The Case for Advocacy Curricula and Opportunities in Medical Education: Past Examples to Inform Future Instruction

Abstract

With recent advances in understanding racial, socioeconomic, and mental health issues in medicine and their relation to policy and legislation, medical professionals are increasingly involved in local and national advocacy efforts. At the frontlines of these initiatives are medical students who, in addition to completing required coursework and clinical training, devote themselves to serving patients through civic participation. The burgeoning evidence concerning health care disparities and inequity, along with greater awareness of racial and socioeconomic discrimination, have made advocacy an essential aspect of many students' medical training. Every year, thousands of medical students join national medical advocacy organizations, in addition to regional, state, and local groups. Despite the rich history of medical student involvement in advocacy, there remains much speculation and skepticism about the practice as an essential component of the medical profession. From early initiatives pushing for national health insurance after World War II to encouraging antidiscrimination policies and practices, medical students have been collectively working to create change for themselves and their patients. Through efforts such as banning smoking on airplanes, creating safe syringe programs, and protesting against police brutality, many medical students work tirelessly in advocacy despite minimal educational support or guidance about the advocacy process. Given that medical student advocacy continues to grow and has shown measurable successes in the past, the authors believe that these efforts should be rewarded and expanded upon. The authors examine historical examples of medical student advocacy to suggest ways in which advocacy can be integrated into core medical school curricula and activities. They call attention to opportunities to support students' development of knowledge and skills to facilitate legislative change, expansion of interprofessional collaborations and credit, and curricular updates to promote social and health equity.