The West Virginia Legislature sponsors several different educational programs. Each has its own unique opportunities for the participants. The Legislature’s Page Program gives students in grades 6 through 12 the opportunity to witness the role that legislators play in state government. Also, the numerous legislative internship programs provide graduate and undergraduate students the ability to work directly with lawmakers and staff. Perhaps the most beneficial program to all employees at the state capitol is the Doc for a Day program.
Started in 1989 by William Ferrell, this year marks the 21st anniversary of the start of the Doc for a Day program. The program is sponsored by the West Virginia Chapter of the Academy of Family Physicians. Ferrell, an Academy administrator, saw the opportunity for a mutually beneficial relationship between family physicians in the state and state capitol employees.
The Doc for a Day program allows family physicians from around the state, including practicing family physicians from West Virginia and Marshall University’s medical schools, to volunteer their medical services each day during the legislative session. The physicians provide medical services free of charge to legislators, legislative staff, government officials and to visitors at the state capitol. The Doc for a Day program not only allows physicians the ability to provide medical services to lawmakers and other state capitol employees, it also serves as an outstanding educational tool.
The ability of this program to provide physicians a first hand look at how legislators directly impact their profession is second to none. Anita Sayre, a family physician from Marshall University Medical School and a regular in the program, says that it is an invaluable educational tool.
“What happens here affects doctors across the state. It’s a great way to see how health care policy in the state is made. It gives us [family physicians] a different perspective and shows how health care policy gets done,” she said. Physicians are assisted by Marsha Booth, the Capitol’s full-time RN. Booth, a graduate of West Virginia Institute of Technology’s first nursing program, has seen it all. She has been working as the Capitol’s full-time nurse for 20 years in addition to several years of hospital experience. Even with all her professional experience she says that her work at the capitol and participation in the Doc for a Day program has been one of the most fruitful.
“It has been one of the most rewarding jobs I have had, and the Doc for a Day program has made it even better,” she said.
Perhaps the most underrated and beneficial aspects of the program are the money and man hours it saves the state. Having a family physician at the Capitol allows patients to obtain basic medical assistance without leaving work. Also, the fact that these physicians provide free medical service saves the state health care costs which would otherwise be paid by the Public Employees Insurance Agency.
Over the years the program has provided medical service to over 35,000 patients and have approximately 75 emergency transports from the Capitol annually. Typical ailments include the common cold, allergy and sinus problems.
The program was also the first of its kind in the nation. Currently, there are only 16 state capitols that have medical services and the West Virginia State Capitol is one of only two or three that treat everyone and not just legislators.
