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Winter 2017 • Kentucky
obstetrician and Howard Dean (Governor D-VT), a family practitioner. Only one elected president, William Henry Harrison (9th president) had a medical background. He attended the University of Pennsylvania Medical School for a brief period but dropped out to pursue a military career. He came to national prominence with his defeat of Tecumseh and the Shawnees at the Battle of Tippecanoe. Shortly after his inauguration in 1841 he developed pneumonia and died three months later giving him the shortest tenure of any president in history A physician (and a native Kentucky son) has also served on the US Supreme Court. Samuel Freeman Miller received his medical degree from Transylvania College in 1835 and practiced in Barbourville, Kentucky for a decade. He was a self-taught lawyer, passing the bar in 1847. His opposition to slavery led to a move to Iowa and in 1862 Abraham Lincoln nominated him to the Supreme Court where he served until 1890. His legacy includes writing more opinions than any other Supreme Court judge in history. He was also known as a “maverick” often representing the dissenting opinion. Many factors appear to limit physician’s pursuit of public office. Medical education demands a long training period with medical school, residency and often a fellowship. This is followed by the time demands of starting a career and building a practice as well as trying to balance a family life. A continuous educational process is required to stay abreast with advances in diagnostics, pharmacology and other therapies. In contrast to physicians, attorneys make up the bulk of public office holders accounting for 70% of US Presidents, VP’s and cabinet members (25/44 Presidents, 32/45 VP’s). Since 1957 all Supreme Court Justices have been lawyers. Michael Riorden suggests that lawyers have become the “high priests of American politics” because they are willing to devote energy, time and money to politics since it enhances private careers and gives better access to the judicial system. He goes on to point out the differences between medical and legal education approaches. Law school encourages a linear, deductive method of thinking using case method – presenting the facts of the case, identifying the appropriate precedents and arguing the merits. Riorden argues that this does not foster the forward thinking and the open mind that a public official requires to weigh multiple points of view and to meet the needs of a diverse citizenry. He contrasts this deductive approach to the integrative method used in medical school i.e. looking at multiple sources of data; history, physical exam, lab studies, epidemiology, social and financial factors. This requires revising diagnosis and therapy as facts emerge during the course of therapy instead
of assuming a stance and arguing its value of physicians elected and serving in ex post facto. The legal approach requires state legislatures and the United States advancing a specific point of view that may Congress. MD Thesis, University of suborn larger societal values. Arizona Medical School. He concludes that elements of a medical 2. Physicians in the United States Congress. education “valuable to a governing official” Retrieved from https://en.m.wikipedia. include org/wiki/10/26/16 • the integrative thought process 3. Ross, Michael A. (2003) A Justice of • the study of population through epidemiShattered Dreams: Samuel Freeman Miller ology and the Supreme Court During the Civil • the constant regard for ethical context War. Louisiana State University Press. • the active pursuit of future improvement 4. Riorden, Michael L. (1986) “The path • the personal acquaintance with the ills of to public office: medicine versus law.” poverty Perspectives in Biology and Medicine Vol • the knowledge of the foundations of large 29, No2, 315-325. sectors of the economy 5. Huddle, TS and Maletz, K. Physicians • the extensive contact with many societal involvement with politics – obligation issues that have been “medicalized”: or avocation. Retrieved from http:// (Drug addiction, alcoholism, child abuse, journalofethics.ama.assn.org/2011/11/ hunger) ccas2-1111.html In addition medical school “provides an unparalleled view of human behavior” and About the Author fosters “imperturbability, a coolness to operLowell Quenemoen MD is a retired clinical ate during periods of crisis”. neurologist having practiced in Columbus, Thus, it would seem that physicians have Ohio for 20 years before moving to Billings, the temperament and training to contribute Montana for a further 15 years of practice. to a leadership role in the political process. At the time of his retirement he was a Clinical As to electability, a Gallop Poll in 2012 Associate Professor at the University of showed that 70% of Americans rated doctors Washington Medical School Department of as high or very high in their ethical stands Neurology. He is a graduate of the University and honesty compared to 50% for the clergy of Minnesota Medical. and 19% for lawyers. Greater involvement in the political process would require a great deal of soul searching. Can one focus his attention from caring for the individual to caring for society as a whole? Can he risk the insecurity of an elected office to the security of a protected income to meet his family's needs? Can he (and his family) bear the constant scrutiny of the pubYou’ve thought about it for years. You know you need to do lic spotlight? The recent elecit. And there’s no time like the present. But you aren’t quite tion has revealed sure how to quit smoking. Your doctor is here to help. multiple political currents likely to Visit us online to learn what questions to ask your doctor, reshape and reform access all available resources, and stick to the plan so you this country for many decades. can hit pause on smoking. Physicians do have a valuable voice to add!
Commit to
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References 1. Petterson, Mathew. (Nov. 2016) The characteristics
www.committoquitky.org
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