Last week on Freakonomics MD, we talked about how politics impacts our health and the

care we receive.

We heard about a study that found that doctors' political leanings may influence the kind

of care they provide to patients.

We don't think there's a lot of politically evangelizing happening in an exam room, but

when you're asked about something like marijuana or reproductive health, we think there might

be some ideological or partisan biases.

And how salient this question is in the age of COVID-19.

We've never really seen political divisions on things quite as basic as this before.

And while last week, I mostly talked about how doctors' political beliefs might affect

how they treat you, I also started to wonder about the other side of that question.

For doctors, does their profession and everything that means, years of training and being

with people when they're at their most vulnerable, influence their politics?

Well, luckily today we have someone to help us make sense of it all.

Would it be okay if I call you Dr. Senator Frist?

Preferably in that order because nobody likes the politicians these days.

From the Freakonomics Radio Network, this is Freakonomics MD.

I'm Bob Ujena.

I'm a medical doctor, but I'm also an economist.

Each episode, I dissect an interesting question at the sweet spot between health and economics.

Usually, I take a close look at a study that answers one of these questions, but sometimes

I get the chance to talk to someone, not about a study, but about their life.

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