Future Students
Residents & Fellows
Current Students
Faculty & Staff
Alumni & Friends

Advocacy Mission

Medical Advocacy Program > Advocacy Mission

Mission: The Advocacy program engages, informs and encourages alumni and friends of the OSU Medical Center to communicate with members of the General Assembly, Congress, and other elected officials regarding issues of importance to OSUMC and academic medicine.

What is the Advocacy Program?
The primary goal of this program is to promote and enhance the missions, goals and objectives of the OSU Medical Center through the development and maintenance of personal relationships with local, state and federal elected officials utilizing grassroots and grasstops networking to convey OSUMC’s and academic medicine’s position on legislative and public policy issues.

Why Have an Advocacy Program?
As a state-assisted institution, the Ohio State University Medical Center relies upon the support of the Ohio General Assembly and the United States Congress to maintain and improve the level of quality in the health care, medical education and biomedical research that we provide. Therefore, the goal of this program id to advance the OSUMC agenda by creating a groundswell for, or opposition to a particular issue. This program also provides an excellent opportunity for individuals to show their support for the Ohio State University Medical Center.

Who are the OSUMC Advocates?
Working with the Office of Health Sciences and OSUMC leadership the Advocates Program provides information to alumni and friends of the Medical School on issues of importance to the OSUMC. Advocates convey these messages to the appropriate elected officials.

Where Does This Activity Take Place?
Grassroots networking begins in each Advocate’s local community. Studies have shown legislators are most receptive to opinions expressed by friends, neighbors and news media in their home districts. When necessary, Advocates may be asked to take part in activities at the Medical Center or in the legislative chambers.

When Does This Happen?
Advocates maintain ongoing personal contact with their legislator(s) throughout the year. In addition, Advocates may be asked to lobby or convey the medical education message when contacted by program staff. A program of this nature sometimes requires immediate attention in response to legislative action in order to be effective. While all Advocates are volunteers, they must be willing to act immediately upon request.