Ama-Shli Medical Justice in Advocacy Fellowship

Program purpose
The inaugural Medical Justice in Advocacy Fellowship is a collaborative educational initiative to empower physician-led advocacy that advances equity and removes barriers to optimal health for marginalized people and communities.

The fellowship will mobilize physicians to be part of the next generation of advocacy leaders, driving meaningful policy and structural changes that produce equity and justice in the communities they serve.

About the fellowship
The AMA-SHLI Medical Justice in Advocacy Fellowship is a unique, first of its kind post-doctoral fellowship designed to enhance physicians’ advocacy leadership skills to improve health outcomes and advance health equity in the areas they serve or may serve.

Using an anti-racist, equity-centered learning framework, the fellowship will provide a mentoring and training platform that will equip participants with the foundational skills, tools and knowledge to engage in institutional and political health advocacy. This will involve exploring several critical topic areas, including:

• Upstream (action-based) models of advocacy that address social and structural drivers of health
• Structural, cultural, political, and historical analysis of the production of inequities
• Sector and resource engagement required to improve community health and well-being

The implementation of the Medical Justice in Advocacy Fellowship aligns with the AMA’s strategic approach to collaborate with stakeholders to eliminate health inequities by pushing upstream and creating pathways for truth, reconciliation, and healing to remove obstacles in patient care. Under Morehouse School of Medicine’s vision of leading in the creation and advancement of health equity, SHLI aims to be the leading transformational force for health equity in policy, leadership development, and research.

Program eligibility
The fellowship is open to all physicians and residents who have a demonstrated interest in health equity and health advocacy.

Note: Internships and graduate assistantships will not count towards the professional experience requirement.

Fellowship dates
The fellowship runs from Sept. 2022–⁠Nov. 2023.

Fellowship requirements
The fellows will participate in a three-day virtual learning intensive at the beginning of the fellowship and will subsequently engage in monthly learning sessions with a multidisciplinary, multisectoral group of nationally-renowned experts, scholars, researchers and current and former policymakers across all levels of government.

The fellows will participate in a three (3)-day virtual learning intensive at the beginning of the fellowship and will subsequently engage in monthly learning sessions with a multidisciplinary, multisectoral group of nationally renowned experts, scholars, researchers and current and former policymakers across all levels of government.

Monthly sessions will be held virtually with three (3) in-person learning experiences scheduled during the fellowship.

Note:  Taking a sabbatical is not required during the fellowship. AMA membership is not required for the fellowship.

Required convenings, meetings, and time commitment
Virtual instructional webinars/meetings

• Frequency: Every 3rd Friday of the month from 12:00 pm–2:00 pm Eastern
• Three (3)-day fellowship intensive in Sept. 2022
• Monthly convenings from Oct. 2022–May 2023
• Regular Mentor engagement
• Note: On months when there are in-person convenings, you will not meet virtually for that month.

Full day commitments

• Sept. 2022: Inaugural Convening for Fellows
• Winter/Spring 2023: Convening Fellows in Washington, D.C. (Date will be posted when available)
• June 10-14, 2023: Convening Fellows for the AMA House of Delegates Annual Meeting
• Nov. 11–14, 2023: Convening Fellows for the AMA House of Delegates Interim Meeting

Monthly health equity project and learning session preparation effort

• Approximately 3 to 6 hours monthly doing preparation work for class preparation (i.e., readings, group work, etc.) and project development & implementation, all done on your own time.

Stipend and CME credit
Participating fellows will receive a stipend of $15,000* for their participation in the program and would be eligible for up to 28 CME credit hours.

*Note: Receipt of full stipend is contingent upon program participation and completion.

Program benefits

• Engagement with like-minded professionals to generate and exchange solutions towards a more equitable and healthier communities.
• Connection with health equity experts and leaders for learning and mentorship opportunities.
• Flexible, blended learning solutions that may be incorporated into the clinical schedule.
• Knowledge and skill development to establish better trust among patients and serve as patient advocates.
• Partnership with AMA and SHLI on their respective commitments to transform health inequities through a social justice lens.

Application process
The fellowship is an open competition. Submit the required documents by the deadline to be considered:

Application package
An application package includes:

• An online application with professional profile, candidate interest short-essay, and demographic profile questions
• Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Three (3) recommendation forms from professional leaders, community-based leaders and organizers and others with demonstrated knowledge/experience of the applicant’s efforts towards advancing health equity
• Note: After the applicant’s application and references are received, AMA-SHLI will send a recommendation form via e-mail to the references listed. All forms must be completed by the recommender for the application to be complete.  Recommendations are due on March 21, 2022 at 11:59 pm Eastern.

Application essay questions
Please note there are three (3) essay sections as part of this application. The questions are noted here for reference should the applicant prefer to work on this prior to the final application submission.

• What is your previous experience with health equity-based training? (Select all that apply) How did this training influence your current practice? (250 word limit)
• What potential impact(s) does your participation in this fellowship have on the communities in which you serve? (250 word limit)
• How did you get here? (250 word limit) What was that turning point in your life that made you do the work you are doing now? (250 word limit)

Full application packets are due by Monday, March 14, 2022 at 11:59 pm Eastern.  Recommendation forms are due by Monday, March 21, 2022 at 11:59 pm Eastern.

A committee of leaders from AMA and SHLI will review the application packets and select the finalists. Finalists will then be invited for a virtual interview with AMA and SHLI leaders.

Apply for the fellowship.