ISMA Physician Advocacy Leadership Training Program

Accredited for up to 10.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™

October 2024 - May 2025

Registration is required and restricted to ISMA members only.
Capacity is limited to the first 25 registrants.  

Fee: $200

Program Description:

The ISMA Advocacy Training Program is a dynamic hybrid initiative designed to cultivate and enhance the skills of our most engaged members. This comprehensive program combines online learning with in-person sessions to provide a flexible yet rigorous training experience.

Topics that will be covered include: how policy is made in Indiana, the anatomy of the federal and state legislatures, how to track bills, how to write a resolution for the ISMA House of Delegates, self-awareness and self-management when meeting with legislators, and how to prepare for meetings with policymakers.

Asynchronous, Zoom, and in-person sessions led by ISMA’s Government Relations (GR) team and other subject-matter experts will take place from October 2024 through May 2025. Participants will also attend Physician Advocacy Day at the Statehouse in March.

Training Program Schedule:

Asynchronous Learning
Recording will be sent Oct. 1
Presenter: Luke McNamee, JD, Director of Government and Policy Affairs 
Physician Advocacy Fundamentals

• How policy is made in Indiana.
• The anatomy of the federal and state legislatures.
• How to track bills.

Tuesday, Oct. 15
6 – 7 p.m. ET via Zoom
Presenter: John Ruckelshaus, Vice President of Government Relations
Advocacy Training Kick off

• Introductions
• Orientation
• Physician Advocacy Fundamentals recording session recap.
• Q&A
• Next steps

Asynchronous Learning
Recording will be sent mid-October
Presenter: Luke McNamee, JD, Director of Government and Policy Affairs 
Physician Advocacy Essentials

• How physicians can participate in the legislative process.
• How to build relationships with legislators.
• Preparing to educate and establish creditability before constituent engagement. 
• ISMA grassroots efforts through the “Action Center” and sending emails to legislators.

Friday, Nov. 22
1 – 4 p.m. ET, in-person at ISMA Headquarters
Presenter:  Pete Friedmann, Friedmann Communications, Inc.
Building Relationships with Legislators

• Effective methods for building relationships and communicating with legislators in the form of in-person visits, phone calls, emails, and/or letters.
• Understanding each methodology to determine which option best suits goals, and how to start a dialogue.
• How to prepare for meetings with policymakers.
• Best practices in meetings with policymakers.
• Roleplaying a practice meeting.
• Evaluation and execution of appropriate follow-up to meetings with policymakers.

Asynchronous Learning
Recording will be sent at the end of November
Presenter: Luke McNamee, JD, Director of Government and Policy Affairs 
Nuts and Bolts of How to Write a Resolution for the ISMA House of Delegates

Asynchronous Learning
Recording will be sent at the end of December
Presenter: Luke McNamee, JD, Director of Government and Policy Affairs 
Physician Advocacy Prioritization and Strategy

• How to identify and analyze issues.
• How to identify an appropriate policy solution.
• Assessing and prioritizing policy options.
• Defining strategies for getting policies enacted and implemented.

Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025
6 – 7 p.m. ET via Zoom
Presenter: John Ruckelshaus, Vice President of Government Relations
Advocacy Regroup

• Recap of the nuts and bolts of writing a resolution and physician advocacy prioritization and strategy session.
• Legislative Session Update
• Q&A
• Next steps

Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Time TBA, in-person at the Indiana Statehouse
Presenter: John Ruckelshaus, Vice President of Government Relations
Physician Advocacy Day at the Statehouse

Saturday, May 17, 2025
2 – 3 p.m., in-person at ISMA Headquarters or via Zoom
Presenter: TBD
Overcome Challenges During the Legislative Session

• Challenges that arise during the legislative session.
• How to address opposition testimony.
• Explain how to handle controversial topics or fiscal impact.

Saturday, May 17, 2025
3 – 4 p.m., in-person at ISMA Headquarters or via Zoom
Presenter: TBD
Working with Media, Public Speaking and Running for Office

• Ethical physician conduct in the media.
• How to leverage different media tactics to drive conversions.
• Define strategies for public speaking.
• Introduction to the steps needed to plan to run for public office.

CME INFORMATION

Designation Statement: The Indiana State Medical Association (ISMA) designates this live Other (hybrid) activity for a maximum of 10.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Accreditation Statement: The Indiana State Medical Association (ISMA) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Disclosure Policy: In accordance with The Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, educational programs sponsored by the ISMA must demonstrate balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor. Prior to the activity, all faculty, authors, editors and planning committee members participating in an ISMA-sponsored activity are required to disclose to attendees any financial relationships with an “ineligible company” whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.

Disclosure Statement:  There are no relevant financial relationships with an ineligible company to identify, mitigate or disclose because the content of this activity is non-clinical in nature.

If you have questions, contact ISMA Continuing Medical Education staff at 800-257-4762 or seminars@ismanet.org.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE:  Sept. 30, 2024, at 11:59 PM ET

When registering, please ensure you are taking the following steps to complete the order.

1. Click on the “Register” button at the bottom of the event landing page.
2. Your registration will then be “pending checkout.”  Please click on the “Proceed to Checkout” button.
3. Your Shopping Cart will display.  Please click on the “Submit Order” button.
4. Once you’ve successfully submitted the order, an Order Confirmation page pops up indicating that “a confirmation email is being sent to you” at the email address on file. That confirmation email will contain additional details.