Training future physicians in legislative advocacy

Many medical professional organizations emphasize the importance of physician involvement in the legislative process. These organizations encourage their members to advocate for policies that promote population health and to help shape legislation related to the practice of medicine. [1-3] Some of the Residency Review Committees (RRC) of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) have also begun to encourage training in advocacy. [4] Pediatric Milestone SB7 and Family Medicine Milestone SB3, used by the respective RRCs, evaluate a trainee's ability to advocate for community health. [5, 6]Several medical schoolsand residency programs have developed advocacy curricula that include legislative advocacy. These curricula have received positive responses from medical trainees and increased subjective comfort with the process. [7, 8] Professional organizations such as the American Medical Association, the American College of Physicians, and the American Academy of Pediatrics have both LegislativeAdvocacy opportunities for trainees and recommendations for effective advocacy.[2, 9] Legislative advocacy curricula can be enhanced through legislative visits, educational collaboration with other training programs, and partnerships with professional organizations.