Advocacy Fellows
The Physician Advocacy Fellowship supported doctors to develop or enhance their advocacy skills by implementing a project in partnership with an advocacy organization. It sought to make advocacy a core professional value for physicians by developing a cadre of advocates with expertise in achieving system or policy-level social change at the local, state, and national level.Between 1999 and 2004, the Open Society Institute operated the Soros Advocacy Fellowship for Physicians. In January 2005, with OSI's support, the program moved to the Center on Medicine as a Profession (CMAP) at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons. The program funded its last round of fellows in spring 2007 and will not be awarding any more fellowships.
Forty-four fellows in sixteen states and Washington DC received awards to implement projects addressing issues including Medicaid coverage and enrollment, health care access, pediatric oral health, prison health care, and housing. You can review the program brochure for more information on the Fellowship here.
Scott A. Allen, MD
Dr. Allen testifying before the AMA at the annual meeting in Chicago on the issue of physician participation in interrogation.
- Title:
- Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine
- Home Institution:
- Brown University
- Grant Year:
- 2005
- Region:
- Rhode Island
- Organization:
- Physicians for Human Rights
- Project Description:
- Dr. Allen is mobilizing the medical community to speak out against the practice of torture, coercion, and abuse by the United States military and correctional facilities.
George L. Askew, MD
- Title:
- CEO and President
- Home Institution:
- Jumpstart for Kids
- Grant Year:
- 2000
- Region:
- Washington, D.C.
- Organization:
- ZERO TO THREE: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
- Project Description:
- Phase 1 of the project was to identify public policies that impact infant mental health and to put them into terms that would resonate with policy makers and shapers. In addition,Dr. Askew sought to help ...
Oxiris Barbot, MD
- Title:
- Medical Director, Bureau of School Health
- Home Institution:
- NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
- Grant Year:
- 2000
- Region:
- New York
- Organization:
- National Hispanic Medical Organization
- Project Description:
- Working in partnership with the National Hispanic Medical Association, Dr. Barbot developed a national advocacy agenda for Latino child and adolescent health.
Fellowship Successes
As ...
Heidi Behforouz, MD
Heidi Behforouz, MD
- Title:
- Attending Physician, Women's Health Division
- Home Institution:
- Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Grant Year:
- 2000
- Region:
- Massachusetts
- Organization:
- Partners in Health
- Project Description:
- Dr. Behforouz developed strategies to overcome the barriers to health care of HIV positive and high-risk individuals in collaboration with Partners in Health and Soldiers of Health in Roxbury, MA.
Abraham B. Bergman, MD
Bergman, Abraham
- Title:
- Director, Department of Pediatrics, Harborview Medical Center
- Home Institution:
- University of Washington
- Grant Year:
- 2001
- Region:
- Washington
- Organization:
- The Children's Alliance
- Project Description:
- Dr. Bergman was awarded a fellowship to assist Washington's Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) make the systemic changes necessary to improve the access to and the quality of health care ...
Gene Bishop, MD
- Title:
- Medical Consultant to Community Organizations
- Grant Year:
- 2001
- Region:
- Pennsylvania
- Organization:
- Pennsylvania Health Law Project
- Project Description:
- Bishop sought to identify and reduce limitations on access to health care imposed by the operations of formularies within mandatory Medicaid managed care. She used a statewide helpline run by his ...
David Buchanan, MD
- Title:
- Attending Physician, Cook County Hospital
- Home Institution:
- Cook County Hospital/Rush University
- Grant Year:
- 2003
- Region:
- Illinois
- Organization:
- Interfaith House
- Project Description:
- Homeless people experience morbidity and mortality rates that mirror those of the poorest developing countries. Respite care provides a place for homeless people to finish recovering from an illness after ...
Alice Huan-mei Chen, MD
Chen, Alice
- Title:
- Medical Director, General Medicine Clinic
- Home Institution:
- University of California, San Francisco
- Grant Year:
- 2002
- Region:
- California
- Organization:
- Asian Pacific Islander American Health Forum
- Project Description:
- Dr. Chen worked in partnership with the Asian Pacific Islander American Health Forum in San Francisco to improve access and quality of care for limited English proficient individuals and communities.
Esther K. Chung, MD, MPH
- Title:
- Associate Professor of Pediatrics
- Home Institution:
- Thomas Jefferson Medical College
- Grant Year:
- 2007
- Region:
- Pennsylvania
- Organization:
- Maternity Care Coalition
- Project Description:
- Dr. Chung is partnering with the Maternity Care Coalition to reduce barriers to breastfeeding for all women in
Theodore J. Corbin, MD
- Title:
- Clinical Instructor, Department of Emergency Medicine, and Asst. Director, Emergency Medicine Residency Program
- Home Institution:
- Thomas Jefferson University
- Grant Year:
- 2005
- Region:
- Pennsylvania
- Organization:
- Physicians for Social Responsibility, Philadelphia Chapter
- Project Description:
- Dr. Corbin is partnering with the Philadelphia Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility to develop a trauma-informed approach to youth violence prevention, and to improve access to quality care ...