APMA News - September/October 2017 - 65

APMAPAC Update

POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE
Promoting Professional Excellence and Patient Advocacy

APMAPAC Champion: Rami Basatneh
The APMAPAC Board is pleased to recWhile Basatneh was taking lower extremognize a podiatric medical student, Rami
ity clinical skills classes, the professor introBasatneh, as its APMAPAC Champion. Basatduced him to Joshua Johnson, DPM, and enneh is an ambitious, highly passionate, and
couraged Basatneh to shadow the doctor to
motivated individual: "I want to make a diflearn about the profession. "I fell in love inference by doing something great. Advocatstantly with the profession and its diversity
ing for the profession for parity is very imof practice, from neurology to trauma to surportant to me and the most exciting thing I
gery to wound care and more, all in the same
get to do! Everyone needs to be a part of the
day," said Basatneh.
solution by supporting APMAPAC and beAs a college student, Basatneh had a pasfriending their legislator. This is critical
sion for politics. He previously had the opto our future as physicians."
portunity to travel to Washington, DC, to
Basatneh serves as the American Podiatlobby Congress for human rights in Syria. So
ric Medical Students' Association (APMSA)
it was natural for him to run for the position
delegate for the Temple University School
of APMSA class delegate, and subsequently
of Podiatric Medicine (TUSPM) class of
APMSA liaison to the APMAPAC Board.
2019, and he is the student liaison to the
Rami Basatneh
Basatneh founded and is
APMAPAC Board of Direcvice president of the Global
tors. He developed the "GoldHealth Club at TUSPM. This
His parents are important role models
en Foot Trophy," an award
club provides students with a
for the podiatric medical
global perspective on medifor Basatneh. They pushed him to
school that raises the most
cine. He is also a volunteer dialways do his best and instilled in him
dollars for APMAPAC. In its
rector for Foot Aid and works
inaugural year, the trophy
closely with founder Patrick
the high character, work ethic, morals
went to TUSPM for its sponA. DeHeer, DPM. The program
and integrity to succeed in life.
sorship, under Basatneh's
provides podiatric students
guidance, of an ugly muswith the opportunity to partictache fundraising contest. Basatneh was recognized for his
ipate in medical missions worldwide. "I came up with the idea
work by the 2017 APMSA House of Delegates with the prestifor Foot Aid, but knew I would need help," said Dr. DeHeer. "I
gious APMSA Leadership Award.
asked Rami if he would be interested, and he took on the projBasatneh's parents immigrated from Syria to New York,
ect and has continued at every turn to impress me by his dedwhere he was born. He has three sisters. His father, Lutfi Basatication, creativity, and intelligence. Anyone who meets Rami
neh, MD, is a neurologist, and his mother, Maggie, is a homeknows he will be a leader in the profession."
maker. His parents are important role models for Basatneh.
Basatneh is married to Eman Sahloul, who is currently a
They pushed him to always do his best and instilled in him the
fourth-year medical student at Oakland University in Detroit.
high character, work ethic, morals and integrity to succeed in
She is studying to be a pediatrician. "She is my rock in addilife. His father told him, "Do what you love," and Basatneh is
tion to being my heart and soul," Basatneh said, "providing an
doing just that. "We make a difference in the lives of our paincredible amount of support, and is always there for me, yet
tients. I see advocacy as an act of humanity and a part of the
[she is] still studying herself to be a physician. She is the source
patient care model. If a patient tomorrow loses access to your
of my success."
services, you want to look back and say you did everything in
"Rami motivates people just by entering a room. His eneryour power to prevent that."
gy is contagious," said Maggie Kreutter, DPM, former APMSA
Basatneh's family moved to Texas when he was five years
student liaison to the APMAPAC Board and current first-year
old. He grew up in suburban Dallas and attended the Univerresident at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. "He is
sity of Texas at Dallas, where he graduated in three years with
passionate about bettering our profession and has done a
a BS in neuroscience. Basatneh applied to a master's program
great service for podiatry in educating and inspiring students
at Heritage University in Toppenish, WA. He took medical
from all of our schools."
APMAPAC proudly recognizes and salutes Basatneh as its
school courses alongside medical students. It was there that
APMAPAC Champion. APMAPAC looks forward to his future
Basatneh met Mark Johnson, DPM, a dean who instilled the
success in legislative and political advocacy.
n
drive to "make a difference-do something great!"
APMA News September/October 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of APMA News - September/October 2017