November 2024 Advocacy Champion

Patrick Crowley, DO

Infectious Disease Fellow at the Mayo Clinic

1) Why is being an advocate so important to you?
The laws passed today in St. Paul and Washington, D.C., will determine the healthcare environment I practice in for decades, and the health of my patients for longer than that. By showing up, we help improve awareness for non-physician law-makers and thus improve the laws we will live by.

2) What health-care related issue(s) have you advocated for over the past year?
I never miss a chance with elected officials to discuss congenital syphilis and the need for good prenatal care for moms and STI screening in general.

3) What advice would you offer to others who are interested in advocacy?
When I was in medical school in Texas, I volunteered in a free clinic down the street from my parents' house. I saw how hard it was to access care without insurance, and was driven to advocate for Medicaid expansion. I was unsuccessful in that, but by meeting with my deep-red state rep, we were able to get his vote to help raise the minimum age for tobacco to 21 years. My point is, advocacy starts small and local, and a majority of crucial bills are non-partisan. It's valuable to bring your most important issue forward, but it's also important to keep in mind non-partisan issues.