Medical Students Train Congressional Staffers on Opioid Overdose Reversal

Posted in News Stories | Tagged community outreach, opioid epidemic, student experience

(October 1, 2022) — Medical students from the student-run organization Hoya DOPE (Drug Overdose Prevention & Education) led a bystander training for congressional staffers on Capitol Hill on September 28.

Hoya DOPE student leaders Ruth Watson (M’23), Kira Chandran (M’23), Pei-Ying Kobres (M’23), and John Lim (M’22) led the training, which was hosted by the Bipartisan Addiction and Mental Health Task Force. They instructed participants on how to recognize the signs of an opioid overdose and safely intervene with the lifesaving overdose antidote naloxone (marketed as NARCAN), which is administered nasally.

Congressional members representing the task force at the presentation included U.S. Representatives David Trone (D-Md), Annie Kuster (D-NH) and Paul Tonko (D-NY). They were joined by Rahul Gupta, MD, director of National Drug Control Policy in the Biden Administration.

Four students stand together with a sign that reads Bipartisan Addiction and Mental Health Task Force — Ruth Watson (M’23), Pei-Ying Kobres (M’23), Kira Chandran (M’23), and John Lim (M’22) visited Capitol Hill to lead bystander training for members of the Bipartisan Addiction and Mental Health Task Force.

A student shakes hands with a Congressional staffer while other students look on — Dr. Rahul Gupta, director of National Drug Control Policy, welcomed the students.

Four students meet with a Congressional staffer in an official office — Hoya DOPE volunteers deliver education sessions to community organizations throughout the District of Columbia.

Four medical students stand with two Congressional staffers in a group — Ruth Watson (M’23), Pei-Ying Kobres (M’23), U.S. Rep. David Trone (D-Md), Rahul Gupta, MD, director of National Drug Control Policy, Kira Chandran (M’23), and John Lim (M’22)