The AMA “Members Move Medicine” series profiles a wide variety of doctors, offering a glimpse into the passions of women and men navigating new courses in American medicine.
On the move with: Avneet Soin, a medical student at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston.
AMA member since: 2017.
What inspired me to pursue a career in medicine: When I saw physicians taking an active role in shaping discussions on public health and health policy. The impact they had on individual lives in a clinical setting and on population health from a systemic lens was incredible. I wanted to be in that role one day to advocate for better care of minority populations in particular.
How I move medicine: I am working with the Boston Public Health Commission this summer to increase access to programs targeting housing instability, food insecurity, lack of health insurance and substance abuse. My hope is to use this experience to learn how to be a better advocate for the homeless population in the Boston area.
I’d also like to help remove some of the stigma within the medical world around this vulnerable group of patients. I am an active member of the AMA Medical Student Section and the Asian Pacific American Medical Students Association, where I look to move medicine through helping with policy development and creation through my time in medical school.
Career highlights: I have done a lot of work with the Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population in the last few years. Those projects include researching cultural competency standards for South Asian patients, analyzing the public health needs of the Sikh-American population and working closely with a mental health campaign focused on young Asian-American women. I hope to continue learning and educating myself on how to be a strong voice for the AAPI community in medicine and public health.
Advice I’d give to those interested in pursuing a career in medicine: Although I am still early in my career, I have quickly seen the diversity of opportunity in medicine. For anyone considering a profession in this field, I would advise them to keep an open mind and think about how a career in medicine can also mean a career in policy, public health, law, research and so much more!
Aspect of my work that means the most: I’ve been extremely humbled by the amount of trust that patients put in us, even as a medical student. It is an honor and a privilege to be with people when they feel most vulnerable, and these moments are when I understand why being a physician is much more than just a job. It is the conversations I have and the connections I have made on an individual level that motivate me to keep working hard and to train to be the best physician I can.
Visit MembershipMovesMedicine.com to learn more about other AMA members who are relentlessly moving medicine through advocacy, education, patient care and practice innovation, and join or renew today.
