How have the existing restrictions affected you?

I graduated from medical school in India and came to the U.S..initially as a student and eventually transitioned to an H1B visa. After waiting for many years and having participated in numerous QI initiatives, I was fortunate enough to have my green card petition approved under a higher application category termed “Aliens of Extraordinary Ability” with a lesser wait time. However, by nature of the work that they perform, most hospitalists usually are eligible to apply for their green cards under the “Exceptional Ability” or “Advanced Degree” category, the wait times of which are excruciatingly long, and that is what we at the PPC and at the SHM level are striving to address and correct.

If someone is reading and says, “I want to do more and help advocate,” what can they do?

You don’t have to be a member of the PPC to have an impact on policy. Every member of SHM can contact their local representatives and be informed using SHM’s Grassroots Network. I have even gone so far as to meet and talk with local representatives to help them understand how policy issues affect both me and my patients. It is imperative that we are on the right side of history for those affected by this bill, and all bills affecting our fellow providers in the future.