History repeats: Physicians face another 5.4% issue

AMA Leader Commentary. By Richard F. Corlin, MD April 15, 2002.

AMA LEADER COMMENTARY

A few words about current events in medical practice

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A message to all physicians from AMA President Richard F. Corlin, MD.

Fifty-six men signed a very special document in 1776. That document was, of course, the Declaration of Independence.

Three of those men -- or 5.4% of the total -- were physicians. Yes, 5.4%. It's the same number that gets physicians' attention today -- it's the cut we took this year on our Medicare payments, the cut we're asking Congress to rescind.

If today physicians were represented in Congress at the same level as they were in the signing of the Declaration of Independence, there would be 23 physician members of the House of Representatives and five physician-senators.

Unfortunately, the actual numbers today are only eight members of the House and one member of the Senate who are physicians.

Wouldn't a greater representation of physicians in Congress help amplify our voice and bolster medicine's messages?

The doctors who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 were activists as well as physicians. Dr. Benjamin Rush, of Pennsylvania, is the best known. He not only founded the Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia but also served for 16 years as the Treasurer of the U.S. Mint and equipped the Lewis and Clark expedition with their medical supplies. Not as much is known about his fellow-physician-signers, Dr. Josiah Bartlett and Dr. Matthew Thornton, who both represented New Hampshire.

Although there has been a physician member in every Congress since the first Continental Congress in 1774, the numbers are not as high nowadays as they were in America's early years. Fewer and fewer physicians choose the life of public service. [...]