A student-led healthcare advocacy group founded in Galveston County has played a role in stopping a controversial bill at the Texas Capitol while also advancing youth-led healthcare reform nationwide.

Students for Patient Advocacy Nationwide (SPAN), launched in March 2025, organized opposition to House Bill 5294 during the 89th Texas Legislature. The legislation sought to require that at least half of all medical school coursework in Texas be graded on a letter scale or similar tiered system. It also included provisions mandating consideration of standardized test results in admissions.

The bill, which was set to take effect beginning Fall 2026, failed to advance after students mobilized against it. According to SPAN, more than 100 advocates from schools including Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Texas Medical Branch contacted lawmakers, submitted testimony, and met directly with legislators.

SPAN’s Editorial and Business Lead Ashita Virani, a student in the Friendswood–Kemah area, along with other members told KGTX 7, the coalition’s goal is to give young people the tools to participate in healthcare policymaking. “We want students to see that their voices matter,” Virani said.

Beyond Texas, the group says it has helped shape 15 pieces of healthcare-related legislation in four states since its founding. Members are trained to write policy memos, deliver public testimony, and advocate directly for patient-centered reforms.

KGTX 7 has scheduled an on-camera interview this week with SPAN, to learn more about their efforts and future goals.

More information about the organization is available at spanationwide.org.

Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this article referenced a wrong business title, based on information provided at the time. This has since been updated to reflect the correct title.