The AMA “Members Move Medicine” series profiles a wide variety of doctors, offering a glimpse into the passions of women and men navigating new courses in American medicine.
On the move with: Scott Pasichow, MD (@SPMD16), an emergency medicine resident at Brown Emergency University in Providence, Rhode Island. He is also speaker of the AMA Resident and Fellow Section (RFS) Governing Council and sectional delegate for the Resident and Fellow Section.
AMA member since: 2010.
What inspired me to pursue a career in medicine: When I was 10 years old, my 16-year-old brother got cancer. My family basically spent a year in and out of hospitals to treat his illness. The care and compassion exhibited by those nurses and doctors inspired my brother and I to care for people in their times of need. My brother ended up as a palliative care and pain management physicians, I chose emergency medicine.
How I move medicine: Through advocacy in the state house and on Capitol Hill for my patients and my profession. I know the power that the voice of the AMA has in fighting for the best care for our patients, and the best practice environment for our physicians, and I work to make sure that this advocacy continues to be focused and strong. I work to bring specialties together in fighting for our patients and our providers, and to inspire people to make sure those in power are well informed when making decisions that affect our daily lives.
Career highlights: I was elected to the board of directors for my specialty’s resident organization in 2016 and used that time to increase access and participation in our meetings and our organization through online view and voting in our meetings. I am also one of the founders of Rhode Island’s emergency medicine advocacy day (which is now in its third year) and was selected right out of residency to run the Rhode Island Emergency Medicine Political Action Committee.
Advice I’d give to those interested in pursuing a career in medicine: The road to your goals can be challenging, but always remind yourself why you got into this field, and don’t feel like you can’t create change within the world of medicine. Speak your mind but stay open to the views of others while not losing sight of who you are or why you chose to dedicate your life to medicine. Find at least one thing outside of medicine that brings you joy, because you will need that to balance out the stress of this career.
How I give back to the community: I advocate for physicians by ensuring that they have few regulatory hoops to jump through and empowering the people around me to advocate for what moves our field and medicine forward. I also work with the 911 system to ensure that patients receive the best care possible, even before they get to the emergency department.
Aspect of my work that means the most: Getting to be there in someone’s time of need, to allay their fears, and give them reassurance, hope, and comfort, while treating their disease.
My hope for the future of medicine: I want us to improve access to all the life-improving care that medicine has to offer. I want to make sure that we have data-driven and evidence-based solutions to all problems in medicine—from health care utilization and payment to funding of residencies and staffing hospitals and clinics and provision of pre-hospital care.
Visit MembershipMovesMedicine.com to learn more about other AMA members who are relentlessly moving medicine through advocacy, education, patient care and practice innovation, and join or renew today.
