Afraz Amin, Bridgewater Raritan High School Student Awarded by Congressman Tom Kean

A scheduling conflict and a sprained ankle resulted in a brainstorm idea that eventually produced a Congressional award for a Bridgewater-Raritan High School student.

Afraz Amin, a junior at Bridgewater-Raritan High School, submitted his idea to easily book doctor appointments to the 7th Congressional District in the 2024 Congressional App Challenge that was offered throughout the country to high school students.

His entry, “DocReserve,” caught the attention of the judges.

So much so that they voted his entry as the winner of the 7th Congressional District, which includes Bridgewater Township and the Borough of Raritan, in the 2024 Congressional App Challenge.

His winning document also caught the attention of Tom Kean Jr., the U.S. Representative for New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District.

Rep. Kean personally paid a visit to Bridgewater-Raritan High School on the afternoon of Wednesday, January 24, to congratulate Afraz and present him with a certificate and an invitation to come to Washington, D.C., in April when the other scholastic winners from congressional districts throughout the United States will convene at the Capitol Building.

“I read his app and it is very practical,’’ Rep. Kean said during his visit to the high school’s library.  The son of Tom Kean, who served as the Governor of New Jersey from 1982 to 1990, called Afraz an “inspiration,’’ and shared that he will look forward to seeing him in April.

According to JD Bryden, the Deputy District Director of the 7th Congressional District and who accompanied Rep. Kean on this visit to Bridgewater-Raritan High School, Afraz will receive an Invitation to the #HouseOfCode celebration in Washington, D.C., to be held April 10 and 11.

The winning App is eligible to be featured in the Capitol Building and put on House.gov (10 million visitors per year).

Also in attendance in the high school’s library that day were Afraz's mother, Shahla Amin, Dan Hemberger, the Bridgewater-Raritan High School Principal, and Barry Walker, the President of the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District Board of Education.

Afraz’s submitted description of his entry is explained here:“DocReserve simplifies the booking process for medical appointments, offering patients a more convenient scheduling system. By streamlining this process, DocReserve not only saves valuable time for users and their schedules but also ensures patients receive the specialized care that they need when they need it. Everything is in the app, and there are no "over-the-phone" bookings. Users can finally decide when to book an appointment with a doctor and ensure that it fits their schedule.’’

Afraz was inspired to create this app as the result of two issues—one frustrating and one painful. “One day, I had an orthodontist appointment for my routine check on my retainer. During the day leading up to the appointment, I realized that I had another event I had to attend on that same day at the same time. The event could not be canceled, so I, therefore, had to reschedule my appointment,’’ Afraz stated. “Quite strangely, the appointment was scheduled for a portion of the month from the original date and time, with no opportunity to change the time as the schedule of the orthodontist became full.’’

He continued:

“At this moment, I realized that there had to be another way to schedule these appointments that is more flexible and efficient for the patient. I devised an idea that would allow individuals to schedule appointments non-exclusive to their doctor, as that is typically the main reason why these appointments are frequently rescheduled.”

A sore ankle sealed the deal.

“I once had a sprained ankle, and the nearest doctor in this system was over 30 minutes away. If I had DocReserve, I would not be exclusive to this group and would have the freedom to choose a closer doctor to me who might have a cheaper copay, better reviews, or more appointment times for the sake of urgency,” he said.

Afraz concluded. "During these moments, I yearned for a better solution, and when brainstorming for an app idea, I realized the potential not just for people my age but universally for all age groups: the need for DocReserve.’’

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