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Consumer Health Advocacy Impacts Lives

Stethoscope used by health care workers who practice consumer health advocacy

Are you interested in learning more about consumer health and how to make a positive impact on patients? The Capstone Certificate in Consumer Health Advocacy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison could be right for you.

Capstone Certificates require a bachelor’s degree, but appeal to a wide variety of learners. Students range from health care providers who want to understand the complex healthcare system, aspiring health professionals taking time off before graduate or professional school, professionals interested in a new career, and others drawn to advocacy for personal or professional reasons.

Practical Learning

Carmi Pietila, a former Consumer Health Advocacy student, says her experience in the program gave her a hands-on training on how patients and families navigate the healthcare system.

“The Certificate program has afforded me a truly invaluable educational experience through applied learning and inter-disciplinary collaboration,” Pietila says. “Certificate students are given a unique opportunity to direct their own learning plan, which allows them to gain applicable experience and knowledge. I would highly recommend this program to anyone in a health care profession or anyone who would like to become a savvier health care consumer.”

The program is offered in both online and blended formats. The field of health advocacy is projected to grow more than 20 percent in the next decade due to efforts to improve health outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and ensure that every individual receives the best possible care.

Making a Positive Impact

Another student spoke of her renewed commitment to helping patients who are at risk for low quality or a lack of healthcare options.

“My experience here at the Center has already had a huge impact on how I talk and think. I listen much better than I used to; I ask questions I never would have before … I know my experience here has influenced my decision to look for opportunities to work with the under-served people within my own community.”

To learn more about the Capstone Certificate in Consumer Health Advocacy at UW-Madison, visit the program’s Guide page.

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