What exactly is a Fellowship?
The Fellowships are intensive exercises in real-world policy and advocacy. Fellows not only complete a practicum at their respective sites, but also complete a mandatory curriculum in health policy, health economics, public policy, and government relations. The Fellows are mentored by past Fellows and experts in the field and experience the full spectrum of policy.
Policy and Advocacy Bootcamp
Subjects to be covered during educational seminars
Health Policy
Fundamentals
Brief history and trends
Healthcare financing
Medicare/Medicaid
ACA and state exchanges
Scope of practice
Tort reform
Health Economics
Fundamentals
Market economy
Insurance 101
Private vs Public Insurance
Public Policy
Effective policy formation and developing consensus
The legislative process
The “pie”
Regulation
Government Relations
The legislature, congressmen, aides
Lobbying, advocacy, and motivations
Effective strategies and expectations
Length of Fellowship and Stipend
Fellows will spend between 6-8 weeks with their state medical society or D.C. based organization and will receive between a $1500-$2000 stipend from the state or specialty society.
Mentorship and network building are vital parts of the Fellowships. Accepted students start being mentored once accepted into the program. We prepare our Fellows so that they can hit the ground running upon starting work at the medical society. The Fellows partake in weekly conference calls with their peers and the Board of Directors on a weekly basis for discussion and professional development seminars. Seminars include memo-writing and public speaking, among others. Upon graduation from the program, the students become lifelong members of the alumni network.
Mentorship and Networking
Role of the Fellow at the State Medical Society
The Fellow will work for the Government Relations and Advocacy Department in whatever capacity is necessary for the society. This includes but is not limited to advocacy,policy, legislative issues, and lobbying. Examples of previous activities include:
1) Advocating on behalf of the Society in the state legislature
2) Researching, analyzing, and developing positions on policies, legislation, and bills
3) Representing the Society at county society meetings
4) Developing relations with and soliciting support from state and national organizations
5) Developing CME materials for physicians
6) Enhancing membership recruitment and organizational value to members
7) Participating in the organizational meetings of the Board of Trustees and Operational Staff