image sourced from original article at Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is facing scrutiny over repeatedly describing himself as a 'physician' despite never holding a medical license in Michigan or New York. Public records show that while he earned a medical degree, he did not complete a residency, pass board examinations, or obtain a license to practice medicine. State laws in both New York and Michigan restrict the use of the physician title to those who are licensed.
El-Sayed has emphasized his medical background throughout his campaign, referring to himself as a physician in debates, public appearances, and online biographies. Critics, including political opponents and Democratic strategists, argue that voters may have been left with the impression that he once practiced medicine. Past comments from El-Sayed describing his brief clinical training as 'cosplaying as a doctor' have further fueled the controversy.
His campaign maintains that his medical education and public health work justify the title, pointing to his career in public health leadership, efforts to eliminate medical debt, expand access to overdose reversal medication, and improve air quality monitoring. Rivals in the Democratic primary contend that the issue raises broader concerns about transparency and trust as voters evaluate his candidacy.
