Student Story

My Experience as a Policy Fellow in the 119^th Congress

Mary Kai Patterson, MPH, CPH

TIPH Ambassador (2024-25) and Graduate of the University of Florida’s MPH Program in Population Health Management

I believe that public health professionals have the capability, as well as a responsibility, to initiate progress and actively improve the lives, wellbeing, and health of people through policy.  As an undergraduate student, I began focusing on health law and public health policy.  When I learned of an opportunity offered by my institution to work as a federal health policy fellow in Washington, D.C., I made sure that my public health education was diverse to prepare me for the role. I specialized in population health management and took courses in political science, health law, and ethics, conducted research on medical education policy, and volunteered with the state policy advocacy group Florida Voices for Health.

Working in the United States House of Representatives beginning in January of 2025 and during the culmination of my public health studies was a life-changing experience. I worked as a legislative assistant responsible for Congressman Darren Soto’s (D-FL-09) health portfolio and was a member of a five-person legislative team. My role was to serve as the “health expert” in the office; this came with a significant workload and pressure due to the volume and seriousness of changes to federal health infrastructure and funding.

I met with constituents and collaborated with stakeholders, ranging from international pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to federal and state hospital associations, insurance companies, researchers and healthcare providers, and state and community-based health entities.   I managed health and environmental bills and letters and prepared talking points for hearings and town halls on Medicaid and Social Security. I staffed Energy and Commerce and Natural Resources committee briefings and hearings, as well as monitored executive orders and DOGE impacts on health programs and funding.

While a predominate focus of my work was federal policy and nationwide health programs, outcomes, and research, it always revolved around the unique lived experiences and health of Florida’s 9^th congressional district, which includes parts of Orange, Osceola, and Polk counties. Over half of the district’s constituents are Hispanic or Latino and face several forms of health disparities, including those driven by rural health inequities.  The district also has a large Medicaid population. My role emphasized the need for a bifocal outlook on population health or the simultaneous tracking of national policies, their language, and implications, while directly connecting to the communities who are the direct recipients of federal policy impacts.

My fellowship was an extremely rewarding experience that helped me gain confidence in my public health training while being supported by a dedicated legislative director and office.  I am thankful for my experiences working in the capital at a time when defending health and research were at the forefront of federal policy discussions.  I am excited to continue health policy work and advocacy in my post-graduate career and know that my experiences in the 119^th Congress are invaluable for my future work.