The mission of the University of Wisconsin Department of Pediatrics is to promote and enhance the health of children through outstanding clinical care, exemplary education of pediatrics trainees, performance of cutting-edge research, and vigorous advocacy. Pediatricians are natural advocates. In addition to daily bedside and outpatient clinical advocacy for individual patients, our providers practice broader advocacy activities as well.
Community
We partner with local schools and community organizations to promote research-based, equitable solutions in children’s physical and mental health, and serve as board members on various local organizations.
Legislative
Children can’t vote and can’t necessarily speak for themselves, so we advocate on their behalf, whether that be for safe sports participation or effective vaccine use. We also serve as advisors on various governmental councils and to school districts.
Professional
Many of our members hold leadership positions within the American Academy of Pediatrics or other professional organizations and collaborate with pediatricians across the state, country, and world to improve child health.
Expert advice and commentary
Department members impart their expertise through media interviews, op-eds, letters to the editor, and journal articles. See below for examples of two of our faculty members providing expert advice!
Related Links
Learn More
The Murray Katcher Child Health Advocacy Lectureship
Thursday, April 11, 2024 | 7:30-8:30 a.m. via Zoom and HSLC 1345
This lectureship features speakers who address the challenges and successes of advocacy for health and safety of children and vulnerable adults. Learn more here.
The Department of Pediatrics honors current and former members of the department who have gone above and beyond in their careers through named lectureships. These important lectureships are designed to strengthen the abilities of physicians practicing pediatric medicine in areas such as patient care, healthcare research, medical education, public health, and innovation. Our lectureships create space for comradery and community among faculty, staff, and trainees.
Funds donated to these lectureships go directly to providing high-quality education for all faculty, staff, and trainees in the Department of Pediatrics by inviting distinguished lecturers. Lectureships are accredited and provide continuing medical education credits for faculty.
Donate to the Katcher Lectureship today!
Klass P, Heard-Garris N, Navsaria D. Effective Communication for Child Advocacy: Getting the Message out Beyond Clinic Walls. Pediatr Clin North Am. 2023 Feb;70(1):165-179. doi: 10.1016/j.pcl.2022.09.015. PMID: 36402466.
McAdams RM. Artist’s Statement: Seeking Asylum. Acad Med. 2022 Oct 1;97(10):1437. doi: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000004841. Epub 2022 Sep 23. PMID: 36198156.
Zimmerman KO, Goldman JL, Schuster JE, Mena A, Quiriconi M, Butteris SM, Koval S, DeMuri GP, Mueller NB, Benjamin DK, Armstrong SC, Kalu IC, Boutzoukas A, Moorthy GS, Lane H, Weber DJ, Newland JG. Building a National Framework to Pair Scientists and Schools During a Global Pandemic. Pediatrics. 2022 Feb 1;149(Suppl 2):e2021054268D. doi: 10.1542/peds.2021-054268D. PMID: 34737179.
Shah S, Brumberg HL, Kuo A, Balasubramaniam V, Wong S, Opipari V. Academic Advocacy and Promotion: How to Climb a Ladder Not Yet Built. J Pediatr. 2019 Oct;213:4-7.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2019.07.051. PMID: 31561780.
| Child Nutrition | Food Insecurity Toolkit
WIC Dane County, sign up here |
| Safety | AAP Gun Violence Toolkit |
| Health Care | AAP Children’s Health Care Coverage Fact Sheets |
| Disability/Special Needs | Southern Regional Center |
| General Resources | Advocacy Report, American Academy of Pediatrics
Advocacy Leadership Descriptions, AAP Community Practice Training Initiative Children’s Hospital Association Advocacy Tools Starter Guide on Policy and Advocacy in Wisconsin, Kids Forward |
More Advocacy
Megan Yanny helps distribute school supplies to area students during back-to-school event for families with limited incomes
Last month, 100 Black Men of Madison hosted its 28th Annual Back to School Celebration at the Madison College Truax Campus in Madison, Wisconsin. The group distributed hundreds of backpacks filled with school supplies to …
Carter Ralphe will serve second term on AHA National Advocacy Coordinating Committee
J. Carter Ralphe, MD, professor and chief, Division of Cardiology, was selected to serve a second term on the American Heart Association’s (AHA) National Advocacy Coordinating Committee (ACC). The ACC sets advocacy policy for the …
Dipesh Navsaria and colleagues provide communications guidance for pediatric advocacy
In an accessible and comprehensive article, Dipesh Navsaria, MPH, MSLIS, MD, associate professor, Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, and clinical associate professor of human development and family studies at UW–Madison’s School of Human …
Recent Pediatric Grand Rounds offers pediatricians relevant advocacy and federal Loan Repayment Program information
Vigorous advocacy is a core tenet of the UW Department of Pediatrics mission. Vivek Balasubramaniam, MD, associate professor, Division of Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine, is an active participant in the department’s advocacy efforts and was …
Department of Pediatrics faculty members and local teens featured in ‘Asking for a friend’ series on YouTube
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) teamed up with UW Department of Pediatrics faculty members and local teens for a YouTube video series about important mental health topics. In the “Asking for a friend” video …
- More Advocacy posts