The Sharpest Scalpel Conversation with Two CDU Policymakers at the Legislative Level, Dr. Randy Hawkins and Dr. Jerry Abraham
Dr. Hawkins, you were appointed to the Medical Board of California in 2015 by Governor Jerry Brown. Now you are President of the Board. What drew you to service as a decision maker? RH: I had some frustration about what was going on with physicians. I thought there would be an opportunity to be of service by being on the board as a physician advocate but in reality, I subsequently learned that actually the medical board was a patient advocacy entity. The medical board disciplines physicians when appropriate. But its major mission is public protection against doctors who deviate from the Medical Practice Act in providing care. I also saw that there was value of being in the room to represent some things I thought were not necessarily being represented at the board.
There are a number of moving parts and pieces that facilitated me being on the board. I did not have a faculty appointment at that time. And so, we had to get that done. A number of folks were very helpful in my being considered by Governor Brown to take one of those seats. I found it very valuable to actually speak to the mission of the board. I could indicate some of the misconceptions and myths surrounding who physicians are and what they do and the challenges that we have. Particularly some physicians that look like Jerry( Abraham) and I.
Dr. Abraham, would you say that you’ re interested in organized medicine leadership? Was it a natural step in your career? JA: Great question, Lance. I always believed that it’ s not just what we do in the exam room, but also what we do outside of the exam room, particularly in the public square. When it relates to the care for our patients, issues around public health and science, policy can be a major driver of our social determinants and the political. We talk about the political determinants of health and the social determinants of health.
And, as Dr. Hawkins mentioned, being at the table is critical. And I do believe one way to do that is to be involved in this association. And that way by joining together with other physicians, other leaders, your voice is more potent and we’ re able to get the message across. And I’ ve really worked intentionally on that since residency to where I am now as President of the Los Angeles County Medical Association and currently running for Vice Speaker of the California Medical Association.
Would you say that your interest in organized medicine leadership was influenced by your most recent experience of being a principal leader in the fight against COVID-19? JA: Honestly, I find that we’ re back to where we were in those pre- COVID-19 days. It’ s impossible for my patients to find tests. We don’ t know where to go for vaccines again. Paxlovid is hard to come by. All of the challenges that made me pick up the phone and demand from the Department of Public Health where were our vaccines for South LA and I’ m seeing, you know, really, history starting to repeat itself again, and I had sworn we weren’ t going to let this happen again.
This is work and it takes time. And so, all those skills of advocacy- speaking up, stepping up, making sure our voices are heard, making sure there’ s a seat at the
CDU College of Medicine | PG. 23