Should Medical Students Be Political? Doctors’ Perspectives on Patient Advocacy and Social Justice

Abstract

Political participation among medical students remains a contested topic within medical professionalism, social responsibility, and professional neutrality. The study aimed to examine physicians’ perceptions, opportunities, and challenges of medical students’ political participation from the perspective of doctors in Jalalabad city. A qualitative study was conducted in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, using semi-structured interviews with 29 physicians selected through purposive sampling. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, and the collected data were analyzed using the thematic analysis method of Brown and Clark (2006). Thematic analysis identified four major themes: professional neutrality and patient trust, social responsibility and patient advocacy, opportunities and barriers to political participation, and advocacy at policy and governmental levels. The findings showed that the doctors’ perspectives ranged from absolute opposition to absolute support. Participants identified maintaining patient trust as a fundamental requirement of the medical profession, but at the same time, they emphasized the importance of active participation of doctors and medical students in health justice, defending patients’ rights, and addressing the social determinants of health. In addition, institutional pressures, social sensitivities, and professional concerns were identified as important constraints to political participation. The findings recommend that political participation should be included as a component of patient advocacy, social responsibility, and health justice, while remaining consistent with professional ethics and the preservation of patient trust.

Received: 10-08-2026 | Accepted: 24-08-2026 | Published: 29-09-2026