The goal of the Advocacy and Public Health Pathway at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine is to support, develop and sustain students’ professional commitments to advocacy and public health.
Students who commit to the Advocacy and Public Health Pathway engage in a series of interprofessional preclinical electives during their first and second year and are encouraged to take on progressive leadership roles within the Health Advocacy Organization. Advocacy electives are open to all students.
Pathway students complete the advocacy preclinical electives in addition to a community-based clinical elective and a community-based project in partnership with an advocacy organization.
During the third and fourth year, pathway students receive tailored career and professional development support from faculty engaged in advocacy and are provided opportunities to engage in scholarly activity including presentation of advocacy-based research and policy at local, regional, and national meetings.
Students who complete all requirements of the pathway receive pathway distinction on their transcript. Pathway requirements include successful completion of preclinical and clinical electives, engagement in required mentoring and coaching activities and completion of an Advocacy Portfolio. It is anticipated that pathway students will attend at least one conference and complete at least one scholarly activity in the form of a poster presentation or manuscript submission.