About the Toolkit
Welcome to the first online edition of the Child Advocacy
Toolkit. Here you'll find quick references for use throughout
residency training and details about the child advocacy competencies
and expectations during your residency at the University of Virginia.
The toolkit is under development, so check back!
Individual
patient advocacy is such an important part of clinical care that all
pediatricians must be skilled and comfortable on the individual level.
But beyond this, we must also develop the skills necessary to advocate
for children and their families on a much broader level − within the
community, state, and nation. As a pediatrician, you are an
expert in child health and what is best for children. Our discipline
has a long tradition of working to improve the health and well-being of
all children. As Abraham Jacobi said: "The pediatrician is to sit in
and control school boards, health departments, and legislatures. He is
the legitimate adviser to the judge and the jury, and a seat for the
physician in the councils of the republic is what the people have a
right to demand."
The resources here, and the advocacy activities available to you
throughout your training, offer the tools, skills and experiences
necessary to establish your own individual advocacy foundation. Use
these opportunities to the advantage of our children and their
health!
Table of Contents
