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Overview: The Advocacy in Family Medicine rotation is offered two times a year at the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. The fall rotation exposes residents to the budget-making process, and the winter/spring rotation is focused on the legislative advocacy process. Residents can choose to take one or both rotations. The learning activities take place in Denver. Residents will need flexibility to attend hearings and meetings. 

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Goal: The overall goal of this rotation is to increase resident understanding of the legislative process and how family physicians can influence policies and laws that affect the practice of family medicine.

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Learning Objectives: Upon successful completion of the rotation, the resident will be able to:

• Describe the process of developing the state budget and passing legislation.

• Identify current budget priorities and legislative agendas that affect the practice of family medicine.

• Identify methods available to a family physician to influence the legislative process.

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Learning Activities: Following is a list of activities offered during the rotations.  Depending on the timing of the specific rotation and clinic obligations, residents may be able to participate in only a portion of these activities.

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• Lobby legislators. Residents will meet with legislators to advocate for family medicine education and practice

• Observe and participate in legislative meetings, hearings, and luncheons. The resident will attend meetings conducted by elected officials and staff, such as a “meet and greet” luncheon with legislators, budget hearings, House or Senate sessions, or the Health Care Exchange Board.

• Directed readings.  Examples of required reading include a report on the progress of health care reform in the state of Colorado and other health care reports.

• Participate in CAFP’s Doctor of the Day (DOD) program. When a program director or residency faculty member is the DOD, Residents can accompany him or her for the day.

• Conference call with CAFP.  The resident will participate in a legislative conference call with members of the CAFP Policy Committee in which current legislative issues related to family medicine are discussed.

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Logistics: 

1. Residents are encouraged to discuss this rotation with their program director well in advance.

2. Please contact Lynne Jones (lynne.jones@cofmr.org) if you are interested in learning more about the Advocacy rotation. 

3. Due to the inflexible scheduling of some legislative activities (e.g., hearings and committee meetings), some learning activities may occur in the evenings or a Saturday. Additionally, the activities may span two or three weeks but with an infrequent pattern. The rotation will require some flexibility on the part of the resident. Due to clinic obligations, the resident may be able to participate in only some of the learning activities.

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Fall Rotation: Budget Process: Residents will get to experience the budget-making process on a level most physicians will never get to see. Residents will also interact directly with legislators to advocate for budget line items that affect family medicine.

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Resident will meet with Precision Policy Group staff before/after briefings to discuss budget process, and budget priorities for family medicine.

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Winter/spring rotation: Legislative/Advocacy training. Residents will gain first-hand experience advocating for actual legislation related to family medicine. This rotation can be either one week or two weeks.