Connecting Advocacy & Medicine: SCCMA Hosts Stanford Residents for Community Engagement Lunch
On May 2nd, the Santa Clara County Medical Association (SCCMA) had the privilege of hosting a special lunch event with medical residents from Stanford’s Internal Medicine Health Equity, Advocacy, and Research (HEAR) Program and pediatric residents engaged in media and advocacy training. This collaborative gathering, held in partnership with the California Medical Association (CMA), was more than a shared meal—it was an intentional space for mentorship, reflection, and meaningful dialogue about the intersection of medicine and advocacy.
The HEAR program, founded and led by Dr. Lisa Chamberlain and coordinated by Dr. Christine Santiago and Dr. Vivien Kon-Ea Sun, is designed to cultivate the next generation of physician advocates. It offers Internal Medicine residents dedicated training in health equity, public policy, and community engagement. Through structured curriculum and hands-on experiences, HEAR prepares residents to think beyond the clinic walls—to serve as leaders in addressing health disparities and influencing systemic change.
The pediatric residents in attendance, many of whom are completing specialized rotations in media and advocacy, bring a unique and complementary lens to this shared mission. Their work focuses on harnessing the power of communication, storytelling, and policy to elevate pediatric health concerns and advance child health equity.
During the lunch, SCCMA Immediate Past President Dr. Gloria Wu and current President Dr. Fahd Khan joined the conversation—offering their insights and encouragement to the group of emerging leaders. Their presence underscored SCCMA’s ongoing commitment to supporting physicians at every stage of their career and reaffirmed the role that county medical societies can play in nurturing civic-minded, community-connected clinicians.
The event also gave residents an opportunity to learn more about organized medicine—how institutions like SCCMA and CMA advocate on behalf of physicians and patients alike at the local and state levels. It was a chance to bridge generations and roles within the medical profession, emphasizing that advocacy is not just a specialty—it’s a shared responsibility.
SCCMA continues to expand its programming around physician wellness, advocacy, and leadership development. This lunch is one of many efforts to highlight the non-clinical dimensions of medical training that are vital for shaping a responsive and compassionate healthcare system.
As SCCMA looks ahead, we remain committed to creating opportunities for connection, conversation, and change. We extend our deepest thanks to our colleagues at Stanford, the residents who participated, and our partners at CMA for making this event possible.
Caption for photo: “Get involved, and get involved early,” said Dr. Khan, as he welcomed the group.
Spotlight on Stanford’s HEAR Program
Stanford’s Health Equity, Advocacy, and Research (HEAR) pathway supports internal medicine residents with a structured curriculum on public policy, equity, and social justice in medicine. Learn more:
🔗 https://medicine.stanford.edu/residency/mentorship/merit/stanford-health-equity--advocacy-and-research--hears.html