Which U.S. Senators Are Also Doctors? Meet the Senate’s Medical Professionals
Several members of the U.S. Senate have medical backgrounds, but the answer to “Which U.S. senators are also doctors?” depends partly on what “doctor” means. As of 2026, four sitting senators are physicians who earned medical degrees: John Barrasso, Bill Cassidy, Roger Marshall, and Rand Paul. John Boozman is also a doctor of optometry, a distinct health profession. Their experience ranges from surgery and eye care to obstetrics and gastroenterology.
Which U.S. Senators Are Doctors?
The four current senators who are medical doctors are Republicans John Barrasso of Wyoming, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Roger Marshall of Kansas, and Rand Paul of Kentucky. Each completed medical training and practiced in a clinical specialty before or alongside a political career. Republican John Boozman of Arkansas earned a Doctor of Optometry degree and practiced optometry; he is a doctor, but not a physician with an MD or DO degree.
| Senator | State | Medical or health-care background |
|---|---|---|
| John Barrasso | Wyoming | Orthopedic surgeon; MD |
| Bill Cassidy | Louisiana | Gastroenterologist; MD |
| Roger Marshall | Kansas | Obstetrician-gynecologist; MD |
| Rand Paul | Kentucky | Ophthalmologist; MD |
| John Boozman | Arkansas | Optometrist; Doctor of Optometry (OD) |
These credentials are not interchangeable. Physicians diagnose and treat illness across a wide range of medical settings, while optometrists provide primary eye and vision care under a separate professional education and licensing system. Both professions use the title “doctor,” but an OD is not an MD or DO.
John Barrasso: Orthopedic Surgeon From Wyoming
John Barrasso has represented Wyoming in the Senate since 2007. Before entering Congress, he practiced orthopedic surgery in Casper, Wyoming. Orthopedic surgeons diagnose and treat conditions involving bones, joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Their work can include nonsurgical care as well as operations, such as repairing injuries or replacing damaged joints.
Barrasso earned his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine and completed postgraduate training in orthopedic surgery. His medical background is often relevant to discussion of health policy, but it does not make his political positions a substitute for clinical guidance. As a senator, his responsibilities include legislation, oversight, constituent services, and representation of Wyoming.
Official biography: Senator John Barrasso’s biography.
Bill Cassidy: Gastroenterologist From Louisiana
Bill Cassidy, a U.S. senator from Louisiana since 2015, trained and worked as a physician specializing in gastroenterology. Gastroenterologists care for disorders of the digestive system, including the esophagus, stomach, intestines, liver, pancreas, and gallbladder. Cassidy received his medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine and completed residency training in internal medicine before pursuing further specialty training.
Before serving in the Senate, Cassidy worked as a physician and taught at Louisiana State University. His public biography also describes work with uninsured patients and efforts to expand access to health services in Louisiana. Those experiences form part of his professional history, although a senator’s legislative decisions are political and should be evaluated through policy details, not credentials alone.
Official biography: Senator Bill Cassidy’s biography.
Roger Marshall: Obstetrician and Gynecologist From Kansas
Roger Marshall entered the Senate in 2021 after serving in the House of Representatives. He is a physician specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, a field focused on reproductive health, pregnancy, childbirth, and care of the female reproductive system. Marshall earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine and practiced in Great Bend, Kansas.
His clinical career included caring for patients in a rural community, where access to specialists and health facilities can be a significant concern. The experience gives him a direct professional connection to topics such as maternity care and rural health services. It does not, however, mean that his policy views represent all physicians or that clinical expertise alone settles complex legislative debates.
Official biography: Senator Roger Marshall’s biography.
Rand Paul: Ophthalmologist From Kentucky
Rand Paul has represented Kentucky in the Senate since 2011. He is an ophthalmologist, a physician who specializes in the medical and surgical care of the eyes and visual system. Ophthalmologists can examine vision, diagnose eye disease, prescribe treatment, and perform eye surgery. Paul earned his medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine and completed residency training in ophthalmology.
