Midwestern Students Champion Medicine’s Future at State Advocacy Day

In a powerful display of leadership and service, medical students from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (CCOM) recently traveled to Springfield to participate in the Illinois Osteopathic Advocacy Day, an event coordinated by the Illinois Osteopathic Medical Society.

Members of Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (CCOM)’s Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA) Leadership and Political Affairs team, including Vani Ganesh (CCOM ’27), Anisa Ciaciura (CCOM ’28), Isaac Johnson (CCOM ’25), and Ava DiGirolamo (CCOM ’26), led the effort to establish and organize CCOM’s official delegation for the event held on May 9, 2025.

The Illinois Osteopathic Advocacy Day brought students face-to-face with state legislators to call for a better future for osteopathic medicine and the patients they serve.

"Participating in these events is what enables me to be well-versed in issues affecting healthcare," said Isaac Johnson (CCOM ’25). "If we do not show up and educate lawmakers on the issues affecting our profession, we cannot expect them to pass laws reflecting our wishes. It's that simple."

Speaking Up for the Profession and Patients

At the heart of the day’s agenda were two pressing issues: support for the Osteopathic Medicine Equivalency Act and preservation of the physician-led, team-based care model in Illinois.

Students emphasized the critical role osteopathic physicians (D.O.s) play in delivering high-quality, whole-person care, particularly in underserved communities. They also voiced concerns about proposed legislation that could allow non-physician providers to treat patients independently, which could compromise safety and quality.

“Advocacy has always been an interest of mine during medical school, and this was my first opportunity to participate in it,” said Cassandra Ziesemer (CCOM '26). “The Osteopathic Equivalency Act is aimed at ensuring Illinois remains a DO-friendly state, thereby attracting more DOs and increasing access to care. The second issue we advocated for was the physician-led team-based care model, which is designed to maintain patient safety.”

Learning Beyond the Classroom

In addition to Cassandra and Isaac, the CCOM delegation included Jenna David (CCOM '26). Through their participation, they demonstrated how medical students can meaningfully engage in advocacy while staying committed to their academic responsibilities.

"Advocacy is hard work because you don't get to see the fruits of your efforts for months or years, most of the time," said Issac. "I understand why people don't want to dedicate what little free time they have, but without physicians in advocacy, our patients and the whole healthcare team will suffer greatly."

Cassandra echoed that sentiment: “The advocacy we engage in today will shape our careers in the future. This experience helped lay the foundation for that by educating us about policies that can dramatically affect our patients.”

Looking Ahead: A Growing Movement

With the success of this year’s Advocacy Day, CCOM students are already looking to expand participation across class years. Their efforts this year were made possible with support from academic sponsor Kimberly A. Huntington-Alfano, D.O., Medical Director, Midwestern University Family Practice Clinic.