May 2024

U.S. Surgeon General and DFA Founder, Vivek Murthy, MD, MBA, will speak at the Dinner and Founders Awards Ceremony at the 2024 National Leadership Conference (NLC). Murthy will share how a movement became a mission, and thoughts on what’s ahead. Kicking off the conference is United States Senator Bernie Sanders with an inspirational message on “Reclaiming the Voice of Medicine”. Join us in Silver Spring, MD, June  6 - 8, and on June 5, for a special free FDA Pre Conference. 

 

You’ll be inspired and energized by plenary speakers Dr. Kavita Patel, Dr. Alister Martin, Dr. Ellana Stinson, and Dr. Cedric Dark. Not to mention, the can’t-miss break-out sessions including panels and discussions on access to affordable care; how to advocate for public health; fighting for reproductive rights; how to support gender-affirming care; the role of medicine in substance use disorder treatment; and so much more!  There is also an organized trip to Capitol Hill for participants to meet with their legislators. See the complete schedule and register now for the BEST conference in DFA’s history! 

 

The Founders Awards were established in 2021 to celebrate the National Physicians Alliance and Doctors for America, the two organizations that make up DFA today. These awards will honor excellence in patient advocacy, which is the basic tenant of each founding organization. There are six categories for this year's Founders Awards: 

You may nominate yourself or another advocate for this honor. Nominations are due at 11:59 pm ET on May 12, 2024.

All nominees will be recognized at DFA’s National Leadership Conference at an awards ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024.

Last week, Doctors for America began electronically circulating our “Declaration against GREED in Health Care.” This is a first step towards the creation of a Coalition to shift the narrative about our economic sector. We see the problems not as the result of “bad policy decisions,” but as a consequence of widespread GREED among those with power in health care. Click here to sign the Declaration.

 

We urgently need to create a small Working Group of five to ten to work as a team to choose and create materials about health care GREED that are concise and emotionally impactful to ordinary people. We are recruiting individuals from students to retirees who can commit to 2 to 2.5 hours a week, just about every week. If you are interested, please send one paragraph about yourself and contact information to Dr. Ken Frisof, by May 20, 2024.

Doctors for America’s Copello Fellowship program is a unique opportunity to build leadership and advocacy skills to improve the health of your patients and community. Twelve extraordinary leaders will meet monthly to learn from experts and each other about advocacy, action planning, media relations and communication strategy, engaging your legislators and so much more!

 

The program is open to medical students, residents, practicing physicians and retirees - your willingness to learn and make a difference is all that is needed. You must be able to attend monthly advocacy leadership meetings (2nd Thursday of each month at 8 pm ET), participate in Impact Area monthly subcommittee meetings, and create a Capstone project and video showcasing the work and results of what you’ve done and accomplished within an assigned Impact Area. 

 

The deadline to apply is Sunday, June 18, 2024 at 11:59 pm. For more information, please contact Angie Bakke or click here to apply. 

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