Dr. Peter Beilenson took the helm as Howard County Health Officer last year after 13 years as Baltimore City Health Commissioner. He is credited with expanding city drug treatment programs, improving immunization compliance and founding Health Care for All, a statewide initiative for universal health coverage.
In Howard, he isleading the charge to expand access to health care to the county?s 10,000 uninsured through the Healthy Howard plan.
When did you know you wanted to be a doctor?
When I was 8, my next door neighbor who I looked up to, Doug, who was 14, died of leukemia very suddenly. That?s when I first knew I wanted to be a doctor and from that time, my dad constantly gave me articles about science and health, and I kept developing an interest in medicine.
Why did you choose public health rather than private practice?
I did an internship in family medicine. We had just had our second child and I had been on call and was trying to get home to see him. Something came up and I couldn?t leave the hospital. So I said I am not sure I want the complete clinical career. I was also very interested in public policy and politics, in large part because of my dad, who was a state legislator and later a congressman. I decided to stay home for a year and take care of our second child and, while I was out, I read an article about preventive medicine. We were in Baltimore and it turns out Hopkins had the best preventive medicine residency in the country.
What do you point to as your greatest accomplishment in your career so far?
Founding the Health Care for All initiative [in 1998]. It certainly hasn?t gotten there yet in terms of health care for all, but it focused my efforts.
That?s one of the great benefits of joining [Howard County Executive Ken Ulman]. This gave us a chance to put into action what we have been talking about.
What moment most shaped your beliefs?
I could tell you the speech that does. I just gave a graduation speech at Hopkins medical school and used this. It?s the single quote that most impacted me and the job I do.
It?s the quote Bobby Kennedy used in his campaign of ?68 from George Bernard Shaw: “Some see things as they are, and ask, ?Why?? I dream of things that never were and ask, ?Why not??”
What person most inspires you, living or dead?
My dad on a personal basis got me very interested in public service and make me aware it?s a noble calling. He was a very honest legislator who didn?t take PAC money and was very involved in environmental causes and health care issues.
For a major public figure, I?d say Bobby Kennedy. He epitomized that quote. He really seemed to care about the underserved and vulnerable population.
You have five children ages 2 to 23. What do you hope they learn from you and take out into the world?
My wife and I both ? she is a social worker ? have worked in some ways in public service, in helping those who aren?t as fortunate as we are. I would hope they realize not everyone has had the benefits we have and try to help in whatever way they choose ? if it?s going into business or health care whatever ? that they realize it?s important to make sure that other people who aren?t as lucky as we are get to achieve whatever goals they have.
What are you reading right now?
Mostly I read kids books. But I havea real interest in geography and American history, so [I?m reading] “How the states got their shapes” [by Mark Stein]. My oldest daughter got it for me. It explains how the borders of the states were formed. But I read mostly Ferdinand the Bull.
