VIEWPOINTS
The American Society of Hematology ( ASH ) selected Jerome Seid , MD , as its 2020 – 2021 ASH Congressional Fellow . The Congressional Fellow program aims to connect hematologists to the policymaking process and educate congressional members and staff about issues that are important to hematologists and their patients . In his final column , Dr . Seid reflects on the past year spent working in the office of Nevada Senator Jacky Rosen .
Reflections on the Fellowship
Jerome Seid , MD
The content of Notes from the Hill is the opinion of the author and does not represent the official position of the American Society of Hematology unless so stated .
● AS I FINISH this amazing year as the ASH Congressional Fellow , I ’ m feeling content but sad to relinquish my position . I ’ m also excited , and even a bit nervous , to return to practice . I view my nearly all-virtual fellowship experience as a resounding success . I say “ nearly ” because , during the brief but palpable summer lull in COVID-19 cases , I was able to make my way to Washington , DC , and the Senate office where I would have worked in a normal year . I spent a too-short week with the remarkable staff I had worked with remotely during the year , and met with Sen . Rosen , too . I left convinced that I had chosen the right legislative office and wanting to prolong the experience – a do-over even !
During that week in DC , I was able to put the final touches on the two palliative care bills I had worked on throughout the fellowship . Obtaining bipartisan support for the bills was challenging and gratifying , but it does not compare to the exhilaration of walking them over to the Democratic cloakroom in the Capitol to introduce them ! It is truly difficult to describe the experience , which might seem mundane to Capitol staffers , but was a once-in-a-lifetime event for me ! I applied to the ASH Congressional Fellowship with the conviction that a bill to improve access to transfusion within the Medicare Hospice Benefit – consistent with the a policy statement published by ASH in 2019 – would be an achievable goal . I cannot express adequately the satisfaction I feel at having accomplished it !
So , what will I do now with the knowledge I have gained from this experience ? At the beginning of the fellowship , one of my goals was to immerse myself in federal legislative processes so that I could return to my Michigan practice with more confidence and better understanding of health care policy and politics . For example , inequities and disparities in health care access are more apparent than ever , and I look forward to evaluating how my own practice functions in these areas . I intend to use the experiences of this past year to be more deliberate in my own advocacy efforts with the legislators in Michigan . Having now worked both sides of the constituent meeting conference table , I have gained valuable perspective that I hope will translate into advocacy success . Using local and regional opportunities to inform and teach other physicians , I hope to increase appreciation of the importance of advocacy . It is a critical , but often overlooked , component of patient care that helps create more equitable and functional health care delivery for the benefit of patients and providers at all stages of their careers .
Another welcome aspect of the experience was the opportunity to engage with the ASH Committee on Government Affairs , to which I provided updates on my work . Near the conclusion of the fellowship , I was given the added pleasure and privilege of being asked to serve on that same committee . I look forward to continuing to actively participate and contribute to ASH ’ s advocacy efforts .
As I conclude my last “ Note from the Hill ,” I want to emphasize the importance and merits of the ASH Congressional Fellowship . To readers who may be considering applying but have questions or reservations about doing so , I can confidently say that there is truly no downside . I have frequently wished I had been aware of this opportunity sooner .
Formal ASH sponsorship of an AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship is a relatively recent development , and I haven ’ t found a limit to the benefits that fellows can accrue , no matter where they are along the practice spectrum from trainee to established practitioner . I encourage ASH members to not be dissuaded from applying Dr . Seid holds the two bills he worked on ( top ), then had the opportunity to walk them to the Democratic to the fellowship cloakroom in the Capitol so they could be introduced . because they do not have a platform or specific topic for Congressional action . Yes , there are criteria , but being passionate about patients , committed to the mission and goals of ASH , maintaining an open mind , and being willing to try something outside one ’ s own comfort zone seem to be the most important qualifications in worthy candidates . Fellows working with Congress can readily achieve their goals of making an impact on heath policy , and achieving personal growth is guaranteed .
Go ahead and apply – you will not be disappointed .
Become the Next ASH Congressional Fellow !
The application cycle for the 2022-2023 fellowship opens November 15 , 2021 and closes Monday , January 31 , 2022 . Visit hematology . org / advocacy / congressionalfellowship to learn more .
10 ASH Clinical News November 2021