How PACEP Gave Me 
a Voice
Lily Nong, MS3
It’s a brisk weekday morning in Harrisburg, and I 
make my way to a local hotel for breakfast. As the 
server takes me to the dining room, I have one 
thought: “I am so underqualified.” 
The morning started with a briefing from PACEP 
leadership. We then made our way over to the 
Pennsylvania State Capitol building, a beautiful 
structure in downtown Harrisburg. As I began to 
meet the other participants, I learned that it was 
a lot of other people’s first time participating in a 
Day on the Hill. Something that impressed me was 
how much time PACEP’s Executive Director and 
lobbying team took to create the groups that we 
were in. We were organized by categories such as 
hometown, area of work, area of education, and 
so forth. As a constituent of central Pennsylvania, 
I was able to meet my own state representatives 
and state senators. 
In each session, we had dedicated topics to talk 
about. A highlight was finding out that House 
Bill 156, a bill mandating carbon monoxide 
detectors in childcare facilities, had been voted 
on in committee and had unanimous yes votes, 
something almost unheard of in politics. As 
we talked to different legislators, members of 
our team were able to talk about their real-
life experiences treating children with carbon 
monoxide poisoning, and how large-scale carbon 
monoxide leaks (such as at daycare centers) can 
create statewide logistical issues. 
Throughout this day, I better understood the 
role that we play as healthcare providers within 
advocacy. Some of the issues we brought up, 
such as which hospitals have hyperbaric oxygen 
chambers, were things that state legislators had 
never even considered. Through our conversation 
and story sharing, we were able to further educate 
state legislators and open their minds. Internally, 
I realized the value my personal experiences as 
a medical student, paramedic and constituent 
brought to the table. I wasn’t just a shadow. I was 
someone able to share my own experiences, and I 
realized that they actually mattered. 
One of my favorite parts of the day was engaging 
with everyone I met. Dr. Liz Werley (President 
of PACEP, 2025-26) was in my small advocacy 
group, and I now consider her a great resource 
in preparing for my residency application. 
I reconnected with Dr. Michael Boyd, who 
previously served as a medical command 
physician when I worked as a paramedic in 
Pittsburgh, and finally put a face to the name. 
Lastly, I got to connect with other medical 
students on the PACEP medical student council.
At Penn State College of Medicine, the humanities 
curriculum is a core pillar of our education. In 
my current course Humanities across Clerkships, 
we are discussing how to build our professional 
identity. While I am unsure of the physician I want 
to be, I now know that advocacy will play an 
important part in my identity as a physician. As 
a medical student, it is often difficult to find your 
voice. Participating in PACEP’s Day on the Hill gave 
me an avenue to speak up and talk about issues 
that I care about on a personal and professional 
level. I highly recommend that everyone, 
from medical student to attending, consider 
participating in this year’s PACEP Day on the Hill.
"
I wasn’t just a shadow. I was 
someone able to share my own 
experiences, and I realized that 
they actually mattered.
16
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