Advocacy

Director: Dr. Stephanie Kwon

kwonst@musc.edu

 

“We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It's easy to say 'It's not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.' Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes.”

- Mr. Rogers

 

Residents celebrating Healthcare Workers for Pride

 

Mission:

The advocacy program will provide all pediatric residents education on key advocacy topics applicable in their careers as pediatricians. In addition, we offer and advocacy rotation and advocacy track for residents who choose to deepen their education on advocacy at the community, legislative, and individual level.

 

Advocacy track residents smiling in front of a colorful background 

Advocacy Track:

New this year! The Advocacy Track is a resident-driven curriculum that holds multiple workshops throughout the academic year and culminates in a year-end retreat. Workshops examples include: forming responsible community partnerships, communicating effectively with decision makers, planning and implementing advocacy projects and Legislation 101.

 

In addition to the extracurricular experience, the advocacy track also holds small group journal clubs, community volunteer events, and organized legislative initiatives.

 

Advocacy Elective:

2-4 week elective available to all pediatric residents with a menu of legislative, community/injury prevention, education activities to create a schedule customized to the resident's advocacy interests.

 

Core Elements of the Advocacy Curriculum for All Residents:

  • Intern Community Orientation Day: During intern orientation, a full day is spent educating intern residents on the community that they serve. Topics covered include social determinants of health, educational disparities, cultural differences/language barriers, poverty, racism, equality/equity/justice, and exposure to violence. The orientation day also includes a volunteer experience.
  • Advocacy Morning Reports: Throughout the year, morning reports are held on key advocacy topics. Often, they host special guests, promote department-wide discussion, and broaden our knowledge and reach of patient care. Examples from the past include, accessing WIC, LGBTQ+ healthcare panel, voter registration and voter suppression, navigating the post-roe world as pediatricians, and period poverty.
  • SCAAP Advocacy Day: Residents on elective will be invited to join residents from other pediatric residencies in South Carolina at the State House to learn more about legislative advocacy and speak with legislators about topics important to child health.
  • Advocacy Checklist: Similar to a procedure checklist, this longitudinal tracking tool will allow the program and resident to monitor engagement in advocacy activities.
  • Summer Advocacy Lecture Series: Annual lecture series that features local and nationally recognized speakers on pertinent advocacy topics. Residents assist in topic selection, presenting, community organization spotlights, and organizing the resident choice lectures. See below for this year’s lecture series topics and speakers.

 

Four doctors in white coast smiling on the steps of the school

 

2022 Lecture Series:

  • "A Primer in Social Determinants of Health", Dr. Sean Haley, MUSC
  • "Leading Child Health Forward Through Crisis & Change", Mark Delmonte, CEO/Executive VP, American Academy of Pediatrics
  • "A Lawyer's Perspective on Overcoming Social, Economic and Legal Injustice", Sue Berkowitz, Director of SC Appleseed
  • "The Effect of Climate Change on Child Health", Dr. Hailey Guilkey, SC Health Professionals for Climate Change & Dr. Bethany Carlos, Children's National
  • "Updates from SC Dept. Of Health and Environmental Control", Dr. Brannon Traxler, Medical Director of SC DHEC
  • "Coffee Talk with State Legislators", Maggie Cash, MUSC Children's Health, Representatives Spencer Wetmore & Marvin Pendarvis
  • Resident Choice: "Advocating for LGBTQ+ Parents at Every Level", Dr. Adam Bartholomeo & Dr. Michael Lugo, MUSC
  • Resident Choice: "Medical Legal Partnerships", Dr. Angela LaRosa, MUSC & Lana Kleiman, Charleston Legal Access
  • "Building Diverse and Inclusive Teams to Improve Quality & Safety of Care and Health Disparities in Children", Dr. Mileka Gilbert & Dr. Silvia Pereira-Smith, MUSC

An advocacy group shot

Becoming a Physician Advocate by Dr. Annie Andrews: 
https://www.journalofhospitalmedicine.com/jhospmed/article/210069/hospital-medicine/turning-your-passion-action-becoming-physician-advocate