John Scott, MD

Specialty: Infectious Diseases

Years in Practice: 23

Works at: UW Medicine, Seattle

Society memberships: WSMA, Infectious Disease Society of America, American Association for the Study of the Liver

Why WSMA: WSMA speaks for physicians and helps us to take care of patients better. Many people may be aware of WSMA’s efforts on legislative issues in Olympia, but they may not be aware of all the educational and supportive services that it provides. For example, I’ve participated in several leadership training courses and enjoy the annual leadership meeting in Chelan every May. There are services to help negotiate a contract and to help those who may have mental health challenges.

Why serve on WSMA’s Board: I want to give back to my community and to ensure that Washington state is the best state to practice medicine. I want to share my expertise and experience, while meeting new colleagues from around the state.

Why should physicians lead: We’re in the trenches every day. We see when patients suffer and when the system isn’t working. Many in the public trust us to do what’s best for the health system overall.

How do you help further WSMA’s vision to make Washington state the best place to practice medicine and receive care: I serve on WAMPAC, which is the political action committee for WSMA. In this capacity, we meet with legislators to discuss policy issues and make contributions to campaigns. I also serve on the Artificial Intelligence committee, which recently updated guidelines and weighs in on proposed bills in Olympia.

Fun fact about you: I’m an avid swimmer! I competed as a division 1 athlete and swim about 10 miles a week with a local Master’s team. One of my favorite recent trips was a Swim Trek in Greece, where we swam around islands, over ancient shipwrecks and sampled local cuisine for lunch!