Physician Scientist Activism

Started by EpiGirl
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EpiGirl

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In the forum's collective experience, do unique opportunities for activism open up when one becomes a physician-scientist? I am thinking in particular of the question of universal health care in the U.S.--I recognize that not all physicians support the idea, but for those who do support it I could see how a medical and scientific training could give their opinions a certain weight if they were used creatively.

I'm asking partly because I hope someone will say "Why yes, as a matter of fact..." and then suggest something inspirational. I want to get involved NOW, especially since this is an election year, but I don't feel like I've heard a satisfying answer to the question "What can I do?" Financial contributions to existing groups (like Physicians for a National Health Program, say) are not currently much of an option for me. Most often the answer I hear is to write to my congressperson--well, my congressperson is Barbara Lee, i.e. one of the converted. Anything else? Write an op-ed? What would I advocate in that op-ed? Telling other people to write to their congresspeople?

Oh, that I might not grown old jaded...
 
Well, with regards to physician-scientist activism, you could go to any of the student groups on your campus - AMA, AMSA, or PNHP and volunteer your time there. No money required. Just get involved.

As an aside, scientists and physicians are more capable of designing a new treatment and determining if that new treatment is effective in combating a condition, but I don't believe that they are automatically an expert on how to implement that treatment. The daVinci robot system is a marvel of design and improves outcomes, so you might say every hospital should have one. However, it costs a million dollars and lowers the number of patients seen (thereby decreasing billing), so it may not work for most hospitals.

For the future, Robert Wood Johnson has a public health policy fellowship where you use your medical background to learn how to advise policy-makers and government officials.