Physicians in the United States Congress have been a small minority of the members of Congress, with fluctuating numbers over the years. The number of physicians serving and running for Congress has risen over the last 50 years from 5 in 1960, down to a low of 2 in 1990, to a maximum of 21 in 2013 and a decrease to 14 in 2017. Possible explanations for this development have been increasing health care spending and increased health care reform debate in the United States, leading up to the Healthcare Reform Act.
In public opinion research by the American Medical Association (AMA) from 2013, voters rated "understanding of the problems facing our healthcare industry, including the bureaucratic red tape that is strangling health care providers and driving up the cost of health care for most Americans" as the most convincing statement of a physician candidate for Congress. Physicians in Congress have received large campaign contributions from health care trade associations and from peers through physician associations such as the AMA.
History In 1776, 11 percent of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were physicians. Likewise, two (5 percent) of the 39 individuals crafting the US Constitution in 1787 were physicians.
During the first 100 years of Congress (1789–1889), 252 (or 4.6 percent) of 5405 members were physicians.
20th and 21st century The number of physicians serving and running for Congress has risen over the last 50 years from 5 in 1960, down to 3 in 1970 and a low of 2 in 1990 up to 10 (in 2000) to a maximum of 21, including one female physician, in 2013, as of 2015, there were 18, and as of 2017 a small decrease to 15 physicians.
Possible explanations for the increase since the 1990s have been increasing health care spending and increased health care reform debate in the United States, leading up to the Healthcare Reform Act.
Motivations Tom Coburn said, "physicians have watched the profession undergo tremendous realignments that are shifting doctors' responsibilities away from patient care, changes they attribute to the government's inefficacy". Jim McDermott was quoted as saying "They want to have their hands right there on the handle so they can pull it one way or another." Physicians "balked at the idea of lawmakers with no medical experience making decisions that could upend the profession", per Andy Harris.
Kelley Paul, wife of Rand Paul, said in 2015 when he made his 2016 White House bid, "Being a physician gives Rand a unique perspective in Washington, simply because he's trained to diagnose a problem and find a solution."
Party membership In 2013, three quarters of physicians in Congress were Republican, and 80% as of 2017. As a possible reason Jim McDermott offered, "politically conservative physicians were more likely to chafe at the direction of changes in health care, with greater oversight by the government and a more regulated role for the private sector. It's a fundamental debate about what is in the public good."
During the 2016 cycle the AMA political action committee spent $2 million with "direct contributions to 348 physician-friendly [Congressional] candidates (58% Republican and 46% Democratic)".
Gender, geography and medical specialty Of the 27 physicians in Congress since 2005, 93% have been men, which is in stark contrast to 70% male physicians in general. 63% were from the South (vs 35% of all Congressional members) and 26% were surgeons (vs 11% of all US physicians).
Political participation According to a 2024 study using data of the US Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey being a physician was not associated with political participation and was actually negatively associated with attending public meetings. That said, this study uses Current Population Survey data, which uses self-reported voting that is rife with social desirability bias. A recent study using national voter file data finds that physicians were more likely than non-physicians to vote in the 2020 presidential election.
Public opinion In 2013, the AMA funded three focus groups of voters across the country and an online survey to research public opinion on physicians as Congressional candidates. The top scoring potential message for a physician was to link back to health care expertise. "Because physicians work in health care daily, they bring a clear understanding of the problems facing our healthcare industry, including the bureaucratic red tape that is strangling health care providers and driving up the cost of health care for most Americans."
Candidates, 2014 Senate candidates in 2014 included "an obstetrician in North Carolina, Milton R. Wolf, a radiologist in Kansas, a liver disease specialist in Louisiana, and Representatives Paul Broun and Phil Gingrey in Georgia, all of them Republicans. At least 26 more physicians were running for the House, some for re-election," per a New York Times article from March 2014.
