The physician is the ultimate patient advocate, finding themselves at an intersection where they have the power to help a patient outside of the clinic. Although patients come in with a health issue, what mostly hurts them is violence, homophobia, health threats, sexism, poverty, racism, disrupted family relationships, sexual violence, etc. In addition, becoming a physician itself brings upon privilege and using this privilege to fight for systematic changes is the best way a physician can be a patient’s advocate.
