Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Do physicians make the best politicians?

Anonymous
Physician
January 4, 2018
19 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

Even though we have probably 20 years of work remaining as physicians, like a lot of you, I like to think about how we will spend our retirement years. After all, in twenty years we will still only be in our early fifties, hopefully with no dependents and a lot of financial security. Of course, my wife and I are interested in traveling, spending time with grandchildren (hopefully), gardening and all of the other leisurely pursuits we enjoy and have largely put off to this point. But unlike my wife, I also have a different kind of interest for my post-medicine life: a second career in politics. (I’m trying to convince my wife that she may have a future as a lobbyist/DC power broker like the sultry Claire Underwood.) At least perhaps we can eat breakfast at Freddy’s BBQ Joint.

Really? Politics?

I have always been engaged politically and interested in the political process, but the idea to run for office someday really came to me on a trip to Washington, DC during residency. I was attending a legislative conference for my specialty and meeting with members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate (and staffers) on behalf of my society. I really enjoyed the trip, though seeing the effect that lobbyists (and particularly monied lobbyists) have on policy was disheartening.

One of the more interesting meetings I had was with a then-junior representative from Michigan named Dan Benishek. Dr. Benishek was a general surgeon in a small town in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan who retired from practicing medicine and challenged the incumbent Democrat from his district, eventually garnering a tremendous amount of support and winning his election. I had a few really interesting takeaways from my meeting with Dr. Benishek. He told me that he had essentially never held any political office to that point at either the state or local level. He, like most of us, was a busy clinician until retirement. He became disgruntled with political inaction at the federal level and decided essentially on a whim to run for Congress and was overwhelmed with the support he received. His message was that more physicians should run for political office because the populace in general trusts physicians more than most other candidates. “If you are interested in it, just do it,” he told me. Dr. Benishek served a total of three terms in the House of Representatives before retiring from politics.

Dr. Benishek’s words stuck with me. When I researched the topic further, I found that the number of physicians (three senators and ten representatives currently) elected in both the Senate and House had steadily increased over time. According to research by the AMA, voters rated physician expertise in health care and “understanding of the problems facing our health care industry, including the bureaucratic red tape that is strangling health care providers and driving up the cost of health care for most Americans …” were key factors in their decision to vote for them. Per the AMA, physicians rank highly with voters in terms of honesty and ethics. Indeed, voters are even willing to overlook a lack of political experience because of the perceived benefits of physician candidates.

As the White Coat Investor has pointed out, financial advisors don’t have to take a Hippocratic Oath. Politicians don’t either. Physicians, on the other hand, spend their working lives caring for others and practicing ethically within accepted professional standards. I believe this is great training for a second career spent serving others as a politician. Imagine if all politicians in Congress practiced with the same professional standards and ethical boundaries in which physicians practice?
But what about the long odds?

Congress has 535 voting members (435 Representatives and 100 Senators), compared to a U.S. population of over 300 million.

Certainly, this makes for long odds when it comes to being elected to one of the highest political posts. Political campaigns are taxing and expensive. If elected, there is even more travel and the possibility of spending much of the year away from home.

Of course, these are all concerns for me now as a young professional, but will be much less concerning after a long career in medicine is over and with all of my children out of the house (and financial independence attained). In fact, I am more concerned with failing early retirement due to boredom. After all, there are only so many rounds of golf to be played and microbrews to be consumed. The idea of having a second, invigorating career outside of medicine is exciting to me.

What do you think? Am I crazy for pondering a future in politics or do physicians make the ideal politicians?

The author is an anonymous physician who blogs at physiciancouple.com.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

Plastic surgeon quits and couldn't get a job at Chick-fil-A

January 4, 2018 Kevin 9
…
Next

It is time for physicians to take back medicine

January 4, 2018 Kevin 13
…

Tagged as: Washington Watch

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Plastic surgeon quits and couldn't get a job at Chick-fil-A
Next Post >
It is time for physicians to take back medicine

More by Anonymous

  • Revolutionizing emergency medicine: Overcoming long-term challenges with innovative solutions for physicians and patients

    Anonymous
  • Breaking the stigma: Encouraging mental health help-seeking in medical trainees

    Anonymous
  • The inherent problems with emergency medicine that make it contradict new values and behaviors

    Anonymous

Related Posts

  • The risk physicians take when going on social media

    Anonymous
  • Are patients using social media to attack physicians?

