David Rath is a doctor, a politician

Politician

A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

 and the former Minister of Health for the Czech Republic

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....

. He is a member of the Czech Social Democratic Party

Czech Social Democratic Party

The Czech Social Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in the Czech Republic.-History:The Social Democratic Czechoslavonic party in Austria was founded on 7 April 1878 in Austria-Hungary representing the Kingdom of Bohemia in the Austrian parliament...

 (ČSSD).

Medical career

Rath completed his medical degree at Charles University in Prague

Charles University in Prague

Charles University in Prague is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1348, it was the first university in Central Europe and is also considered the earliest German university...

 in 1990. He practiced internal medicine at General Teaching Hospital in Prague (Všeobecná fakultní nemocnice), and then at the Faculty Hospital at Motol (Fakultní nemocnice v Motole). Then in Kralupy nad Vltavou

Kralupy nad Vltavou

Kralupy nad Vltavou is a city in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 18,000 inhabitants. The city lies on the Vltava River some north of Prague, the capital of both the Czech Republic and the Central Bohemian Region...

 he worked for the Samaritan Association. He returned to Prague and joined the internal medicine faculty at Charles University in 1995. From 1998 to 2005 Rath served as the president of the Czech Doctors' Chamber (Česká Lékařská Komora, or ČLK), an umbrella organisation for all Czech doctors.

Political career

In 1994 Rath joined the Civic Democratic Party (ODS). In 1995 he formed the Medical Action Group (or Physician's Union Club) within the party, which brought in significant monetary support during the 1998 elections. As director of the Physician's Union Club Rath initiated the November 1996 doctor's strike. In 1996 he was vice-chairman of the Free Democrats - Liberal National Socialist Party coalition (SD-LSNS).

In November 2005, the prime minister at the time, Jiří Paroubek

Jirí Paroubek

Jiří Paroubek is a Czech politician, who served as the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic from 25 April 2005 to 16 August 2006. He was also Chairman of the Czech Social Democratic Party , but resigned from his position immediately after the result of the 2010 Legislative Election was announced...

, appointed him health minister. He was directed to fix the finances of the troubled Czech health system, and he proceeded to institute a number of radical reforms.

In May 2006 Rath made international news when he traded blows with former Deputy Prime Minister

Deputy Prime Minister

A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some counties, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, but is significantly different, though both...

 Miroslav Macek

Miroslav Macek

Miroslav Macek is a politician and former deputy prime minister of the Czech Republic....

 at a dentists'

Dentistry

Dentistry is the branch of medicine that is involved in the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body. Dentistry is widely considered...

 conference after reportedly implying that Macek had married his wife for her money. Macek was later fined for having initiated the violence by slapping Rath on the back of the head prior to delivering a speech at the conference.

In September 2006, Rath was succeeded by Tomáš Julínek

Tomáš Julínek

Tomáš Julínek is a Czech politician and physician. From 2006 to 2009, Julínek served as the Minister of Health of the Czech Republic. He is a member of the Civic Democratic Party.-Career:...

 as Minister of Health for the Czech Republic. Rath was then elected chairman of the Health Committee of the Czech Chamber of Deputies

Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic

The Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of the Czech Republic. The seat of the Chamber of Deputies is situated in palaces in Malá Strana, Prague....

(lower house).