Read on Twitter
Even more fun factoid: Political orientation varies a LOT by specialty. See comment below. https://twitter.com/WeedenKim/status/1347917090892689409
Also, it turns out that it matters clinically whether your MD is a Rep or Dem. One eg: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/cob.12396
Probably more important, though, is the role that professional orgs of MDs play in politics, because the more conservative specialties tend to dominate professional orgs. On membership in the AMA, see @MiriamLaugesen: https://read.dukeupress.edu/jhppl/article-abstract/44/1/67/135780/How-the-American-Medical-Association-s-Rent?redirectedFrom=fulltext
On physician lobbying, see: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/485561
@merlinc2 has done exceptional work on the political influence of the AMA. "The silencing of progressive physicians during the Cold War has long narrowed the horizons of what was possible in health care." Ouch. https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/06/12/how-red-baiting-medicine-did-lasting-harm-americans-health-care/
Of course, the AMA isn't the only game in town. Other MD orgs have pushed for much more progressive policies. @PNHP is exceptional in this regard. @ACPinternists, the second largest med assn in the US, endorsed Medicare for All in 2020.
At this critical moment for democracy, American med assns could be doing more to act like the important "social partners" that they are. https://twitter.com/iwashyna/status/1346935969988169735
Med assns, esp conservative ones like @AmerMedicalAssn can exercise their considerable behind-the-scenes political clout to pressure legislators to impeach and/or invoke Art 25. END
Oops, one more: For more on this topic, see the terrific special issue of @JHPPL on medical orgs (44:1, Feb 2019) guest edited by @eitanhersh: https://read.dukeupress.edu/jhppl/issue/44/1.
