Physician Unions: Opportunities, Challenges, and Impacts - 2025 MMS Annual Education Program
Are you curious about the role physician unions play in today’s health care landscape? With increasing pressures on healthcare providers, physician unions are becoming a significant topic of interest. Join us to delve into the dynamics, legality, and
ethics surrounding physician unions in the U.S. health care system.
This engaging session will cover the historical roots and current trends in health care unionization, explore the legal and regulatory frameworks, and discuss the practical steps physicians can take if considering collective action. We’ll examine potential
impacts on patient care, physician well-being, and health care organization dynamics.
Our expert speakers include legal professionals, healthcare administrators, and union-experienced physicians to provide you with a balanced, insightful look at what unionization could mean for your practice and your patients.
Moderator
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Rebecca Weintraub Brendel MD, JD
Director, Center for Bioethics;
Frances Glessner Lee Associate Professor of Global Health and Social Medicine In the Field of Legal Medicine;
Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Faculty
Ahmed Mukhtar Ahmed, MD, MPP, MSc
Internal Medicine Resident Physician and Researcher, Brigham and Women's Hospital
Carmel Shachar, JD, MPH
Assistant Clinical Professor of Law
Faculty Director, Health Law and Policy Clinic, Harvard Law School
Kevin Schulman, MD, MBA
Professor of Medicine, by courtesy, of Operations, Information and Technology, Stanford’s Graduate School of Business;
Interim Division Co-Chief, Division of Hospital Medicine, Stanford Medicine;
Associate Chair of the Department of Medicine, Stanford Medicine
Intended Audience
This activity is designed for physicians, physicians-in-training, other health care leaders and professionals and students.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, learners should be able to:
- Explain the role of physician unions in health care, including motivations behind union formation and historical context
- Describe the legal and regulatory framework governing physician unions in the United States
- Assess the potential impacts of unionization on physician working conditions, patient care, and health care systems
- Evaluate practical steps and key factors for physicians considering unionization or collective bargaining
Accreditation & Credit Information
Accreditation Statement
The Massachusetts Medical Society is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
AMA Credit Designation Statement
The Massachusetts Medical Society designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation
in the activity.
National Commission on Certification of Physicians Assistant (NCCPA)
Physician Assistants may claim a maximum of 1.50 Category 1 credits for completing this activity. NCCPA accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited
by ACCME or a recognized state medical society.
Exam/Assessment: A score of 70% or higher is required to receive AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™.
Course Fees:
Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) Physician Member: $60
MMS Resident/Student Member: FREE
Non-Member Physician: $135
Non-Members Resident/Student: $30
Allied Health Professional/Other: $48
Activity Term:
Original Release Date: June 2, 2025
Review Date(s): N/A
Termination Date: June 2, 2028
Format and Estimated Time to Complete: Video & Resources/1.50 hr
System Requirements
Desktops/Laptops
Windows 10
Mac OSX 10.6 higher
Most modern browsers including
IE 11+
Firefox 18.0+
Chrome latest version
Safari 12+
Mobile/Tablet
iOS devices beginning with OS version 10 or higher (includes, iPhone, iPad and iTouch devices)
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Contact Us
Contact us at nejmcust@mms.org or (800) 843-6356. Massachusetts Medical Society, 860 Winter Street, Waltham, MA 02451.
