Well, what an exciting trip!! And I think I can safely say that for everyone involved! We have a great deal to be proud of! I am truly grateful the Academy is so appreciative of our efforts (see message below)...

We began on Thursday with a snow-filled trip through the Appalachian Mountains and West Virginia valleys. After arriving in D.C. and settling in (with many thanks to the staff of the Embassy Suites on 22nd St including their fine concierge), we had a previsit conference call with Melissa Sinden, Senior Director of Government Relations at the American Academy of Audiology. She reviewed the background and current state of the direct access bills and sponsorship with the 113th Congress. She then encouraged us to brainstorm ideas and ways to bring our individual perspectives, as students and future professionals, to the direct access initiatives. We were given much food for thought for the night...

Friday morning began navigating the D.C. metro and a blustery trek to The Academy's offices where we met with Melissa and Kate Thomas to further review our itinerary and information needed for our meetings. We would be having three separate meetings throughout the day with staff from the offices of Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH, 3rd Dist.). After learning much about the legislative process and ongoing actions for direct access, and taking some photo opportunities at The Academy office's, we headed to the Senate and House of Representative office buildings. 

Sen. Portman's office was up first, followed by Sen. Brown's. The meetings went extremely well. I believe our group did an outstanding job gauging the staffer's level of understanding of audiology, the issue of direct access, the benefits to the individual, the reduced financial impact on health care in general and Medicare specifically and the importance of it to the field of audiology. Students were professional, concise and well-spoken. Each individual in the group was respectful and complimentary to what points were being made and in leading the discussion through the important points. Throughout the morning, we also learned a great deal about the challenges and opposition introducing such a bill faces. We carried this into the afternoon for our final meeting with Rep. Beatty's office. 

Of note, we discovered some additional facts that add to the importance of this trip. We represented 1) the first SAA chapter to ever make a trip to D.C. to educate and advocate, as well as, 2) the first student group from Ohio State to represent itself on any legislative issues. 

Though the trip included some amazing sight-seeing and visits through the marvels that are our nation's capital's landmark, our group is steadfast in its belief that the time spent in our legislator's offices is what made this trip so great and unique...standing up and giving the student and future professionals' voice to issues that impact us and the profession of audiology at its core. Only through continued engagement at all levels will the potential and importance of the field of audiology be fully recognized. We intend for this trip to continue as an annual event and hope everyone sees the immense value therein. — in Washington, DC.