Published 6/11/2019
Washington, D.C. (June 11, 2019) — The Political Action Committee of the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (the Orthopaedic PAC) today formally endorsed fellow member and Nashville orthopaedic trauma surgeon Manny Sethi, MD, for U.S. Senate. Dr. Sethi announced his campaign for the open Tennessee seat on June 3 and is the first top-tier Republican to launch a bid.
“We are always working to increase the number of physicians in Congress, on both sides of the aisle, and couldn’t have asked for a better candidate to represent our organization,” said AAOS President Kristy L. Weber, MD. “Dr. Sethi has dedicated his life’s work to helping his community and embodies the truest form of public service. We are proud to support him in his pursuit for Congress.”
Dr. Sethi is an orthopaedic trauma surgeon and director of the Vanderbilt Orthopaedic Institute Center for Health Policy at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Having been raised by immigrant parents who were both physicians in a small, underserved community, he learned early on the value of health education and was inspired to start Healthy Tennessee. The not-for-profit grassroots initiative hosts health fairs around the state and encourages preventative care.
In March at the AAOS 2019 Annual Meeting, Dr. Sethi talked about wanting to make a “different kind of difference” and hinted at a potential Senate run before more than 200 politically active surgeons. He talked about the many policy challenges facing health care and mentioned surprise billing and proposals for a single-payer system as two examples.
Dr. Sethi also noted the importance of PAC participation for elevating the voice of the physician community and for establishing relationships with key lawmakers. He said the Orthopaedic PAC has become the powerhouse and nationally-recognized organization it is today thanks to the generous support of donors, totaling more than 5,000 this past election cycle.
“We are lucky to be part of a specialty that values advocacy in action,” said Dr. Sethi. “Part of what makes our field so special is our drive to think outside the box and solve problems with innovative solutions.”
Now the Orthopaedic PAC hopes Dr. Sethi can take his innovative ideas, experience in public service, and passion for moving health care in a positive direction to Capitol Hill. It plans to help build support for the first-generation American and advocate for his much-needed leadership in the every-changing health care landscape.
“Dr. Sethi is an easy candidate for us to get behind, and it’s not simply because he’s a surgeon,” said Orthopaedic PAC Chair John T. Gill, MD. “He exemplifies the very ideals we stand for and are trying to promote amongst both our membership and leaders in Congress. We look forward to helping Dr. Sethi grow a solid foundation of avid supporters and run a successful campaign for 2020.”
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Contact AAOS Media Relations
Kristen Coultas
202-548-4143
coultas@aaos.org