Before his Senate career, Paul practiced in Kentucky and founded an eye-care organization. His medical specialty is distinct from optometry: ophthalmologists are physicians, while optometrists earn an OD and focus on vision and primary eye care. The two professions may work together, but their training and permitted scope of practice differ by state law.
Official biography: Senator Rand Paul’s biography.
John Boozman: Optometrist From Arkansas
John Boozman has represented Arkansas in the Senate since 2011. He earned a Doctor of Optometry degree from the Southern College of Optometry and practiced as an optometrist before entering Congress. Optometrists provide eye examinations, assess vision, prescribe corrective lenses, and identify or manage many eye conditions. Depending on state law, they may also provide certain treatments or medications.
Boozman is appropriately described as a doctor of optometry, but he is not a medical doctor. The distinction matters when a question specifically asks which senators are physicians. In that narrower sense, the list is Barrasso, Cassidy, Marshall, and Paul; in the broader sense of senators with doctoral-level health-care credentials, Boozman belongs in the discussion too.
Official biography: Senator John Boozman’s biography.
What Counts as a Doctor in the Senate?
In everyday conversation, “doctor” can refer to people with different professional degrees. For a clear answer, it helps to separate physicians from other health professionals who hold doctoral degrees.
- MD: A Doctor of Medicine degree. MDs complete medical education and supervised clinical training, then meet licensing requirements to practice medicine.
- DO: A Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree. DOs are physicians who complete medical school and residency training, with additional education in the osteopathic approach to care.
- OD: A Doctor of Optometry degree. Optometrists are licensed eye-care professionals, but they are not physicians by virtue of holding an OD.
For the senators listed above, all four physicians hold MD degrees, while Boozman holds an OD. The distinction is about professional training and licensure, not about the value or importance of the work. Optometrists play an essential role in eye care, but their professional category differs from that of physicians.
How Medical Experience Can Shape a Senator’s Work
A medical career can give a senator firsthand familiarity with patient care, clinical settings, insurance systems, and the practical effects of health policy. A physician may have seen how staffing shortages affect a hospital, how chronic illness changes a family’s life, or how rural distance complicates access to treatment. Those experiences can help inform questions asked during hearings and the design of proposed legislation.
Still, medical credentials do not automatically make a senator an expert on every health-policy issue. Public policy involves trade-offs involving cost, access, quality, federal authority, and competing public priorities. Senators also represent different states and political constituencies. Their medical histories are useful context, but legislation should be assessed by its provisions, evidence, likely effects, and implementation.
Nor does a senator’s former clinical specialty mean that the senator is currently treating patients. Holding a medical degree and having practiced medicine are separate from maintaining an active license or clinical practice. Official biographies are useful for confirming education and career history, but they should not be read as proof of current patient-care activity.
Why the List Can Change
The Senate roster changes when senators are elected, retire, resign, or take office after a special election. The number of members with medical backgrounds can therefore change during or between congressional terms. For a current answer, it is important to check the official Senate roster and individual senator biographies rather than relying on an older list.
There is also no single universal definition of “doctor” in informal search queries. A search for “physician senators” generally means senators with an MD or DO who practiced medicine. A search for “senators who are doctors” may include health professionals such as optometrists with doctoral degrees. Stating the definition makes the answer more precise and avoids confusing professional credentials.
How to Verify a Senator’s Medical Credentials
Official Senate and senator websites are strong starting points for confirming education and work history. A senator’s biography typically lists medical school, specialty training, and past clinical employment. For a wider view of medical education and licensure, professional organizations and state licensing boards provide additional background, although license status should be checked directly with the relevant state board.
When comparing biographies, look for the degree abbreviation and specialty rather than relying on the word “doctor” alone. An MD or DO indicates physician education; an OD indicates optometry. Specialty labels—such as orthopedic surgery, gastroenterology, obstetrics and gynecology, and ophthalmology—describe additional training within medicine. This approach gives a more reliable answer to who the doctor-senators are and what kind of care they were trained to provide.