Health advocacy is a critical way to influence health policy and the wellbeing of our patients. Surgeons are increasingly recognizing the impact of the social determinants of health on surgical outcomes. Socially responsible surgery requires surgeons to advocate for their patients and communities to address inequity resulting from disparities related to the social determinants of health. However, further work is needed to teach aspiring surgeons how to advocate effectively. Introduction of surgical advocacy to medical students can help future surgical trainees understand that socially responsible advocacy is the work of surgeons and learn to incorporate advocacy into their future careers. To this end, we have developed a curriculum termed the Advocacy Toolbox: a program centered on surgical mentorship, advocacy didactics, and a longitudinal project. The Advocacy Toolbox aims to equip first year medical students with the tools needed to advocate for their patients and communities in a variety of contexts. The program is currently being implemented with a group of 15 first year medical students, with plans to expand the program in future years.
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