The health policy journal club is an interdisciplinary, inter-professional group convened monthly by the Farley Health Policy Center to discuss timely topics in health policy. A curated selection of high-yield articles provides the basis for discussion. Past topics have included income inequality and health, professionalism in medicine, patients as consumers, and adjusting payment for measures of social risk. This page presents the reading list from the most recent journal club.

The Farley Center’s April Health Policy Journal Club examined the growing role of physician and resident unions alongside the rapidly evolving legal landscape of non‑compete clauses in physician contracts. Readings explored the pressures facing early‑career physicians, the promise and tradeoffs of collective bargaining, and emerging evidence on how unionization affects professionalism, support, and outcomes. Participants also discussed recent federal and state developments that could significantly reshape physician labor markets.

Time to Unionize?

Heath, I. “What is society doing to young doctors?” BMJ. December 17, 2025. 

Marso, Andy. “The Pros and Cons of Physician Unions.” FPM. November/December 2024.

Professionalism, support, and outcomes

AMA Advocacy Resource Staff. “ARC Issue Brief: Collective Bargaining for physicians and physicians-in-training.” 2023.

Foote, D. et al. “Experiences With Unionization Among General Surgery Resident Physicians, Faculty, and Staff.” JAMA network open. July 1, 2024.

Non-Compete Laws

Brown, E.; Reddy, M.; Whaley, C. “The FTC’s Noncompete Rule: Legal Challenges and Potential Solutions For Physician Markets.”

Coleman, J.; Gillis, R. “Non-compete Agreements in Health Care: A Rapidly Evolving Legal Landscape.”