Last April, an unprecedented and record-setting 500 internists and medical student members, hailing from all 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico, took time out of their busy schedules to come to Washington to have their voices heard. After a briefing on ACP's top issues -- access to care, physician reimbursement, the future of primary care and stopping Medicare pay cuts -- they took the College's message to Capitol Hill. As a result, many of the key policies recommended by ACP were later incorporated into Medicare legislation enacted by Congress and signed into law by President Bush.

Leadership Day 2009 will take place on May 19-20 at the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel in Washington, D.C. This two-day event will occur at a critical time for internal medicine. President-elect Obama and key congressional leaders have made it clear that legislation to expand access, reform Medicare physician payments, and support for primary care will be top priorities in 2009. You can help make sure that ACP's voice is heard on these issues by participating in Leadership Day 2009.

Leadership Day is a two-day event that provides ACP members with advocacy or media training, an update on the College's priority legislative issues, and briefings from Members of Congress, White House officials, and key Capitol Hill staffers, as well as opportunities to meet with each state's federal-elected officials. A special briefing for associate and medical students is also provided.

The College urges all chapters to participate in the 17th annual Leadership Day on Capitol Hill. Watch for more details in future ACP Advocate newsletters. In the meantime, ACP members interested in attending are urged to contact their chapter Governors as soon as possible.

For more information, please contact Shuan Tomlinson at stomlinson@acponline.org or 800-338-2746 ext. 4547.