The United States Senate has a notable history of physicians serving as senators. Dr. John Barrasso, a former chief of surgery at Wyoming Medical Center, Dr. Bill Cassidy, a co-founder of a clinic for the poor, and Dr. Rand Paul, an experienced ophthalmologist, highlight this tradition. Dr. Roger Marshall delivered thousands of babies as an OB-GYN. Dr. Bill Frist, a heart surgeon, performed over 150 transplants and established the Vanderbilt Multi-Organ Transplant Center. These individuals embody qualities crucial for medical and senatorial success, such as compassion, balanced judgment, calmness, and resolve under pressure.
Currently, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a candidate in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, faces scrutiny over his claim of being a physician. Left-wing host Mehdi Hasan questioned El-Sayed on whether he should call himself a physician without an active state medical license.
“Do you wish you’d just stuck to calling yourself a doctor, which you are, to avoid all of this controversy and attacks on your physician status?” – Mehdi Hasan
El-Sayed holds a medical degree from Columbia University and a doctorate in public health from Oxford University. Despite these credentials, El-Sayed has not practiced medicine, raising questions about his claim.
State licensing boards, including New York’s, reserve the title “physician” for those licensed to practice medicine or surgery. This distinction is significant, as a physician’s role involves patient care or medical research. El-Sayed, though a qualified doctor and epidemiologist, hasn’t fulfilled this role.
From the American Medical Association Journal of Ethics: The term ‘physician’ has been around since Aristotle, deriving from the Greek word ‘physik,’ meaning ‘nature.’ It pertains to those studying the natural world and understanding illness within the natural order.
El-Sayed advocates for Medicare for All and has authored a book on the subject. He claims independence from insurance companies, suggesting impartiality. However, the challenges of securing patient care through insurers highlight the realities of Medicare’s limitations.
In summary, claiming the title of physician without licensure misrepresents one’s qualifications. The U.S. senators with medical backgrounds set a high standard, emphasizing integrity and authenticity in representing their profession.
Dr. Marc Siegel, a professor of medicine and medical director of Doctor Radio at NYU Langone Medical Center, serves as Fox News Channel’s senior medical analyst. His upcoming book explores the intersection of faith and healing.
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