Advocacy: The Ethical Duty of Every Physician

Abstract

The American medical profession has publicly pondered its roles and duties since its inception in the 18th century. Recently, that discussion has included whether or not advocacy by physicians is a responsibility of the profession. The following work is an argument and plan to support the ethical, professional imperative of physician advocacy. The historical underpinnings of the American medical profession suggest a responsibility to patients and interactions with society. In addition, there is a strong bioethical argument in favor of physician advocacy as an essential duty. Although there is a well-recognized set of barriers to physician advocacy, this article details solutions to help implement advocacy as a daily practice in the lives of all physicians. This piece will describe a way forward for physicians to take on their professional responsibility to advocate.