Public Health & Advocacy Track
The Montana Family Medicine Residency Public Health and Advocacy Track offers doctors the skills and perspective to act as advocates for their communities. Residents have the chance to broaden their knowledge of:
- Population health
- Preventive medicine
- Social and behavioral determinants of health
- Community health advocacy
- Legislative advocacy
Topics include: health policy, epidemiology, legislative advocacy, community outreach and engagement activities. It combines experiential and didactic learning opportunities in Public Health Services at RiverStone Health, coupled with distance learning from the University of Montana. Residents receive a Track Certification of Completion from MFMR and have the opportunity to receive a Certificate of Public Health from the University of Montana, with the option of applying their credit toward a future Master of Public Health graduate degree.
All trackers have opportunities to interact with their legislators at the state capitol in Helena and their U.S. congressional delegation in Washington, D.C., and to set up elective time with the state medical officer in Helena.
At the beginning of the intern year, one resident will be selected from interested candidates. Acceptance hinges on past involvement in community health and advocacy, the likelihood of integrating community health into a future practice, and the likelihood of ongoing practice in Montana. They also have the opportunity to participate in a state physician leadership program and receive credit toward a Masters in Health Administration through Montana State University-Billings.
