Doctors are on the frontlines helping to care for patients and get them feeling better, especially during the Coronavirus pandemic. Doctors in training and student doctors play an important role and are committed to doing everything they can to provide excellent patient care.
Unfortunately, there are limitations to medicine. Our elected leaders create policies that directly influence the practice of medicine and delivery of healthcare.
Doctors have historically voted less frequently than the general public. New research published this month in the Journal of American Medical Association shows that over the last decade, doctors vote 14% less that the general population in California, New York, and Texas. Surprisingly, 50% of eligible doctors were not registered to vote in the first place!
Doctors in training cite time as the primary barrier to voting in the 2020 election, according to a recent survey. Long work hours can make it challenging to show up to the ballot box. However, doctors have unique insight into the struggles our healthcare system and society face by caring for patients who are affected.
It's time for a culture change in medicine. Over 1700 companies have joined the Time to Vote campaign and pledge to give employees time off to vote and information about early voting or vote-by-mail.
We ask:
1. All residency and fellowship training programs and medical schools in the United States to grant doctors and medical students time off to vote.
2. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and the Association of American Medical Colleges, as the governing bodies, to support and strongly encourage these efforts.
Sign this petition, share it with you friends on social media, and join the movement!
