Fifteen physicians and one nurse practitioner have been elected to congressional seats, with three additional races still too close to call, Medscape reported Nov. 7.
The number of physicians in Congress has ranged from as few as two in 1990 to as many as 21 in 2013. This year, Congress has 18 physicians and at least one nurse practitioner. The House includes 14 members with medical degrees — four Democrats and 10 Republicans — while the Senate has four members with medical degrees, all Republicans.
Here are the clinicians elected to Congress this year, along with their specialty, party and state:
- Maxine Dexter, MD, pulmonology, D-Ore.
- Kelly Morrison, MD, obstetrics-gynecology, D-Minn.
- Herb Conaway, MD, primary care, D-N.J.
- John Barrasso orthopedic surgery, R-Wyo. (Senate)
- Ami Bera, MD, internal medicine, D-Calif.
- Scott DesJarlais, MD primary care, R-Tenn.
- Neal Dunn, MD, urology, R-Fla.
- Mark Green, MD, emergency medicine, R-Tenn.
- Andy Harris, MD, anesthesiology, R-Md.
- Ronny Jackson, MD, emergency medicine, R-Texas
- John Joyce, MD, dermatology, R-Pa.
- Rich McCormick, MD, emergency medicine, R-Ga.
- Greg Murphy, MD, urology, R-N.C.
- Raul Ruiz, MD, emergency medicine, D-Calif.
- Kim Schrier, MD, pediatrics, D-Wash.
- Sheri Biggs, DNP, psychiatric nurse practitioner, R-S.C.
Candidates in races still too close to call:
- Amish Shah, MD, PhD, emergency medicine/sports medicine, D-Ariz.
- Yadira Caraveo, MD, pediatrics, D-Colo.
- Mariannette Miller-Meeks, MD, ophthalmology, R-Iowa