On the surface, Shangir Siddique, MD, seemed well on his way in medical advocacy.
The Brownsville native had been active in the Texas Medical Association for years, serving on the association’s Council on Health Promotion and as chair-elect of the Young Physician Section. But wanting to do more, he applied to the TMA’s Leadership College.
For the program’s capstone project, Dr. Siddique got involved with the Harris County Medical Society, an experience that opened new pathways for advocacy.
“I really wanted to form some of those grassroots connections with my neighbors,” he said. “Absolutely, the Leadership College was an excellent way to do that.”
Through his local medical society, Dr. Siddique sat in on executive committee meetings, attended local events, and spoke on behalf of his physician cohort. He also learned to balance advocacy work with clinical practice.
“I can’t fight the good fight 24/7. I have a job. I have patients to see,” the Houston internal medical specialist said. “But that’s the main benefit of organized medicine – you don’t have to fight alone.”
Along the way, Dr. Siddique found that even physicians with 10 or 20 years of experience share the same concerns he does.
While he’s captivated by internal medicine, Dr. Siddique is also enthralled by medical advocacy and wants an active role in shaping the future of medicine. He encourages the next generation to get involved, too.
“So much of my practice, what I’m allowed to do, isn’t really defined by my knowledge. It’s defined by the policies and laws that govern my practice,” Dr. Siddique said. “I can spend the rest of my life really making my practice perfect.
“But even if I do that, even if I successfully became the best physician I could be, there’s still that whole aspect that I quite literally have zero control over but has full control over me and what I do with patients and what patients do with me as their hospital medicine doctor.”
For more information on the Leadership College including the application and selection process, visit its webpage.