“I was surprised how much I liked the advocacy rotation. Advocating for my patients was something I always wanted to do, but it felt formal and unapproachable, like too big of an undertaking for right now but something I promised I'd get to later. What I liked about the rotation was that by breaking advocacy down into parts, it simplified it. I realized maybe I'm not someone who would be best friends with my congressperson, but I can still spread important information about the issues affecting my patients. It turned out it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be to advocate; I just needed to have the right tools at hand.” Katie Gandert, Class of 2021
Projects From the Last 5 Years:
2020-2021 The School Reopening Project
2019-2020 The Census Enrollment Project; The Role of the Pediatrician in a Pandemic
2018-2019 The Food Insecurity Project Continuation
2017-2018 The Food Insecurity Project
2016-2017 The Health of Undocumented Pediatric Patients
The Census Enrollment Project:
“With coronavirus spreading at an unparalleled rate, many of us are left feeling helpless. Washing hands, covering coughs, and social distancing are all important steps to mitigate the spread of the virus. One less obvious action every person should take to ensure we’re better prepared for similar disasters in the future: Accurately report every person in your household to the U.S. Census Bureau. This is the best way to ensure funding and resources to fight future pandemics, schools to teach future first-responders, WIC and SNAP benefits to nourish families, and Medicaid and Medicare programs to ensure everyone can get necessary care regardless of income or age.” Katie Gandert, The Advocate
The Food Insecurity Project:
"1 in 5 children in Louisiana are food insecure. Food access is such a basic need that is entangled in the very complex issue of poverty. There are two crucial players providing food aid- private and public sector. While federal nutrition programs including SNAP, WIC, and National School Lunch Program provide support to families in need, there are still children falling through the gaps. 20% of food-insecure children are likely ineligible. In light of the government shutdown, the importance of charitable programs has become even more evident, as families budget in fear of missed paychecks or government-provided support." Kristen Slaymaker, Class of 2020
