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Amy Acton, MD, MPH, wasn’t accustomed to the spotlight.

When Acton was appointed to lead the Ohio Department of Health in 2019, her top priorities were infant mortality and youth homelessness. Then came COVID-19.

Acton quickly became the state’s face of public health. Although many Ohioans hailed her as a hero, armed protesters angry about mandatory lockdowns showed up at her house.

Acton resigned as the state health director just over 3 months into the pandemic. But she hasn’t turned her back on public life — in January, she announced her candidacy for governor of Ohio in 2026.

Acton said she feels called to address the state’s declining public health.

In Ohio, “we went from having some of the best health outcomes to some of the worst, in terms of how long we live, our smoking rates, our diabetes rates and infant mortality,” Acton told Medscape Medical News in an interview. “I can’t look away when we’re going back.”

Acton’s frequent media appearances during the pandemic helped hone her public speaking skills — a good preparation for life on the campaign trail.

She said she had help from seasoned political advisors who have guided women into governor’s offices in other states. She also consulted Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, a former NASA astronaut.

Learning The Ropes

Although running for office can be a daunting transition for doctors who are used to working one-on-one with patients, a handful of groups help doctors learn the ropes.

AMPAC, the American Medical Association (AMA)’s political action committee, organizes candidate workshops and campaign schools for doctors. AMPAC also contributes up to $5000 to a candidate’s campaign per election, including a primary, general, runoff, or special election. AMPAC can contribute directly to a campaign or make gifts in kind. The group also can pay for ads endorsing a candidate, send direct mail through the AMA’s political education fund, and use corporate dollars to educate voters.

Although AMPAC is bipartisan, it encourages candidates to uphold key principals of public health. For example, it discourages candidates from accepting money from tobacco companies or groups that oppose evidence-based public health measures to reduce firearm violence.

A $25-Million Campaign to Recruit Physician Candidates

A political action committee called 314 Action has recruited and supported scientists as political candidates since 2016.

Now, the left-leaning group has pledged to spend $25 million to elect 100 progressive doctors to state and national offices by 2030. The $25 million includes both direct contributions to candidates early in their campaigns, as well as providing advice and training.

“There’s so much behind the scenes that goes into guiding these candidates through the decision to run, helping them have a strong and impactful launch, and then advising and training them throughout their campaign,” said Grace Silva, 314 Action’s spokeswoman. “We’ve got an incredible team of experienced campaign managers and finance directors who work closely in these campaigns.”

For example, 314 Action commissioned a poll about voter interest in electing a doctor and whether they would support Action or the Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. The survey found that voters gave both candidates roughly equal support.

“It’s really hard to break into politics when you don’t come from that traditional political background,” said Shaughnessy Naughton, a chemist who ran for Congress as a Democrat in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in 2014.

Shaughnessy lost the race but founded 314 Action and now serves as its president.

While most first-time candidates can’t afford to hire a full-time campaign manager, Naughton said, “we have very senior–level staffers that act in that capacity to help launch these campaigns until they’re able to bring on paid staff.”

Doctors’ voices are urgently needed today to defend public health, Naughton said.

The workforce of the US Department of Health and Human Services has been cut by 25% as part of President Trump’s restructuring of the federal government.

Acton also cited cuts to health programs such as Meals on Wheels, which combat hunger and isolation among older adults, as motivating her to run for governor. “As physicians, we have to get out there and use our voices,” Acton said.

The White House did not respond to Medscape Medical News’ request for comment.

Natural Strengths as Candidates

Doctors have a number of advantages as political candidates.

Although some studies showed that trust in doctors declined during the pandemic, other studies showed that most Americans view physicians positively. In surveys, people report much more trust in doctors and nurses — the most trusted of all professionals — than politicians.

Although running for office is challenging, Acton said, “it’s strange how well suited you are with the skill sets we have. Physicians are natural problem solvers.”

Arvind Venkat, MD, who served as president of his state’s emergency physicians organization, also became a public figure during the pandemic, when he appeared on local TV three times a week to answer questions about how to stay safe.

“We go into the field because we want to help people,” said Venkat, who was elected to represent Allegheny County in the Pennsylvania state legislature in 2023.

Trust in Medicine – And Politics

“Politics is also about building a trusting relationship with people, but on a widespread basis,” Venkat said. “I actually think that having a career in medicine — and being able to empathize with people — provides critical skills for anyone who’s thinking about running for office.”

Venkat said he’s drawn on his healthcare experience when working on healthcare issues, such as protecting consumers from medical debt. But Venkat said he’s also learned about subjects as diverse as energy, the environment, and public infrastructure.

“When you’re a physician, you’re a lifelong learner,” Venkat said. “You’re used to assimilating new sources of information. And as a physician, you understand the importance of unintended consequences. We’re always taught to do no harm.”

Obstacles to Running For Office

As an emergency physician, Venkat said he has experience working in “high-pressure environments,” which helps him keep his cool when making high-stakes decisions.

But the political process can move at a frustratingly slow pace for doctors used to working quickly and independently, said Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, a family doctor and emergency physician, who co-chairs the Guardians of Health campaign.

“The biggest hurdle for me was being patient enough with the political process to get change done,” Green said. “I was used to seeing a patient, prescribing a treatment and getting a result. In the emergency room, we’re very driven to take action quickly. That’s not how government works.”

Green said he’s legally barred from working as a doctor while serving as a governor. But Shaughnessy noted that many elected positions are part-time, especially in local government, allowing doctors to represent voters while continuing to see patients.

Venkat, a full-time legislator, said he continues to work a couple emergency department shifts a month. “I do my shifts on nights and weekends and holidays when the political world is not working,” he said.

One of the biggest hurdles that Venkat had to overcome, he said, was fundraising.

Venkat said he and his wife, who is also a physician, “haven’t had to ask anyone for money in our adult lives. But as a candidate, I have to overcome that queasiness. There’s certainly been a learning curve associated with that.”

A Critical Time for Science and Medicine

Research shows that physicians are less likely to attend public meetings or even vote. But doctors are more likely than others to discuss politics with friends or family, donate to political organizations, and buy products or boycott companies based on political values.

While research shows that doctors are more likely to vote for Democrats than for Republicans, the GOP has an edge among physicians in Congress.

Of the 21 physicians serving in Congress — four senators and 17 representatives — 15 are Republican. All of the physician senators — Roger Marshall (Kansas), Bill Cassidy (Louisiana), Rand Paul (Kentucky), and John Barrasso (Wyoming) — are Republican.

In the House of Representatives, six doctors are Democrats and 11 are Republicans.

Regardless of party, “we desperately need more physicians in politics,” Venkat said. “Decisions are being made that directly affect our ability to care for patients in our communities.”

As an elected official, “you are able to help so many more people than you might be able to on an individual basis,” Venkat said.

“I’ve never liked it when people say that physicians should stay in their lane and just take care of patients. There’s a long history of physicians advocating for their patients and their communities outside of the four walls of the clinic or the hospital or the emergency department.”