113th Congress (2013–2015) From 2013 to 2015 there were 20 physicians in U.S.Congress, 19 of whom were male and 16 of whom were members of the Republican party. Legislature Name Party-state-district Year electedMedical specialty 2012 campaign money raisedSenateJohn Barrasso (R-WY) 2008Orthopedic surgery $8,081,603HouseDan Benishek (R-MI-01) 2010General surgery, retired $2,255,260HouseAmi Bera (D-CA-07) 2012 Internal medicine$1,373,106HouseCharles Boustany (R-LA-03) 2004Cardiothoracic surgery, retired $4,879,644HousePaul Broun (R-GA-10) 2007 Family medicine $1,410,625HouseLarry Bucshon (R-IN-08) 2010 Thoracic surgery $608,721HouseMichael C. Burgess (R-TX-26) 2010OB/GYN$613,280HouseBill Cassidy (R-LA) 2008Gastroenterology $5,121,030HouseDonna Christensen (D-Virgin Islands-AL) 1996Emergency medicine$330,274SenateTom Coburn (R-OK) 2004Family medicine $2,100,328 †HouseScott DesJarlais (R-TN-04) 2010 General practice$283,549HouseJohn Fleming(R-LA-04) 2008Family medicine$698,596HousePhil Gingrey (R-GA-11) 2002OB/GYN $1,530,373HouseAndrew P. Harris (R-MD-01) 2010 Anesthesiology$1,689,833HouseJoe Heck (R-NV-03) 2010Emergency medicine$1,117,768HouseJim McDermott (D-WA-07) 1988Psychiatry$223,469SenateRand Paul (R-KY) 2010Ophthalmology $9,942,744†HouseTom Price (R-GA-06)2004 Orthopedic surgery $1,375,428HouseDavid "Phil" Roe (R-TN-01) 2008 OB/GYN$348,673HouseRaul Ruiz (D-CA-36)2012Emergency medicine $1,504,150 † 2009/2012 cycle ††2013–2014 cycle
114th Congress (2015–2017) From 2015 to 2017, there were 17 physicians in U.S. Congress. All were male and 14 were members of the Republican party. Legislature Name Party-state-district Year electedMedical specialty 2014 campaign money raisedHouseRalph Abraham (R-LA-05) 2014Family medicine, veterinarian $824,819SenateJohn Barrasso (R-WY) 2008Orthopedic surgery $7,045,286HouseDan Benishek (R-MI-01) 2010General surgery, retired $2,152,648HouseAmi Bera (D-CA-07) 2012 Internal medicine$4,410,225HouseCharles Boustany (R-LA-03) 2004Cardiothoracic surgery, retired $2,711,231HouseLarry Bucshon (R-IN-08) 2010 Thoracic surgery $608,721HouseMichael C. Burgess (R-TX-26) 2010OB/GYN$613,280SenateBill Cassidy (R-LA) 2014Gastroenterology$15,548,343HouseScott DesJarlais (R-TN-04) 2010 General practice$283,549HouseJohn Fleming(R-LA-04) 2008Family medicine$698,596HouseAndrew P. Harris (R-MD-01) 2010 Anesthesiology$1,422,625HouseJoe Heck (R-NV-03) 2010Emergency medicine$1,117,768HouseJim McDermott (D-WA-07) 1988Psychiatry$223,469SenateRand Paul (R-KY) 2010Ophthalmology $19,613,645HouseTom Price (R-GA-06)2004 Orthopedic surgery $2,784,268HouseDavid "Phil" Roe (R-TN-01) 2008 OB/GYN $933,431HouseRaul Ruiz (D-CA-36)2012Emergency medicine $3,439,977
† 2009/2014 cycle
