August 2024 Advocacy Champion

Melissa Edgar, BS

MS3, University of Minnesota Medical School

1) Why is being an advocate so important to you?
It is an honor and privilege to advocate for policy changes whose impacts go well beyond my immediate circle of impact. In the medical profession, it is essential to have physician voices involved in shaping the many policies that directly or indirectly impact patient care and providers’ practices. As a current medical student, advocacy allows me the unique opportunity to help shape the healthcare environment that my peers and I will be practicing in. Overall, advocacy is an integral part of being a physician, whether we are advocating for policy changes or advocating for our patients day to day.

2) What health-care related issue(s) have you advocated for over the past year?
At the MMA’s most recent Physicians’ Day at the Capitol, I had the opportunity to advocate to our state legislators on multiple crucial initiatives. This includes prohibiting dangerous prior authorizations, limiting mid-year formulary changes, implementing an electronic POLST registry, expanding harm reduction, and promoting physician wellness services. More specifically, credentialing forms can currently ask applicants about past or current health issues that have no impact on their current ability to practice. This deters physicians and physicians in training from seeking the help that they need, which results in more burnout. When speaking with legislators, I emphasized the significant need to remove this aspect of credentialing forms, as this will improve the well-being of physicians and physicians in training. This ultimately leads to better patient outcomes.

3) What advice would you offer to others who are interested in advocacy?
I encourage those interested in advocacy to attend MMA’s Physicians’ Day at the Capitol.  This is a great opportunity to advocate directly to legislators and also learn more about advocacy in a supportive environment. Being surrounded by others with the same passion for advocacy is an energizing experience that I especially hope every medical student gets the chance to experience at least once. That being said, you certainly do not need to go to the capitol to be an advocate. Write letters to lawmakers, email your legislators, call your elected officials, engage in discussions on healthcare issues with those in your immediate circle, and participate in medical societies like the MMA to help shape their legislative priorities. Share your stories!