What Does it Mean to be an Advocate? Reflections from the ACS Leadership and Advocacy Summit 2025

By Shannon F.R. Small, MD, FACS

The word “advocate” can mean a variety of things, especially within the medical field. Most commonly, patients are asked to designate their own advocate, someone to speak for them. Hospitals may employ dedicated advocates to aid patients in navigating the complex medical system. Medical staff may ask for representatives to serve as advocates towards hospital leadership. I consider myself an advocate for my patients, for the students and residents I mentor, and for my colleagues. Recently, I discovered a new dimension of advocacy when I attended my first American College of Surgeons’ Leadership and Advocacy Summit. This annual meeting brings together medical students, residents, and attending surgeons from across the country for sessions focused on leadership development and health policy. The Summit culminates in a visit to Capitol Hill, where each state delegation meets with congressional representatives to discuss key legislative priorities supported by the American College of Surgeons’ Professional Political Action Committee (ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC).

This year, these priorities included increased funding for the CDC’s Injury and Violence Prevention Program, reauthorization of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act—which has already supported over 250,000 healthcare workers through mental health initiatives—improvements in cancer care and access, and support for addressing neglected surgical conditions. For the first time since becoming a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, I felt that the organization was actively advocating for me and on behalf of causes I care deeply about. The experience was eye-opening and reaffirmed the importance of organized advocacy in medicine. I would strongly encourage young surgeons, residents, and medical students to attend this annual event at least once, if possible, as it offers a powerful perspective on how we, as surgeons, can influence meaningful change beyond the bedside on behalf of ourselves and our patients.

In today’s rapidly shifting landscape, the mission to provide equitable, compassionate care to all patients—regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, or beliefs—has increasingly been misconstrued or dismissed as “woke” ideology. Attending this Summit reaffirmed that the American College of Surgeons, as the largest surgical organization in the world, remains committed to its core values and continues to advocate for all patients. Words like “diversity”, “inclusion,” and “equity” are not political buzzwords; they are the foundational values on which the ACS was built, and they remain central to its mission today. These principles are not only ethical – they are essential to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care.

We are currently living through uncertain and often troubling times. I choose to believe in unity over division – that advocacy for the rights and dignity of all people will bring us closer together. That science and evidence-based practice will continue to guide our decisions. That the Hippocratic Oath – the vow to “not permit considerations of race, religion, nationality, party, politics, or social standing to intervene between my duty and my patient” will prevail.

I remain hopeful and I remain steadfast in my belief in the power of advocacy.

To learn more about ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC, please visit https://www.surgeonspac.org/about-surgeonspac/

My blog reflects my own opinions. I do not speak as a representative of the ACS, ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC, AWS, or Yale University. My statements are entirely my own.