# Is Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed a doctor?

> Republican Mike Rogers challenges Democrat Abdul El-Sayed's claim to be a physician in Michigan's U.S. Senate race, but the answer depends on how you define the term.
- Title: Is Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed a doctor? · PolitiFact
- Summary: Republican Mike Rogers challenges Democrat Abdul El-Sayed's claim to be a physician in Michigan's U.S. Senate race, but the answer depends on how you define…
- Keywords: abdul el-sayed, mike rogers, michigan senate, 2026 midterms, physician credentials, medical licensing, politics, fact check, Michigan, Democrat, Abdul, El-Sayed
- Source: PolitiFact — https://politifact.com/article/2026/oct/14/abdul-el-sayed-doctor-physician-michigan-senate
- Author: Caleb McCullough
- Published: 2026-10-14T11:00:19+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: abdul el-sayed, mike rogers, michigan senate, 2026 midterms, physician credentials, medical licensing, politics, fact check
## Rogers attacks El-Sayed's credentials
During an October eighth debate, Republican Mike Rogers challenged Democrat Abdul El-Sayed's claim to be a physician, saying El-Sayed has misled voters about his medical credentials.
## Rogers: He'd go to jail if he treated patients
Rogers said during the debate, "He's not really a doctor.He says he's a physician.As a matter of fact, if somebody came into his office and he tried to treat that patient, he'd go to jail."

> He's not really a doctor. He says he's a physician. As a matter of fact, if somebody came into his office and he tried to treat that patient, he'd go to jail.
## Rogers repeats the attack on social media
Rogers said "not a physician" after El-Sayed claimed to be a doctor during the debate. The next day, Rogers posted on social media, "Abdul isn't a real doctor."

> Abdul isn't a real doctor.
## El-Sayed leans on his medical degree
El-Sayed points to his medical degree from Columbia University in his campaign to signal authority on healthcare policy. During the debate, he told Rogers to "take it up with them."
## Obama backs El-Sayed's credentials
Former President Barack Obama said in a recent campaign ad, "Abdul's a doctor, and he's taken on special interests to fight for good jobs, better healthcare and lower costs."

> Abdul's a doctor, and he's taken on special interests to fight for good jobs, better healthcare and lower costs.
## El-Sayed has an MD but no license
El-Sayed holds a doctor of medicine degree from Columbia University, requiring four years of medical school after college. He never pursued residency and has never held a medical license in Michigan or New York.
## Without a license, he cannot practice
Because El-Sayed lacks a medical license, he is not legally allowed to treat patients or write prescriptions. His degree makes him a doctor, but whether he is a physician depends on the definition used.
## Rogers' campaign cites state law
Rogers' campaign pointed to Michigan and New York state laws that define a physician as someone licensed to practice medicine.

> He's not a licensed physician, never completed his residency, can't write a prescription, and can't even treat a patient.
## El-Sayed's campaign cites the AMA
El-Sayed's campaign defended his use of the term physician, pointing to the American Medical Association's definition, which includes anyone with a doctor of medicine degree without requiring a license.
## Medical experts explain the divide
Dr. Michael Genovese, chief medical adviser at Ascendant in New York, said state laws and professional organizations define physician differently. "All physicians are doctors, but not all doctors are physicians," he said.

> All physicians are doctors, but not all doctors are physicians.
## El-Sayed chose public health over practice
While in medical school, El-Sayed withdrew his residency application to focus on public health. He received a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford University in England and later became assistant professor at Columbia's School of…
## El-Sayed's career in public health
El-Sayed became executive director of Detroit's Public Health Department in two thousand fifteen, a position he held for two years.
## Key takeaway

Abdul El-Sayed holds an MD from Columbia University but never completed residency and is not licensed to practice medicine. Whether he is a physician depends on whether you use state law or medical professional definitions.