Led by Dr. Daniella Zipkin, residents in the Ambulatory Care Leadership Track (ACLT) traveled to Washington, D.C., on May 15-16 for an advocacy day to discuss drug pricing reform, opioid safety, and health policy. The trainees met with individuals from several congressional district (CD) teams including:
- Representative Anna G. Eshoo (D - California's 18th CD)
- Representative Mark Pocan (D - Wisconsin's 2nd CD)
- Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R - Washington's 5th CD)
- Representative Bennie G. Thompson (D- Mississippi's 2nd CD)
- Representative Mike Coffman (R - Colorado's 6th CD)
- Representative Katherine Clark, (D-Massachusetts 5th CD)
- Representative David E. Price (D - North Carolina's 4th CD)
- Representative Erik Paulsen (R - Minnesota 3rd CD)
- Representative Diana DeGette (D - Colorado 1st CD)
The group also met with the President of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) and former Chancellor of Duke Health, Victor Dzau, to learn more about NAM's role in advising the government on health care issues.
"Forming their own platform and speaking to legislative staffers teaches the residents how powerful their voice as physician advocates can be," said Zipkin.
See the one-page “leave behind” documents that the ACLT team created for legislators for drug pricing and opioid safety.
This program received coordination support from the Duke Office of Government Relations.