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Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology

Resident Advocacy

Advocacy is central our program's mission. Our residents train at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County — Chicago's primary safety net hospital — serving a richly diverse community. We equip them with both clinical excellence and advocacy skills to drive positive change wherever their careers take them.

Advocacy Opportunities

Advocacy Education

Our curriculum incorporates advocacy training, including a framework women’s health advocacy and an understanding of the state and federal legislative process.

Trainees have actively contributed to Illinois policy, advancing measures related to HPV vaccination, parental leave and abortion access.

Mentorship

Our residents work with faculty to address healthcare access disparities. Our mentors include leaders in the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Residents develop  the vision and skills to get involved and build careers of meaningful service.

Community Engagement and Research

Our residents participate in community outreach, promoting health education and healthcare access.

One opportunity is the Northwestern Center for Health Equity and Transformation, which addresses health inequity through research, education and community engagement.

Recent Advocacy Work

  • Our annual Summer Series offers residents protected time for immersive learning in healthcare advocacy. The 2024 program, "Sense of Place and Self: Exploring Who We Are and the Communities We Serve," connects residents with community activists, health-equity researchers and local Federally Qualified Health Centers through weekly panel discussions and site visits.
  • Hebron Kelecha, MD, recently joined Governor Pritzker's Think Big America campaign to expand abortion access nationwide. Her work included advocating for ballot measures to protect abortion rights and representing these efforts at the Democratic National Convention.
  • Anna Marie Pacheco Young, MD, recently worked with the Illinois Department of Public Health to educate Chicago's Spanish speaking community about the rise of syphilis cases in Illinois and the dangers of congenital syphilis. Good Morning Aurora interviewed her in both English and Spanish to raise awareness and educate listeners about screening and seeking treatment during pregnancy.
Hebron Kelecha, MD, posing a guest at the Democratic National Convention
Anna Marie Pacheco Young, MD, at the radio studio for an interview with Good Morning Aurora