Kaylee Scarnati is a leader for medical students across the nation.
“In my current role as chair of the American Medical Association (AMA) Medical Student Section, I lead over 60,000 medical students nationwide in educational programming and advocacy efforts,” Scarnati said. “I also represent medical students to national organizations such as the National Board of Medical Examiners and the Association of American Medical Colleges, and I serve on the review board for the ChangeMedEd Grant Program, which funds medical schools pursuing precision education initiatives.”
A fourth-year medical student, Kaylee Scarnati came to UToledo for the exemplary medical program at UToledo’s College of Medicine.
A fourth-year medical student, Scarnati came to UToledo for the exemplary medical program at The University of Toledo’s College of Medicine.
“Toledo’s diverse patient population drew me here,” she said. “I knew I would gain exposure to a wide variety of cases and experiences throughout my training.”
Her involvement with AMA extends beyond student leadership. Scarnati even took a gap year to serve full time on Capitol Hill in AMA’s Government Relations Advocacy Fellowship.
“That year in Washington, D.C., was transformative,” Scarnati said. “I lobbied Congress and the administration on healthcare policy, including medical debt reform, student loan relief, graduate medical education (GME) cap increases and Medicaid preservation. I also organized an advocacy conference that brought over 300 medical students to the Capitol for meetings with legislators, focusing on maternal health, GME reform and Medicare physician payment. It was an incredible experience.”
Dr. Joan Duggan, an infectious disease specialist at UToledo Health, said Scarnati has done amazing work.
“In addition to her successes in medical school academically and scholastically, Kaylee has also demonstrated her leadership skills at the national level, completing a prestigious year-long internship with the American Medical Association and then heading up the student arm of the AMA,” Duggan said. “She is now in her last year of medical school but continues to serve as an outstanding resource for her fellow students. We are extremely lucky to have her here.”
After graduation, Scarnati said she will begin a general surgery residency while remaining involved in advocacy for doctors and medical students nationwide.
Her advice for new and continuing medical students is to be immersed in patient experiences.
“As a student, you have the most time on the care team to really listen to patients and understand their stories,” Scarnati said. “You’ll be surprised by how many outside factors influence a person’s health — and by noticing these things, you can make a difference not only for individual patients but also through advocacy and policy that helps thousands more.”
