March 2019 Issue
ISSN 2689-291X
ISSN 2689-291X
Political Perspective
The Making of a Young Politician Cardiologist!
The American College of Cardiology (ACC) is in great need for energetic young politically-oriented cardiologists to help in its political mission, and stand side by side with the elders who have earnestly carried this mission so far [1]. The ACC Political Action Committee (ACC-PAC), through its fellow sponsorship program, has been one successful venue for attracting young cardiologists to cardiopolitics [2]. In the January issue of the American College of Cardiology FIT (fellow-in-training) newsletter [3], Dr. Sarina Sachdev, editor and contributor to Cardiofellows Newsletter, and a budding interventional politico-cardiologist, wrote: (Link) |
|
Politics have never been my forte. I follow the major headlines, but never fully understood the intricacies of it. Recently, I found myself right in the middle of the action at Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, where I attended ACC's 2018 Legislative Conference on behalf of the ACC Alabama Chapter. As I perused through the itinerary for the conference days, I was uncertain of my role as a cardiology fellow and of what the ACC could do to impact a change. The day before our "Visit on the Hill," we gathered with other representatives of our state to discuss the key topics on the docket for this year's meeting. One key issue to advocate for was increasing awareness of cardiovascular disease in South Asians, and promote funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and National Institutes of Health to enhance research and medical innovation to better care for this patient population. As a South Asian, I eagerly volunteered to represent my community.
The following day we met with our congressional representatives. The first meeting of the day was with Senator Doug Jones. As he listened attentively, I briefly explained the few bullet points I wrote down the night before. I was sure to be complete in the message I wanted to convey, but concise as I knew his time was valuable. As the day progressed, I grew more confident in my delivery. Before I knew it, I was already on the plane back to Alabama. While in flight, I reflected on the long and tiring day. I realized the magnitude of the actions that the ACC accomplished in just this one day. Members came to Washington, DC, from all over the U.S. to voice important issues and concerns within the cardiology community. This valuable experience enabled me to serve my community beyond the walls of the hospital and take on a role that extends beyond patient interaction.
References:
- Walsh MN. Advocacy for Health Care: All Hands on Deck! J Am Coll Cardiol. 2017 May 16;69(19):2457-2458.
- Seals AA.The Diverse Functions of Advocacy and the Implications for All ACC Members. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2016 Sep 20;68(12):1365-7.
- Sachdev S, Chirummilla S. Advocacy: A Tale of Two Fellows. https://www.acc.org/ membership/sections-and-councils/fellows-in-training-section/section updates/2019/01/ 24/11/55/advocacy-a-tale-of-two-fellows.
Author:
Sarina Sachdev, M.D.
Cardiology Fellow
University of South Alabama
Mobile, AL
Bassam Omar, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Cardiology
University of South Alabama
Mobile, AL