Reflection: Dr. Estevez-Celi’s Experience at the Family Medicine Advocacy Summit

ByEmily Bishop

By Carlos Estevez-Celi, DO

During residency, I have been fortunate to train in a program that not only values patient care but also emphasizes the importance of policy advocacy. That encouragement led me to join the Colorado Academy of Family Physicians’ Legislative Committee as an intern, a step that eventually brought me to Washington, D.C. this spring as part of the Colorado delegation to the Family Medicine Advocacy Summit (FMAS).

With support from a CAFP scholarship, I joined colleagues from across the country to represent both Colorado and our national family medicine community. The summit began with powerful speaker panels and briefings on the urgent policy challenges facing primary care. We were given background materials and prepared for the day ahead, when we would head to Capitol Hill to meet directly with Congressional and Senate staff.

Walking the halls of Congress, we carried with us the voices of our patients and the realities of the exam room. Although the atmosphere was heavy as H.R. 1 loomed, we approached each meeting with determination. From office to office, we shared stories of how these policies would affect access to care in our communities. Even when lawmakers were unable to meet with us personally, we ensured their offices received detailed materials, leaving behind the patient-centered perspective that too often goes unheard in policy discussions.

While H.R. 1 ultimately passed, the experience was far from a defeat. Advocacy is not measured only by legislative outcomes, but also by the awareness and understanding we build. In every conversation, congressional aides expressed gratitude for the clarity and real-world context we provided. We may not have changed the final vote, but we did change perceptions—and that is the foundation for future progress.

For me, the FMAS was a reminder that advocacy is an extension of our role as family physicians. Just as we stand beside our patients in the clinic, we must also stand for them in the policy arena. This experience reaffirmed that our collective voices are powerful and that meaningful change begins when we show up, speak up, and refuse to be silent.

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Dr. Estevez-Celi was the recipient of CAFP Foundation’s Resident Skills in Advocacy scholarship. To learn more about applying for this or any of CAFPF’s scholarships, click here.