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Making Time to Stand Up for Physicians

John Gallagher, MD, wasn’t always politically active. Like many physicians, he couldn’t find time, between the demands of a young family and a full patient load, to keep up with the latest news from Harrisburg.

Now that his kids have grown, Dr. Gallagher has more time to get involved—serving on the board of the Pennsylvania Medical Society’s political action committee, PAMPAC, and as the past president of the Mercer County Medical Society.

"Now that my kids aren’t at home anymore, I don’t have the high school meetings and sports activities that took my time outside of the office before. Now I can try to give back a little bit to everybody else," Dr. Gallagher says.

He’s working to get the word to younger physicians that he understands their predicament.

"If you are working an 80 to 100 hour work week, you just don’t have time to participate in other activities. Even though it affects everything physicians do every day, it’s not your top priority to be involved," Dr. Gallagher says.

He and other older physicians are willing to be the faces of Pennsylvania medicine, but they need help from the younger generation, who can join or donate to PAMPAC or just provide feedback on the issues they think should be addressed.

"There is a nice layered system for channeling your questions and problems to Harrisburg. You can contact the Pennsylvania Medical Society directly via the website, talk to your county medical society’s board members, or contact members of the Pennsylvania Medical Society’s Board," Dr. Gallagher says.

"Anybody can send a resolution or idea to the House of Delegates in October, which really lets the voice of the average physician be heard," he adds.

As things settle down for time-crunched younger physicians, Dr. Gallagher encourages them to become politically active as well.

"When they do have the time later on and they can devote more time to society, then they can really get as involved as they want to be," Dr. Gallagher says.

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