Making things happen
Mike Abrams, Executive Vice President of the Iowa Medical Society
There are those who make things happen, and there are those who watch things happen. IMS is blessed with a very active membership, many of whom are making things happen. I'll mention four: Mariannette Miller-Meeks, MD; Steve Richards, DO; Alan Koslow, MD; and David Hartsuch, MD.
I was honored to be with Dr. Miller-Meeks last Tuesday night when she won a three-way primary to become the Republican candidate for U.S. Congress for Iowa's second district. There were some anxious moments, but in the final analysis, our past president won with a terribly skinny 109-vote margin. Whew! Now she'll proceed to the general election in November.
IMS Past-President Mariannette Miller-Meeks celebrates with her husband, Kurt, on primary election night in Ottumwa.
Dr. Hartsuch is the Republican candidate for Congress in Iowa's first district. Dr. Richards (also an IMS past president) is a Republican candidate for the State House in Algona, and Dr. Koslow is a Democratic candidate for the State House in Des Moines.
I sometimes refer to myself as a "recovering Hoosier," having two degrees from Indiana University. And Bobby Knight, the famed but controversial IU basketball coach, used to tell his players to "put yourself in a position to do something positive for your team." These four physicians are doing that. If they win, they'll be in a great position to reflect their medical perspective on issues of import to the state and the country. But even if they don't win, they have sacrificed much to help drive the conversation taking place in the important political contests across Iowa.
When it comes to medicine, I am not a partisan. I don't care if you're Republican or Democrat -- I'm just always impressed when a physician makes the commitment to run for public office. Dr. Julie Thomas, a pediatrician in Cedar Rapids, ran for Congress as a Democrat. Dr. Andy McGuire, a radiologist in Des Moines, ran for Lt. Governor (Democratic) as Mike Bluoin's running mate, and Dr. Greg Ganske, a reconstructive surgeon in Des Moines, served as a Republican in Congress for three terms.
Thanks to all of you who run for office, contribute to those who do, show up at political town meetings, write letters and e-mail to your officeholders, and otherwise work to make things happen.