115th Congress (2017–2019) From 2017 to 2019 there were 16 physicians in the U.S. Congress; all were male and 14 were members of the Republican party. There were also one podiatrist, one dentist, and one optometrist. Legislature Name Party-state-district Year electedMedical specialty 2016 campaign money raisedHouseRalph Abraham (R-LA-05) 2014Family medicine, veterinarian $577,493SenateJohn Barrasso (R-WY) 2008Orthopedic surgery $6,677,705HouseAmi Bera (D-CA-07) 2012 General practice$4,128,996HouseLarry Bucshon (R-IN-08) 2010 Thoracic surgery $1,045,223HouseMichael C. Burgess (R-TX-26) 2002OB/GYN$1,857,590SenateBill Cassidy (R-LA) 2014Gastroenterology $17,269,420HouseScott DesJarlais (R-TN-04) 2010 General practice$637,783HouseNeal Dunn (R-FL-02) 2016 Urology$1,968,334HouseAndrew P. Harris (R-MD-01) 2010 Anesthesiology $1,402,664HouseRoger Marshall (R-KS-01) 2016 Obstetrician$1,506,821SenateRand Paul (R-KY) 2010Ophthalmology $12,105,270HouseTom Price (R-GA-06)2004 Orthopedic surgery $2,769,758 HouseDavid "Phil" Roe (R-TN-01) 2008 OB/GYN$952,677HouseRaul Ruiz (D-CA-36)2012Emergency medicine $3,225,291
116th Congress (2019–2021) From 2019 to 2021 there were 17 physicians in the U.S. Congress; all but one were male and 14 were members of the Republican party. Legislature Name Party-state-district Year electedMedical specialtyHouseRalph Abraham (R-LA-05) 2014Family medicine, veterinarianSenateJohn Barrasso (R-WY) 2008Orthopedic surgeryHouseAmi Bera (D-CA-07) 2012 Internal medicineHouseLarry Bucshon (R-IN-08) 2010 Thoracic surgeryHouseMichael C. Burgess (R-TX-26) 2002OB/GYNSenateBill Cassidy (R-LA) 2014GastroenterologyHouseScott DesJarlais (R-TN-04) 2010 Family medicineHouseNeal Dunn (R-FL-02) 2016 UrologyHouseMark Green(R-TN-07)2018Emergency medicineHouseAndrew P. Harris (R-MD-01) 2010 AnesthesiologyHouse John Joyce(R-PA-09)2018DermatologyHouseRoger Marshall (R-KS-01) 2016 OB/GYNHouseGreg Murphy(R-NC-03)2019 UrologySenateRand Paul (R-KY) 2010OphthalmologyHouseDavid "Phil" Roe (R-TN-01) 2008 OB/GYNHouseRaul Ruiz (D-CA-36)2012Emergency medicineHouseKim Schrier (D-WA-08)2018Pediatrics
117th Congress (2021–2023) There were 17 physicians in the 117th Congress, of whom 13 served in the House and 4 served in the Senate. Legislature Name Party-state-district Year elected Medical specialty Senate John Barrasso (R-WY) 2008 Orthopedic surgery House Ami Bera (D-CA-07) 2012 Internal medicine House Larry Bucshon (R-IN-08) 2010 Thoracic surgery House Michael C. Burgess (R-TX-26) 2002 Obstetrics and gynecology Senate Bill Cassidy (R-LA) 2014 Gastroenterology House Scott DesJarlais (R-TN-04) 2010 Family medicine House Neal Dunn (R-FL-02) 2016 Urology House Mark Green (R-TN-07) 2018 Emergency medicine House Andy Harris (R-MD-01) 2010 Anesthesiology House Ronny Jackson (R-TX-13) 2020 Emergency medicine House John Joyce (R-PA-13) 2018 Dermatology Senate Roger Marshall (R-KS) 2020 Obstetrics and gynecology House Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA-02) 2020 Ophthalmology House Greg Murphy (R-NC-03) 2019 Urology Senate Rand Paul (R-KY) 2010 Ophthalmology House Raul Ruiz (D-CA-36) 2012 Emergency medicine House Kim Schrier (D-WA-08) 2018 Pediatrics
118th Congress (2023–2025) There were 19 physicians in the 118th Congress, of whom 15 served in the House and 4 served in the Senate. Three were women.