Legislative Conference

What you learn

Legislative Conference participants will learn about issues and legislation that could affect the specialty’s future, receive expert advice on how to get your message heard by legislators, and help advance AADA’s legislative priorities by meeting via conference call with members of Congress and their staff to voice dermatology’s concerns.

No experience? No problem!

Attendees do not need to be experts on health policy, the legislative process, or the legislators themselves. Participants are joining the virtual conference as an expert in dermatology and patient care. The AADA will provide you with background materials on your legislators, AADA legislative priorities, briefing materials on legislation and training on how to advocate for the specialty in a meaningful way. Educational sessions will be available via live webinar and recorded videos.

Congressional tele-meetings

The AADA schedules all Congressional meetings for attendees. We use your home and office addresses to determine who your members of Congress are and then contact their offices to schedule meetings for you. Before conference calls with your members of Congress and their staffers, the AADA will provide you with specific information about legislative priorities, talking points, and other resources. Experienced physician advocates will also be on hand to lead calls and help prepare first time participants.

Registration opens Monday, Aug. 10, 2020. Registration closes Friday, Sept. 4, 2020. This virtual event is free to attend for all AAD members.

Commit to attend and sign up for more information today.

Videos, live webinars, and prep calls will be available to participants starting on Tuesday, September 8. Calls with members of Congress will take place on Tuesday, September 15. Participants are asked to reserve the hours of 9:00 AM-5:00 PM Eastern Time on this date for Congressional calls.

The program will contain policy-focused sessions via video and webinar, designed to offer an in-depth understanding of the issues participants will present to Congress during their tele-meetings on September 15. Participants will hear from AADA staff, members of Congress, and health policy experts.

Additionally, the virtual conference offers support and guidance from experienced member advocates, who will lead calls to Congress and help prepare their team to advocate on important issues. The AADA will schedule all of your Capitol Hill tele-meetings and provide background materials and briefing information so you can be fully prepared to meet with your members of Congress.

Congressional tele-meetings

On the final day of the virtual conference, attendees will meet with their members of Congress via conference call with a small group of attendees from their home state. Capitol Hill tele-meetings are scheduled by an outside consultant and schedules for those meetings will not be available until the week before the meeting. Schedules will be emailed to attendees. Until schedules are release, we ask that participants avoid scheduling patients during the hours of 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern Time.

Usually, the AADA awards several scholarships to residents who commit to year-long involvement in AADA grassroots advocacy. Past award-winners have stayed active by participating in grassroots email campaigns, meeting with their district Congressional offices, and actively participating in AADA advocacy-focused teleconferences. Following the Legislative Conference, AADA staff will follow up with award-winners to discuss a checklist of grassroots activities.

For the 2020 AADA Virtual Legislative Conference, residents are welcome to participate and will not need to apply for scholarships. As for all AAD members, participation in the virtual conference is free of charge.