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July 7 2021 – The American Medical Association (AMA) and the Satcher Health Leadership Institute (SHLI) at the Morehouse School of Medicine today announced the selection of 12 physicians as the inaugural fellows for the Medical Justice in Advocacy Fellowship, a new collaborative initiative empowering physician-led advocacy to advance health equity, removing barriers to optimal health for all.  
 
Over 300 applications were received nationwide. The selected fellows represent a unique group of physicians from around the country encompassing multiple specialties, all with a commitment to addressing the root causes of health inequities and improving the health and wellbeing of their patients and the communities they serve. 
 
 
Eileen Barrett, M.D., M.P.H., S.F.H.M., M.A.C.P.
Amber Clark, M.D.
Charles Calvin Coleman, M.D.
Lorenzo Antonio Gonzalez, M.D., M.P.L
Omar Guzman, M.D.
Kamaal A. Jones, M.D.
Kameryn J. Lee, M.D., M.S.P.H., F.A.C.O.G.
Melissa Palma, M.D., M.P.H.
Avani K. Patel, M.D., M.H.A
Shilpen Patel, M.D., F.A.C.R.O, F.A.S.T.R.O
Maya Ragavan, M.D., M.P.H., M.S.
Ramona Rhodes, M.D., M.P.H., M.S.C.S.
 
“It is an honor to welcome the inaugural cohort of physicians for the Medical Justice in Advocacy Fellowship,” said AMA’s Chief Health Equity Officer Aletha Maybank, M.D., M.P.H. “The AMA is committed to educating and empowering a new generation of physician leaders that can effectively advocate for advancing equity and justice within their own communities, bringing us closer to our goal of improving the health of our nation.”  
 
“We are thrilled to provide the selected fellows with an innovative mentoring and training platform that uses an anti-racist and equity-centered framework. This initiative is a unique opportunity to equip physicians with the tools, skills, and knowledge to engage in institutional and political health advocacy –offering solutions for a more healthy, equitable, and inclusive society,” said Daniel E. Dawes, J.D., professor of health policy and executive director of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at the Morehouse School of Medicine and author of ‘The Political Determinants of Health.’
 
The fellowship will cultivate physicians as the next generation of advocacy leaders, driving meaningful policy and structural changes that ensure equity and justice in medicine and their communities. Under the mentorship of renowned multidisciplinary health equity experts, the fellows will work collaboratively to generate and exchange solutions for implementing healthy equity projects focused on ensuring better health outcomes and closing health gaps for patients and their communities.
 
The inaugural Medical Justice in Advocacy fellowship will take place from September 2021 – November 2022, convening monthly for learning and mentor engagement. For additional information on the fellowship and to follow the fellows’ activities, visit the Medical Justice in Advocacy Fellowship website.
 
 
 
About the American Medical Associatio
The American Medical Association is the physicians’ powerful ally in patient care. As the only medical association that convenes 190+ state and specialty medical societies and other critical stakeholders, the AMA represents physicians with a unified voice to all key players in health care. The AMA leverages its strength by removing the obstacles that interfere with patient care, leading the charge to prevent chronic disease and confront public health crises, and driving the future of medicine to tackle the biggest challenges in health care. For more information, visit ama-assn.org.
 
About Morehouse School of Medicine
Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), located in Atlanta, Ga., was founded in 1975 as the Medical Education Program at Morehouse College. In 1981, MSM became an independently chartered institution. MSM is among the nation’s leading educators of primary care physicians and was recently recognized as the top institution among U.S. medical schools for social mission. Our faculty and alumni are noted in their fields for excellence in teaching, research and public policy. MSM is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, Council on Education for Public Health, Liaison Committee on Medical Education and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. https://www.msm.edu/
 
About Satcher Health Leadership Institute
The Satcher Health Leadership Institute (SHLI) aims to be the leading transformational force for health equity in policy, leadership development and research. Rooted in the legacy of its founder, the 16th U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. David Satcher, SHLI’s mission is to create systemic change at the intersection of policy and equity by focusing on three priority areas: the political determinants of health, health system transformation, and mental and behavioral health. In conjunction with key strategic partners, SHLI enhances leadership among diverse learners, conducts forward-thinking research on the drivers of health inequities and advances evidence-based policies, all in an effort to contribute to the achievement of health equity for all population groups. Learn more at: https://satcherinstitute.org; https://healthequitynetwork.org; https://healthequitytracker.org