As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday, I’m reminded that our country was forged by determined leaders with opposing views who were able to put their differences aside to build a new nation, including the four physicians who signed the Declaration of Independence.
The signatures of Drs. Benjamin Rush, Josiah Bartlett, Lyman Hall and Matthew Thornton aren’t just footnotes in history. They are evidence that healing extends beyond direct medical care. Physicians are architects, advocates and leaders. From the start, doctors helped stitch together the fabric of our nation and continue to do so today.
That enduring presence reaches back to America’s founding fathers, who didn’t agree on everything. In fact, they clashed loudly and often. They had tough conversations. They challenged each other. They debated fiercely. That friction pushed our nation to grow, prosper and unify.
Leadership is understanding that not every rival is an enemy. President Abraham Lincoln and his “team of rivals” placed shared purpose over personal differences to help guide our nation through its most severe test. The founding fathers showed that same discipline and courage by working across divides to achieve a common goal. Together, they embraced debate without losing sight of their shared purpose.
Disagreement can be the catalyst for something greater. The Declaration of Independence is proof of that.
Both in colonial times and now, hard conversations are the backbone of progress. "Leadership is everywhere. Leadership is all of us," I said in my inaugural address last month. That means stepping into difficult discussions, listening to those with whom you differ, and finding common ground. The process is often uncomfortable, but it’s how we build better lives and brighter futures.
At this critical moment in healthcare, we need the input of physicians to achieve that brighter future. Physician leadership has never been more important, or more challenging. Our communities are looking to us for answers, for advocacy and for action—especially in times of crisis and change. Our nation needs physicians to lead, not just in sprawling hospitals or major academic medical centers, but in small towns and overlooked neighborhoods. Physicians deliver more than medicine; they bring care, compassion and courage into the moments that matter most.
As we look to the future, we must respond with honesty and lead with urgency. As with the 120-year-old home I talked about during my inaugural address, when we purchase a house, we inherit everything in it—the cracks right along with the craftsmanship. But if you want to make the house stronger, you don’t walk away from the damage; you step inside and start the hard work of repairing and restoring it.
Honor America by standing up, speaking out
Every day, we must work to rebuild what is broken in America. We must repair what is broken in our 250-year-old house. We must leave our country stronger for the generations who will inherit it from us.
As I have traveled the country during this first month of my AMA presidency, I am reminded of the lessons from my family. My grandfather told me, “Be a physician for the least of these.” That approach to responsibility is what physician leadership means—serving those who need us most, even when it’s hard and the challenges are great.
As physicians, that is what we are called to do.
Our country needs dialogue that spurs big ideas. It needs physician leaders who are willing to stand up and speak out—even when it’s uncomfortable. Or difficult. Whether you’re a medical student, resident or veteran physician, there’s room for your voice at the table of leadership.
As we celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday, let’s remember that physicians have played a vital role in the progress of our country, from the birth of our nation and every day since. Just as our founding fathers worked past their differences to build a new nation, physicians must continue that work to achieve the better future we seek—a healthcare system that works for all.
