“In medical school, students are immersed in the realm of medical ethics. It's where new doctors study, learn right and wrong, ask tough questions, and discuss things like end of life care, genetic testing, and patients' rights. In lots of ways, it's the most important part of being a compassionate and competent doctor.”

American physician and former politician

Ralph Northam is an American physician and former politician who served as governor of Virginia from 2018 to 2022. Born in 1959, he is a pediatric neurologist and a member of the Democratic Party. He also served as Virginia’s lieutenant governor before winning the governorship in 2017. Northam spent eight years as an officer in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, from 1984 to 1992. He is known for combining a medical career with public service in Virginia, first as lieutenant governor and then as governor, leaving office in January 2022 after serving a single term.