Advocacy Training Grantees

2024 Grantees

Eastern Virginia Medical School/Virginia Chapter
Faculty & Resident: Alexandra Leader, MD and Cassandra Stegall, MD
Goal: Design and implement a comprehensive, dynamic, multi-modality, multidisciplinary pediatric advocacy curriculum.
Key components:
• Establish an advocacy elective as a part of the residency curriculum.
• Identify faculty interested in serving as mentors in this new program.
• Help set up residents for future advocacy opportunities (i.e. CATCH grants, present at Grand Rounds, etc.).
Anticipated Outcomes:
• Identify and strengthen community partnerships to foster the development and implementation of the curriculum.
• Implement a Community Orientation Day during Intern Orientation that includes a tour of local communities and guest lectures from community leaders.
• Provide residents with skills necessary to identify local resources to advocate for patient needs.
Maine Medical Center/Maine Chapter
Faculty & Resident: Amy Buczkowski, MD and Julia Oppenheimer, MD
Goal: Increase pediatric and internal medicine-pediatric resident confidence in legislative advocacy and ability to identify and address pediatric health equity issues through skills-building workshops and meetings with legislative partners.
Key Components:
• Skill sessions on strengthening Maine’s public policies by introducing bills and/or writing testimony.
• Collaboration with State AAP Chapter and State Legislators.
• Educate residents on health disparities and foster interest in diverse advocacy topics that impact children’s health.
Anticipated Outcomes:
• Increase resident confidence in legislative advocacy skills.
• Increase resident knowledge and understanding of pediatric health-related disparities across Maine.
• Create advocacy skill-building workshops for residents that incorporate pediatric faculty, the Maine AAP Chapter, and state legislators.
University of Arkansas
Faculty & Resident: Melissa Wood-Katz, MD and Katie Stahler, MD
Goal: Increase resident exposure to community resources through an immersive volunteer experience and comfort level with policy advocacy via writing letters to legislators pertaining to policies inspired by their respective community outreach.
Key Components:
• Residency Outreach Day.
• Residents will volunteer with community-based organizations.
• Exposure to community organizations and their programs.
Anticipated Outcomes:
• Increase the number of residents who are comfortable referring patients to community outreach programs.
• Increase resident comfort level in talking to or writing to legislators.
University of Nevada – Las Vegas
Faculty & Resident: Josephine Sun, MD and Anjali Agrawal, MD
Goal: Institute an annual Advocacy Day at UNLV Pediatric Residency Program in collaboration with Nevada AAP Chapter to establish strong community relationships and empower pediatric residents to lead legislative advocacy initiatives specific to Nevada children.
Key Components:
• Project involves collaboration of residents, members of the Nevada Chapter of AAP, and UNLV Faculty Mentors working to broaden impact and collaboration of Advocacy Day.
• Enhance resident advocacy curriculum through structured lectures and workshops.

Anticipated Outcomes:
• Increase the participation rate of residents in legislative advocacy initiatives.
• Equip residents with the tools and knowledge to actively engage in legislative advocacy throughout their careers.