Balancing my work as a doctor and my work as an activist is getting harder and harder

• Cultural Marxism is everywhere and “useful idiots” abound. Where is it written that healthcare is a right? Truthfully, I think you mean it’s an entitlement for some and an expense only for the rich. I would advice you, for your own well being and for the safety of some of your future patients, to migrate to Cuba or Venezuela for your residency. Fight your social war there. Think of it….. finally working and living your true calling. Dr Che would be proud. Don’t mistake charity work with socialism or socialism for progress. It’s just empty promises and a dead end future but I guess you’ll have to find that out for yourself.

• Thank you so much for sharing this. People who complain that you are “not 100% focused on your job” don’t realize that being there for your patient when eve their health insurance coverage has failed, and you spent 2 extra hours of your work day trying to make sure they get the medication they need, or that you can’t discharge your patient from the hospital because they don’t have the care they need at home or are desperate to leave too early because they are the only worker supporting their family – this is part of the work. It is our responsibility to know all the answers to the test, the judgement to apply the answers in the clinical context and advocate for our patients — because knowing all the right medications and their doses don’t mean anything if your patient afford them (or can’t even see you, or comes the emergency room too late because they couldn’t afford care sooner). This is all part of caring for our patients. This is part of being a citizen and caring for our communities. I have been reading and re-reading the Morrison quote. I do not have an answer for you. Like the rest of the long art, judgement is difficult, but you are not alone.

• Thank you so much for this heartfelt piece, Dr Okwerekwu. I’m remind of the great aphorism from German pathologist Rudolph Virchow’s (of Virchow’s Triad fame), “Physicians are natural attorneys for the poor, and social problems should largely be solved by them.” People need you to advocate for them and a better healthcare system, so please keep up the amazing work and dedication to health justice. As fellow physician advocates are here to support you so you can continue your lifetime of advocacy both inside and outside the exam room. Please let me know if I can ever be helpful.
  In solidarity,
  Richard

• I love the quote…”I braved the bitter cold for five hours to affirm that health care is a fundamental human right in this country”…and I fully support eliminating the right to sue for medical malpractice and a resulting elimination of malpractice insurance requirements for medical providers. I also would fully support a cap on medical provider salaries/allowable income at 2.5 times the national average salary/income of the American people. This would make this fundamental human right much more affordable for all and greatly reduce the cost of medical insurance, if it’s needed at all. Alas, if only we could get the medical profession to work for free to provide this fundamental right. Or does she mean the fundamental right to seek and procure medical care?

• All I know is, you are the last person I’d want as my Doc. I want someone focused on the work, not hoping to slide by with a “pass” because this sore loser activism is much more important. A real Doc would be focused on being a great Doc, not someone juggling passing a test with going to protests. This isn’t a high school kid trying to pass Algebra while being a cheerleader. Future patients should have full disclosure of your lack of commitment to your training.

• There are about 900000 licensed MDs in this country, about 600000 of them are in patient care roles, and fewer than 10% of those are racial or ethnic minority physicians even though the US population is about 30% Black or Hispanic. You are so close to changing those numbers for the better. You are so close to being where hundreds of thousands cannot. And your power of persuasion and your income will be enhanced with that degree.

  Focus. Take the test. Think of those actions as making a real difference for thousands of patients and pública you will care for and represent in a lifetime of service. Make a difference, be the difference.

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