25-03-2025
UMass medical students advocate at the State House
BOSTON (WWLP) – Rising third-years with UMass Medical School's Population-based Urban and Rural Community Health (PURCH) program, held an advocacy day at the State House pushing for policies that will benefit their patients in western Massachusetts.
The PURCH program is a specialized track and students complete their clinical experience at Baystate Medical Center, where they learn to address socioeconomic community issues alongside their patient's health. For one Southwick native, this program is a bridge to her dream job serving her western Massachusetts community.
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'I've gone to Baystate as a patient, I've gone there as a learner, and I just wanted to continue my education through the Baystate health system to hopefully one day serve as a physician in western Mass,' said Olivia Raymond, a PURCH student.
This year, students are pushing for Clean Slate legislation, which would automatically seal certain criminal records after a designated period of time has passed.
'We know from studying social determinants of health that the more people can access housing and can access jobs, the more people can get health insurance and the healthier the community becomes,' said PURCH student Jennifer Murphy.
Students also advocated for additional budget funding for the Healthy Incentive Program, which gives money back to families with SNAP benefits when they purchase healthy, locally-grown foods.
About 10 to 15 percent of PURCH students stay in western Massachusetts after they graduate to be physicians at Baystate Medical Center.
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