Advocates on the Hill

The work can be challenging, Dr. Sampson says, and collaborating with more experienced colleagues like Dr. Gewanter has been beneficial.

“It can be disheartening to see how difficult it can be to make positive changes in Washington,” he says. “One pearl of encouragement that I took away from a talk by Dr. Gewanter on Monday [during the visit to the Hill] is that although things can seem confusing and [progress moves] at a glacial pace in Washington, we have to remember that our goal is to give a voice to our patients. The fruits of our efforts are not usually immediately seen.”

Kelly April Tyrrell writes about health, science and health policy. She lives in Madison, Wis.