During what she described as a “particularly heavy legislative session” in 2021, Texas Medical Association Alliance (TMAA) President and TEXPAC board member Jenny Shepherd decided to gather TMA members and their spouses on behalf of the political action committee to discuss advocacy opportunities, including increasing its membership and raising funds for it.
At first, her endeavor to bolster the visibility of TMA’s bipartisan political arm began with small, intimate conversations among attendees, including how the organization aids in the election of medicine-friendly candidates at the local, state, and federal level; how to contribute via grassroots advocacy; and how to become a TEXPAC member.
“Some might say they are not interested in politics. My answer to that is: TEXPAC involvement is job security and ensures physicians can practice medicine the way they want to,” Ms. Shepherd told Texas Medicine. “I have been overjoyed to share that message with as many people as possible.”
Like many, Ms. Shepherd says initially she worried TEXPAC would not represent her own political beliefs. She and her husband San Antonio pediatric anesthesiologist John Shepherd, MD, weren’t always knowledgeable about how TEXPAC advances medicine’s cause, and she admits they weren’t always “gung-ho” members.
Over the years, however, while building a relationship with legislators and TEXPAC-affiliated TMA members, the couple’s opinion changed after watching firsthand the organization’s staunch defense of medicine and work to advance TMA’s mission by protecting Texas patients and physicians through political education and activism.
“I’m always the first person to say, when you go vote, you have to vote your conscience,” Ms. Shepherd said. “But I quickly realized that even if a particular candidate may not be your favorite, you still need to ask yourself if they will be friendly to medicine.”
As a result of that turnaround, the intimate conversations she hosted quickly grew from small to large gatherings of TMA members and their families – thanks to Dr. Shepherd’s enthusiasm to tell others about “the cool things his wife was doing for medicine,” he says, and dinner invitations to fellow TMA members to discuss advocacy opportunities.
Eventually, Dr. Shepherd extended so many invitations that the couple decided they would instead host a party on behalf of TEXPAC during the 2021 Texas legislative session. Ms. Shepherd decided the event needed a title to match its purpose, ultimately settling on what has become a household name among TMA and TEXPAC members: the “party of medicine.”
“TEXPAC ensures candidates who will safeguard Texas physicians and their patients get elected through physician-driven grassroots advocacy,” Dr. Shepherd, chair of TEXPAC’s Candidate Evaluation Committee, said. “And the party of medicine [events] ensure TMA physicians are aware of that.”
Three events – which Ms. Shepherd has planned and advertised herself – have been held so far, with what she calls “phenomenal success.” Attendees are treated to hors d’oeuvres and information about various advocacy paths throughout organized medicine. So far, each social event has ended with almost all attendees joining TEXPAC – and has concluded with thousands of dollars raised.
Dr. Shepherd says this feat is made possible through discussions about how TEXPAC can bolster the visibility of medicine among Texas lawmakers, the importance of political action, and how TEXPAC achieves its goals. (See “Power PAC,” page 16.)
The Shepherds also have shared testimony from their own journey into medical advocacy, while encouraging others to start their own volunteerism. For example, Ms. Shepherd and other alliance members staff phone banks, walk door to door to canvass for TEXPAC-endorsed candidates, and attend First Tuesdays at the Capitol.
Ms. Shepherd said she’s often “shocked” to find that many in organized medicine, including physicians, do not realize the importance of TEXPAC or how it works on their behalf.
“Some [TMA members] have no idea this advocacy opportunity exists or how to get involved,” she said.
Dr. Shepherd said party of medicine events held on behalf of TEXPAC also serve as a connecting point for TMA members on opposite sides of the political aisle to “meet in the middle.” As a nonpartisan organization, TEXPAC is focused on electing the candidate “best for medicine,” Dr. Shepherd said, regardless of where they may fall on the political spectrum. (See “One Voice,” page 22.)
“A large part of TEXPAC is that it is not strictly Democrat or Republican,” he said. “To advocate for medicine, you must be mission-driven about what is best for health care. We are not fighting for Democratic or Republican issues; we are fighting for medicine.”
Christine Mojezati, who was TEXPAC director at the time this article was written, says the party of medicine has helped to positively change the perception of TEXPAC among TMA members by providing a space for them to discuss their beliefs and ideas constructively – and to use those conversations as a foundation for political action.
“The party of medicine has turned into a unifying slogan that has brought people together,” she said. “Our membership has gotten behind that we’re not Republican, we’re not Democrat; we support those who are going to support medicine. That been a great shift to see.”
In June 2020, Ms. Shepherd was honored with the American Medical Association Alliance’s Legislative Education and Awareness Promotion Award for party of medicine events she hosted in her home on behalf of TEXPAC in San Antonio and across the state. She has since hosted separate fundraisers at which physicians and their spouses could meet TEXPAC-endorsed candidates running for office and contribute to their campaigns.
Ms. Shepherd says she would “love to be able” to help any county across the state host its own event. As of this writing, she has begun to help plan a Tarrant County event along with her friends there, past TMAA President Lisa Queralt and current Tarrant County Medical Society Alliance President Linda Kennedy.
“Anybody can hold a party of medicine,” Ms. Shepherd said. “Bring in [TMA members and their families] and educate them on why it’s important and why they should consider doing it. These events have been a duty – and a joy.”