    David R. Stukus, MD
  • Beware of pseudoscience: The desperate need for physicians on social media

    Valerie A. Jones, MD
  • When physicians are cyberbullied: an interview with ZDoggMD

    Monique Tello, MD
  • Surprising and unlikely rewards of social media engagement by physicians

    Lisa Chan, MD
  • Physicians who don’t play the social media game may be left behind

    Xrayvsn, MD

More in Physician

  • Why allowing yourself to embrace discomfort is necessary for personal growth

    Jillian Rigert, MD, DMD
  • Unconventional health care, flawed studies, and biases: Navigating the complexities for optimal well-being

    Kara Wada, MD
  • Finding your ideal work-life balance: tips for prioritizing personal life and achieving professional success

    Zahid Awan, MD
  • Boxing legends Tyson and Foreman: powerful lessons for a resilient and evolving health care future

    Harvey Castro, MD, MBA
  • 7 ways to beat burnout: a guide for health care professionals to reduce stress and reclaim their passion

    Marie Livesey, DO
  • Heartwarming stories of cancer patients teaching us about life and the human spirit

    Johnathan Yao, MD, MPH
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The power of coaching for physicians: transforming thoughts, changing lives

      Kim Downey, PT | Conditions
    • The hidden factor in physician burnout: How the climate crisis is contributing to the erosion of well-being

      Elizabeth Cerceo, MD | Physician
    • Why affirmative action is crucial for health equity and social justice in medicine

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Policy
    • Unlocking the secrets of cancer conferences: an end-of-life counselor’s journey among pharmaceutical giants

      Althea Halchuck, EJD | Conditions
    • Why doctors aren’t to blame for the U.S. opioid crisis [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Nose-brain connection: The surprising link between allergies and mental health revealed

      Kara Wada, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • It’s time to replace the 0 to 10 pain intensity scale with a better measure

      Mark Sullivan, MD and Jane Ballantyne, MD | Conditions
    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • Breaking point: the 5 reasons American doctors are dreaming of walking away from medicine

      Amol Shrikhande, MD | Physician
    • Revolutionize your practice: the value-based care model that reduces physician burnout

      Chandravadan Patel, MD | Physician
    • Unveiling the hidden damage: the secretive world of medical boards

      Alan Lindemann, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
  • Recent Posts

    • Why allowing yourself to embrace discomfort is necessary for personal growth

      Jillian Rigert, MD, DMD | Physician
    • Unconventional health care, flawed studies, and biases: Navigating the complexities for optimal well-being

      Kara Wada, MD | Physician
    • Urgent innovation needed to address growing mental health crisis among children and families

      Monika Roots, MD | Conditions
    • The importance of listening in health care: a mother’s journey advocating for children with chronic Lyme disease

      Cheryl Lazarus | Conditions
    • Medical errors and the power of apologies [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Finding your ideal work-life balance: tips for prioritizing personal life and achieving professional success

      Zahid Awan, MD | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • FDA Warns on Certain Forms of Compounded Semaglutide
  • Fired COVID Whistleblower Doesn't Want to Settle His Case
  • Video of ACOG Presenter Being Slapped Goes Viral
  • Bed Bug Anaphylaxis; Heart Block Relationships; What's It Like to Date a Nurse?
  • TAR-200 Led to High Complete Response Rates in BCG-Unresponsive Bladder Cancer

Meeting Coverage

  • TAR-200 Led to High Complete Response Rates in BCG-Unresponsive Bladder Cancer
  • More Success for CAR T-Cell Therapy in Rheumatic Disease
  • Trial Shows RA Can Be Stopped at Preclinical Stage
  • Tenapanor Improves Abdominal Symptoms in Patients With IBS-C
  • Benefits Found for Hand OA Drug Treatments
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The power of coaching for physicians: transforming thoughts, changing lives

      Kim Downey, PT | Conditions
    • The hidden factor in physician burnout: How the climate crisis is contributing to the erosion of well-being

      Elizabeth Cerceo, MD | Physician
    • Why affirmative action is crucial for health equity and social justice in medicine

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Policy
    • Unlocking the secrets of cancer conferences: an end-of-life counselor’s journey among pharmaceutical giants

      Althea Halchuck, EJD | Conditions
    • Why doctors aren’t to blame for the U.S. opioid crisis [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Nose-brain connection: The surprising link between allergies and mental health revealed

      Kara Wada, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • It’s time to replace the 0 to 10 pain intensity scale with a better measure

      Mark Sullivan, MD and Jane Ballantyne, MD | Conditions
    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • Breaking point: the 5 reasons American doctors are dreaming of walking away from medicine

      Amol Shrikhande, MD | Physician
    • Revolutionize your practice: the value-based care model that reduces physician burnout

      Chandravadan Patel, MD | Physician
    • Unveiling the hidden damage: the secretive world of medical boards

      Alan Lindemann, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
  • Recent Posts

    • Why allowing yourself to embrace discomfort is necessary for personal growth

      Jillian Rigert, MD, DMD | Physician
    • Unconventional health care, flawed studies, and biases: Navigating the complexities for optimal well-being

      Kara Wada, MD | Physician
    • Urgent innovation needed to address growing mental health crisis among children and families

      Monika Roots, MD | Conditions
    • The importance of listening in health care: a mother’s journey advocating for children with chronic Lyme disease

      Cheryl Lazarus | Conditions
    • Medical errors and the power of apologies [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Finding your ideal work-life balance: tips for prioritizing personal life and achieving professional success

      Zahid Awan, MD | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...