As a physician, your time and resources are limited. However, your political activism is essential to help elect a Congress that represents you, America’s osteopathic physicians.
“Politics directly impact my practice and my ability to care for my patients. As a physician, it is my fundamental responsibility to be politically active.”
Marcelino Oliva, D.O., OPAC Chairman
Every physician can make a difference in how candidates and elected officials view key-physician issues, who represents them on Capitol Hill, and the understanding of these issues by voters within their communities. No matter how small the effort, the key is that the effort is made to protect your profession.
Here are just a few ways, as a physician, you can make a difference:
Vote!
Host or Attend a Fundraiser
Host a Candidate at your Facility or Practice
Host a Voter Registration Drive
Write an Op-Ed
Serve as a Media spokesperson
Contribute to OPAC
Get to Know Your Candidates
Volunteer with a Political Campaign
Educate others on Key Physician Issues
Turn Out the Pro-Physician Vote
Run for Office
For more information on any of these important political activities or to learn more about being politically active, contact OPAC staff via e-mail or at (800) 962-9008.
Vote!
The most important way to be politically active is to vote. The message of physicians is heard best when it is their collective voice at the ballot box! Make sure you are registered to vote in time to make your voice heard in this year’s elections!
Host or Attend a Fundraiser
Fundraisers for candidates and for OPAC are great opportunities to be politically active, meet candidates and elected officials, and network with other politically active physicians. Events of this kind also are effective settings to discuss key physician issues with current and potential legislators.
Host a Candidate at your Facility or Practice
Most candidates do not know what a physician’s day entails or how specific legislation and regulation affect their practice. By hosting a candidate at your facility or practice, you establish a relationship with that candidate and afford them a first-hand look at how the issues they vote on directly impact your ability to care for your patients.
Host a Voter Registration Drive
It is amazing to think how many people in this country are not registered to vote or have not updated their voter registration information. Be proactive in ensuring your employees, colleagues and friends are properly registered. This can be done as a day in the office, or as an e-mail campaign linking them to OPAC’s voter registration section.
Write an Op-Ed
Important issues affecting physicians around the country are often complicated and mis-interpreted. Op-eds serve as an avenue for physicians to communicate a pro-physician message, clarify complicated details of specific issues and counter misinterpretations and misrepresentations often seen in an election year.
Serve as a Media Spokesperson
Physicians are leaders in their communities, and the media looks to physicians for insight on important physician issues at the forefront of elections. By serving as a media spokesperson, you can be an effective voice for physicians with reporters, at press conferences and various media events.
Contribute to OPAC
OPAC is the sole political action committee representing the osteopathic profession on the federal level. Members of the AOIA may contribute to OPAC to support our efforts. We can only succeed in our goal of electing and re-electing pro-physician candidates to Congress with the involvement and support of osteopathic physicians around the country. Take a stand with your fellow DOs today and SUPPORT OPAC!
Get to Know Your Candidates
Before making a decision on which candidate to support, research their positions on issues, ask them where they stand, and learn about their opponents. Once you know you are supporting the pro-physician candidate, offer to help the campaign in some capacity.
Volunteer with a Political Campaign
Volunteering directly with a pro-physician candidate’s campaign is a great way to start the relationship between constituent and legislator early. Candidates appreciate leaders in the community, like physicians, offering their time to help a campaign. In addition to volunteers with standard duties like making calls and distributing literature, candidates often find issue experts, finance committee members and other assets in their volunteer base.
Educate Others on Key Physician Issues
Physicians are not the only ones affected by key physician issues. Your employees, patients and family are also impacted by legislation and regulation of important helth care issues. Make sure they understand how these issues affect your practice and why they should be important to them.
Turn Out the Vote on or Before Election Day
Your vote and the votes of your employees, colleagues, friends and family are critical to electing candidates who represent you. Encourage people to vote early voting or by absentee ballot. Give people time to vote on Election Day. Most importantly, lead by example and making voting a priority.
Run for Office
Running for office is the highest level of political activism. If you are running for office visit our Candidate Central section to learn more about receiving OPAC support. If you are interested in running, please contact OPAC staff.
