There's a new Surgeon General in town. What does that mean?

On December 15, 2014 Dr. Vivek Murthy was confirmed as the 19th United States Surgeon General. Educated at Harvard and Yale, Dr. Murthy is a Boston based Internal Medicine physician and educator at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. He is the first Surgeon General of Indian descent and the youngest at 37 years of age.

After the confirmation, the Office of the White House released a statement stating “ Dr. Murthy will bring his lifetime of experience promoting public health to bear on priorities ranging from stopping new diseases to helping our kids grow up healthy and strong,”President Obama said in a statement , “Vivek will also help us build on the progress we’ve made combating Ebola, both in our country and at its source.” Murthy himself said as Surgeon General he would focus on preventing childhood obesity, increasing rates of childhood vaccination, and decreasing smoking rates as he is “deeply passionate” about disease prevention.

The Office of the Surgeon General is part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In order to become the US Surgeon General a physician must first be nominated by the President of the United States then be confirmed by majority vote by the US Senate for a 4 year term in office.

With his new role, Dr. Murthy oversees all public health initiatives and programs for American citizens that involve the federal government's money. As the medical spokesperson for the federal government, he also represents its views on public health policy.  Referring to the prestigious role, the Office of the Surgeon General states that "As the Nation’s Doctor, the Surgeon General provides Americans with the best scientific information available on how to improve their health and reduce the risk of illness and injury. " A well known act done by a former Surgeon General was the Surgeon General Warning on tobacco products indicating it can be hazardous to health ( Rear Admiral Luther Leonidas Terry, M.D , 1964). The Surgeon General also awards several public health awards for exemplary acts of services as well as chairs the National Prevention Council, a  partnership of 20 different government agencies to promote community-based wellness programs including tobacco cessation and expanding access to healthy foods.

As the operational head of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC)  Dr. Murthy  will lead the Commissioned Corps, a group of 6,500+ uniformed health care professionals. These authorities,who are on call 24 hours a day, can be dispatched in the event of a public health emergency (such as Ebola), natural disaster, and assist in international health issues.  Along with their day to day duties which include holding offices within the NIH, CDC, FDA and other federal agencies, they also have a common  mission to protect, promote, and advance the health of the nation.

So why is a Surgeon General necessary? Essentially the Surgeon General is a leader, the American health leader. Though he can not directly affect policy making he can serve as a spokesperson and educator for critical health issues affecting physical, mental, and community well being. Important messages can be sent through the Office of the Surgeon General in a way that all people, no matter what level of medical knowledge, can understand. From obesity prevention, to the importance of seat belts this position works towards the unbiased prevention of illness, advocacy of wellness, and promotion of positive health activities.




Office of the Surgeon General