Physician Assistant Fired for Opposing Trans Policy: Religious Liberty in Medicine
The Faith & Medicine Foundation (FMF) has been made aware of a case occurring in Michigan of a medical provider who was dismissed from her job after she was seeking a religious exemption from using preferred pronouns and to allow her to refer patients for “gender reassignment” medications and surgeries.
FMF would like to express our support for Ms. Valerie Kloosterman, PA-C, and encourage her in her desire to provide compassionate medical care in accordance with her faith.
FMF is supported and comprised of medical providers who seek to show the love of Christ to all people through the practice of medicine; however, we recognize that providing medical care falls under the authority and leadership of Christ. We look to scripture to inform our faith and practice and will not participate in a violation of our conscience. We are grateful to the protections provided under the Constitution of the United States and will work to support and defend religious liberty in medicine.
We would like to urge State Boards of Medicine as well as professional physician assistant and medical societies to steward their authority and leadership in accordance with those freedoms outlined in the the Consititution and in line with the American Medical Association’s guidance that, “Preserving opportunity for physicians to act (or to refrain from acting) in accordance with the dictates of conscience in their professional practice is important for preserving the integrity of the medical profession as well as the integrity of the individual physician, on which patients and the public rely. Thus physicians should have considerable latitude to practice in accord with well-considered, deeply held beliefs that are central to their self-identities.”
After reviewing Ms. Kloosterman’s case we believe she was well within her rights as a medical provider to, “...refer a patient to another physician or institution to provide treatment the physician declines to offer. When a deeply held, well-considered personal belief leads a physician also to decline to refer, the physician should offer impartial guidance to patients about how to inform themselves regarding access to desired services” as the AMA directs (Physician Exercise of Conscience, Subsection f).
Most importantly, we seek to lift Ms. Kloosterman up in prayer that as she proceeds through the legal process, she may remember that, “[we] will be dragged before governors and kings for [Jesus] sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles” (Matthew 10:18). We confidently call to mind, “When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you” (Matthew 10:19-20).
