The buzz in the mainstream press is that Dr. Sanjay Gupta (left), CNN chief medical correspondent, is tops on the list to be the next Surgeon General. Although some of my colleagues in the trenches of community and public health are offended by the selection of someone outside of the public health field, I think it is a brilliant choice. Because of his international media stardom (he was named as one of People Magazines 50 sexiest men alive in 2003 and a pop culture icon by USA today in 2004) he has the opportunity to influence the public health more than any Surgeon General in memory, even more than white bearded Dr. C. Evertt Koop (right), the quintessential public health leader we remember from the Reagan administration.The Surgeon General heads the U.S. Public Health Service with the job of being the "nation's chief health educator by providing Americans the best scientific information available on how to improve their health and reduce the risk of illness and injury. " The most recent Surgeon General, Dr. Richard Carmona, resigned in 2007 and later testified to Congress about restrictions placed upon his message by the Bush administration. The current acting Surgeon General is Rear Admiral Steven K. Galson, M.D., M.P.H., a career commissioned officer of the U.S. Public Health Service.
Dr. Gupta is a brilliant choice for the next Surgeon General.
Imagine the chief public health officer reaching out to everyone younger than a baby boomer via social networks and electronic media such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and via the blogosphere and YouTube (just to name a few). And for those of all ages, think about the natural talent he has for communicating via television where previous Surgeons General have looked awkward and have delivered messages as if they were cardboard cutouts of a person frozen at a podium. Dr. Gupta has the opportunity to bring public health messaging to an entirely new level by leveraging his talent as a media specialist. And, as a practicing neurosurgeon already with many public health credentials, he has the panache to man the bully pulpit like no other. If he is nominated and confirmed, leveraging the incredible assets of the U.S. Public Health Service via innovative media outlets should be his focus.
Also, don't you think he'll look super great in that uniform?
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