AMA-SHLI Medical Justice In Advocacy Fellowship

The AMA-SHLI Medical Justice in Advocacy Fellowship is a collaborative educational initiative to empower physician-led advocacy that advances equity and removes barriers to optimal health for marginalized people and communities.

The fellowship will mobilize physicians to be part of the next generation of advocacy leaders, driving meaningful policy and structural changes that produce equity and justice in the communities they serve.

The AMA-SHLI Medical Justice in Advocacy Fellowship is a unique, first of its kind post-doctoral fellowship designed to enhance physicians’ advocacy leadership skills to improve health outcomes and advance health equity in the areas they serve or may serve.

Using an anti-racist, equity-centered learning framework, the fellowship will provide a mentoring and training platform that will equip participants with the foundational skills, tools and knowledge to engage in institutional and political health advocacy. This will involve exploring several critical topic areas, including:

• Upstream (action-based) models of advocacy that address social and structural drivers of health
• Structural, cultural, political, and historical analysis of the production of inequities
• Sector and resource engagement required to improve community health and well-being

The implementation of the Medical Justice in Advocacy Fellowship aligns with the AMA’s strategic approach to collaborate with stakeholders to eliminate health inequities by pushing upstream and creating pathways for truth, reconciliation, and healing to remove obstacles in patient care. Under Morehouse School of Medicine’s vision of leading in the creation and advancement of health equity to achieve health justice, SHLI aims to be the leading transformational force for health equity in policy, leadership development, and research.

The fellowship is open to all physicians and residents who have a demonstrated interest in health equity and health advocacy.

Note: Internships and graduate assistantships will not count towards the professional experience requirement.

Cohort 3 runs from September 2024–⁠November 2025.

The fellows will participate in a three (3)-day virtual learning intensive at the beginning of the fellowship and will subsequently engage in monthly learning sessions with a multidisciplinary, multisectoral group of nationally renowned experts, scholars, researchers and current and former policymakers across all levels of government.

Monthly sessions will be held virtually with three (3) in-person learning experiences scheduled during the fellowship.

Note:  Taking a sabbatical is not required during the fellowship. AMA membership is not required for the fellowship.

Virtual instructional webinars/meetings

• Frequency: Every 3rd Friday of the month from 12:00 pm–2:00 pm Eastern Time
• Monthly convenings from October 2024–August 2025

Note: On months when there are in-person convenings, you will not meet virtually for that month.

Full-day, in-person commitments

• September 2024 (Dates TBA): Inaugural Convening for Fellows/Three (3)-day Fellowship Intensive (Atlanta, GA)
• Winter/Spring 2025: Convening Fellows in Washington, D.C. (Dates will be posted when available)
• June 7-11, 2025: Convening Fellows for the AMA Annual Meeting of the House of Delegates (Chicago, IL)
• November 11–14, 2025: Convening Fellows for the AMA Interim Meeting of the House of Delegates (National Harbor, MD)

Monthly health equity project and learning session preparation effort

• Approximately 3 to 6 hours monthly doing preparation work for class preparation (i.e., readings, group work, etc.) and project development & implementation, all done on your own time.
• Monthly office hours offered for health equity project support and general communications support

Participating fellows will receive a stipend of $15,000* for their participation in the program and would be eligible for CME credit hours**.

*Note: Receipt of full stipend is contingent upon program participation and completion.

**The Morehouse School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The Morehouse School of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of up to 13.75 AMA PRA Category 1 credit (s) ™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent to their participation in the activity.

• Engagement with like-minded professionals to generate and exchange solutions towards a more equitable and healthier communities.
• Connection with health equity experts and leaders for learning and mentorship opportunities.
• Flexible, blended learning solutions that may be incorporated into the clinical schedule.
• Knowledge and skill development to establish better trust among patients and serve as patient advocates.
• Partnership with AMA and SHLI on their respective commitments to transform health inequities through a social justice lens.

The fellowship is an open competition. Submit the required documents by the deadline to be considered:

Application package

An application package includes:

• An online application with professional profile, candidate interest short-essay, and demographic profile questions
• Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Three (3) recommendation forms from professional leaders, community-based leaders and organizers and others with demonstrated knowledge/experience of the applicant’s efforts towards advancing health equity

Note: After the applicant’s application and references are received, AMA-SHLI will send a recommendation form via e-mail to the references listed. All forms must be completed by the recommender for the application to be complete.  A deadline for recommendations will be provided.

Application essay questions

Please note there are four (4) essay sections as part of this application. The questions are noted here for reference should the applicant prefer to work on this prior to the final application submission.

1. Describe (in detail) the community in which your primary practice is located and tell us about the patient population that you serve. [150-250 words]
2. Provide one detailed example of how your previous training experience has affected your current practice. [250 words]
3. Describe one specific way that you feel your participation in this fellowship could have an impact on your ability to serve the community(ies) in which you work. [250 words]
4. How has your lived experience influenced your practice of medicine and decision to practice medicine? [250 words]

Full application packets are due by Monday, April 1, 2024 @ 11:59 pm ET.  

Recommendation forms are due by Friday, April 5, 2024 @ 11:59 pm ET.

A committee of leaders from AMA and SHLI will review the application packets and select the finalists. Finalists will then be invited for a virtual interview with AMA and SHLI leaders.

For additional information regarding the fellowship, please contact shlifellowship@msm.edu.