The MPAC program elective provides students with an opportunity to learn, practice and apply knowledge and skills as physician healthcare leaders and advocates. Students will engage in healthcare advocacy to improve healthcare for patients and communities and to improve the health systems that deliver care. Working with organized medicine, students will author resolutions and meet with governmental leaders to present and advocate for reforms to decrease health disparities. Students will learn about the use of media as a tool for advocacy and learn about philanthropy as it relates to healthcare.

The program also provides a primer on leadership development topics, the program also brings in regional and nationally recognized leaders to stimulate conversation and demonstrate leadership effectiveness.

The course also emphasizes the need for students to develop their professional identity as a physician-in-training by dressing professionally, arriving on time and behaving professionally and demonstrating respect to their patients, peers, colleagues, supervisors and others and by maintaining professional conduct and composure when conflict occurs.

Section 1 was focused on primary content to ensure students have a basic understanding of the health policy and political process. Section 2 of the program will focus on applying that knowledge base to a real advocacy project. Upon completion of section 2, students will have the necessary skills to advocate on health policies issues on their own or in collaboration with their colleagues. The goal of the MPAC program is to support the leadership development of medical students to better prepare them to become physician leaders for their patients, colleagues, and community.