'A Window for Helping My Patients': AAFP Member and California Assembly Member Jasmeet Bains, M.D.

In this episode of the Fighting for Family Medicine podcast recorded at FMX 2024, David Tully, vice president of Government Relations and a member of AAFP's advocacy team, talks with Jasmeet Bains, M.D., about how her family medicine practice and advocacy inform her role as an elected member of the California Assembly. She is one of only a handful of Academy members to have held statewide office, giving her an unusual — and valuable — perspective on what physicians bring to their engagement with lawmakers. 

"This gives me a window for helping my patients in a way that I couldn't in my clinic," she says of her time so far in office.

Dr. Bains earned the 2019 Hero of Family Medicine Award from the California AFP and has held a variety of local, state and national leadership roles, including as a scholar with the AAFP's Leading Physician Well-being Program.

Topics by Timestamp

0:22 Introducing Jasmeet Bains, M.D.

1:03 What it's been like for her since she took office

2:55 What unites her motivations as a family physician and as a legislator

6:23 Working with the California AFP to pass a state law that would compensate primary care physicians for screening patients for social determinants of health

10:02 As part of the assembly's Committee on Aging and Long-term Care, what Dr. Bains is doing to build policy to care for an increasing population of aging adults

15:02 What she's learned about advocacy since being elected to the Assembly 

17:06 The balance between practicing family medicine and serving constituents

20:17 Advice for any physician considering a run for office

24:25 Conclusion

Related Resources 

• AAFP News: FP Takes up Family Medicine in State Legislature

• Dr. Bains' Calif. Assembly Member page

• AAFP Leading Physician Well-being Certificate Program

• Advocate for Family Medicine

• FMX 2025

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