his loved ones as they recover from this traumatic event. We continue to urge community leaders, policymakers, and law enforcement agencies to take decisive action to ensure accountability and enact reforms that prioritize the safety and dignity of all individuals, especially the most vulnerable among us.

Written by Hugo Zhou and Nataliyah Tahir.

As future medical professionals, we see the real-life consequences of political decisions in emergency rooms, hospitals, and clinics. Despite a growing recognition that voting is directly linked to better health outcomes, however, health professionals are voting at lower rates than the national average. It’s time that we make a change this election.

We see patients denied essential services due to bureaucratic hurdles, such as insurance coverage gaps for life-saving medications or underfunded social and mental health service programs. As medical students and leaders of health in our communities, we have a responsibility to vote—not just for ourselves but for the people we serve.

The American Medical Association (AMA) recognizes voting as a social determinant of health. Communities with higher voter turnout often experience better health outcomes, yet many health care providers, including medical students, face challenges in turning out to vote. Busy schedules, unexpected emergencies, and the demands of our profession can create real barriers. We must break this cycle, and the remedy is early voting. By casting our ballots ahead of time, we can ensure that our voices are heard to better the health of our communities and patients.

Many of us have celebrated our family members finally gaining citizenship, only to see them struggle within a health care system full of obstacles. These are not isolated incidents; they reflect the broader experiences of disinvested communities whose voice at the ballot box can have a meaningful impact. The Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities face the brunt of harmful anti-immigrant narratives, echoing xenophobic sentiments that have long afflicted our communities that contribute to social isolation and negative health outcomes.

Yet, AANHPI advocacy has a rich history in the United States—from Japanese American activist Yuri Kochiyama, who fought for civil rights alongside Black leaders, to Native Hawaiian scholar Haunani-Kay Trask, who advocated for Indigenous sovereignty. In honoring their legacies, we recognize that voting is one of the most powerful tools we have to shape healthier communities and, in turn, a healthier democracy.

At the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA), the largest student organization of AANHPI medical students and pre-medical students, we’ve made civic engagement a priority this year. Partnering with the non-partisan, non-profit organization Vot-ER we’ve implemented training among our over 4,000 members and participated in programs to help medical professionals get ready to vote and help their patients to vote. Today, we are calling on medical students and professionals, particularly within the AANHPI community and beyond, to close our voter turnout gap by voting early.

Health is always on the ballot, and this election provides a critical opportunity to create a health care system that works for everyone. By voting early, we take an essential first step toward realizing that vision of healthier and more equitable communities. Our role as future physicians extends beyond the clinic walls. During this election season, we must show up—not just for ourselves, but also for our patients and communities. Let’s ensure that our voices are heard by voting early in this and every election.

Make your early voting plan today.

Alexander Le, Annie Yao, and Victoria Shi are medical students.

Find the original posted OpEd here.