Palatucci Advocacy Leadership Forum
About the Forum
The Palatucci Advocacy Leadership Forum provides advocacy fundamentals we can immediately use no matter what our particular passion. I think sometimes people associate advocacy with political involvement but attending PALF makes you aware that there are many different ways to be an advocate and many different tools at our disposal. It also connects you with colleagues who have similar interests or who have faced similar challenges.—Lynn Rankin, MD, 2007 Graduate, President, Iowa Neurological Association
What is the Donald M. Palatucci Advocacy Leadership Forum?
The Donald M. Palatucci Advocacy Leadership Forum is an award-winning advocacy leadership skills-development program, created by the American Academy of Neurology. The program is designed to train selected members to be effective advocates for their profession and their patients at the local, state, and national levels.
This four-day program is highly interactive and offers challenging workshops in effective legislative advocacy, public and media relations, and advocacy action planning.
The Palatucci Advocacy Leadership Forum honors the memory of AAN Board of Directors Member Donald M. Palatucci, MD. His spirited efforts as an advocate for his patients and profession will continue to inspire future champions for neurology through this premier program.
What skills will I learn?
The Donald M. Palatucci Advocacy Leadership Forum will equip you with the tools you need to be an effective leader. As a Forum participant you will:
- Develop leadership skills using proven techniques
- Acquire advanced communication and grassroots advocacy skills
- Create an advocacy action plan to help you reach your goals
- Learn techniques to empower and motivate your peers to join you in your advocacy efforts
- Gain insight from the advocacy experiences of Forum graduates
What is expected of Forum participants?
Advocacy Leader trainees are required to actively participate in the program by:
- Attending all of the planned sessions, workshops and activities;
- Completing an advocacy action plan
- Reporting on their activities in the advocacy blogs
- Serving as a "key contact" for the Academy throughout the year on vital local, state, and national issues
Who can apply?
The Academy seeks applicants who possess strong leadership potential and a clear passion for patient and professional advocacy. Members in good standing at the American Academy of Neurology may apply for the Donald M. Palatucci Advocacy Leadership Forum.
How do I apply?
Members apply by providing their background information, a summary of their advocacy and leadership experience, and responses to the following application questions:
- Why do you want to be chosen for the Palatucci Advocacy Leadership Forum to be trained as an advocacy leader?
- Where does your strongest advocacy interest lie?
- How do you envision applying the skills you learn at the program?
- What past leadership or advocacy experience do you have that relates to health care or issues of importance to you?
- Provide one example of a time you have demonstrated leadership skills?
Who will be selected?
The Academy will select approximately 30 members for the training program, typically twenty-seven US members and three international members.
What is the cost to me?
The Academy will cover your travel expenses, hotel accommodations, and meals during the Forum. Any other expenses are the responsibility of program participants.
Are there any other leadership-development opportunities after the first year of training?
Graduates of the Donald M. Palatucci Advocacy Leadership Forum are eligible to apply to be Advisors to the incoming class of Advocates. The Advisor program is an advanced leadership development track that provides training on how to coach individuals and institutions through the change process. Up to ten Advocacy Leaders from previous Forums will be selected each year to participate as Advisors in the Palatucci Advocacy Leadership Forum.
The Donald M. Palatucci Advocacy Leadership Forum is supported in part by an educational grant from UCB, Inc.