1. What initially inspired you to engage in advocacy within the field of PM&R? 
I grew up and went to medical school in the United Kingdom (UK), and I had never known of the field of PM&R. I was initially an orthopaedic resident there, and during my second year, I started to have doubts that surgery was for me. So, I came to the United States to pursue a PhD during my residency. It was during this time living in the US that I found the field of PM&R. Once I found out about it and undertook a rotation, I loved it and realized the importance of the care PM&R physicians provide for individuals with and without disabilities. My story has driven my passion for the field, and therefore, advocacy for both our specialty and the patients we treat became a very important part of my life.
2. For residents eager to begin advocacy work, what are some practical first steps they can take during training?
I always tell residents to start locally, for example, joining your house staff association, joining volunteer organizations in your university, or PM&R, or specific disability interest groups. These organizations allow you to learn about issues impacting the physicians at your home organization and also the communities we serve. Nationally, joining the AAPM&R’s PHIT council (this was something I did as a resident) or your local AMA chapter is also another great way to increase your level of advocacy and experience. In addition, I highly encourage residents to find out who their local congressional representatives as you may also need to reach out to them in the future.
3. How can residents effectively balance the demands of clinical responsibilities with advocacy efforts?
One of the major challenges in residency is having time to do everything you need to do in regards to your training and experiences. When you start in advocacy, it’s important to think about ‘what is your why?’ i.e., why do you want to be an advocate and what drives you to get involved? As a resident, often your clinical experiences, particularly your patient stories, can drive the advocacy work you do and make it much more effective. One very easy way to get involved is to sign on to one of the periodic ‘Voter Voice’ campaigns on issues pertinent to physiatrists (https://www.votervoice.net/mobile/AAPMR/Home.
4. Are there specific AAPM&R resources or programs that you recommend for residents interested in advocacy?
One very easy way to get involved is to sign on to one of the periodic ‘Voter Voice’ campaigns on issues pertinent to physiatrists (https://www.votervoice.net/mobile/AAPMR/Home). This takes about 5 minutes to do, and signing on to one of those also increases the impact of PM&R in congressional offices and makes sure your voice is heard. In addition, more generally, take a look at the home page for AAPM&R advocacy (https://www.aapmr.org/advocacy). Here you will find information on current issues that the AAPM&R advocacy priorities and areas of opportunity for members to get involved in.
5. Can you provide an example of how early involvement in advocacy has positively impacted your career or the field of PM&R?
When I first started in PM&R, I struggled with the lack of knowledge of our field, both in my personal and professional life. I joined the Health Care Policy and Legislation Committee (HP&L) as a new attending. At that time, we used to go to congressional offices on Capitol Hill that had a minimal idea of what our field entails, and we’d have to spend a significant amount of time explaining our field. Now as Chair of the HP&L Committee, a few years later, I have noticed a major change, in that major governmental organizations such CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services), the office of Inspect General (OIG), MedPAC as well as senior congressional offices are calling on us for issues pertaining to rehabilitation and disability. I know these formative experiences on the committee gave me so much confidence that my voice as a PM&R physician is important. I no longer feel the need to say we are a ‘small’ or ‘up and coming’ field, but rather we are a pivotal field to the health and quality of life of the country.