Valerie Arkoosh

Arkoosh is a medical physician and university professor who serves as the president of the National Physicians Alliance. In her capacity as president of the organization, she has been able to boost her public profile and name recognition through various television appearances -- most notably on Martha Stewart and MSNBC -- where she spoke in support of the Affordable Care Act, the federal health care reform bill commonly referred to as "Obamacare," as well as on the subject of Medicaid. After graduating from Northwestern University in 1982 with a bachelor's degree in economics, Arkoosh attended the University of Nebraska Medical College, where she received her M.D. in 1986. Her post-graduate training consisted of one year at Philadelphia's Presbyterian University of Pennsylvania Hospital, from 1986-1987, followed by three years as an anesthesiology resident at Jefferson Medical College. Arkoosh also holds a master's degree from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, having returned to school nearly 20 years after earning her M.D. to pursue a master's in public health. As described on her faculty profile, Arkoosh also considers herself an expert in health policy and state-based health care reform. Arkoosh (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent Pennsylvania. She did not appear on the ballot for the Democratic primary on May 17, 2022. Arkoosh was a 2014 Democratic candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 13th Congressional District of Pennsylvania. She lost the Democratic nomination in the primary on May 20, 2014