Obama nominates new surgeon general : MacArthur "genius grant" fellow Regina Benjamin
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<m> Obama </m> nominates new surgeon general : MacArthur "genius grant" fellow Regina Benjamin
http : / / www . scientificamerican . com / blog / post . cfm ? id=obama - nominates - new - surgeon - general - 2009 - 07 - 13
<m> Obama </m> nominates new surgeon general : MacArthur "genius grant" fellow Regina Benjamin
Jul 13 , 2009 01 : 40 PM
As the country's politicos have their sights set on the U . S . Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Sonia Sotomayor today , President Barack Obama nominated Regina Benjamin , 52 , as the country's new surgeon general , the "leading spokesperson on issues of public health , " Obama said .
Benjamin , a rural family doctor in Alabama , was a 2008 MacArthur Foundation Fellow , and in 1995 she was elected to the American Medical Association's board of trustees , making her both the first black woman on the board and the first AMA trustee to be elected before the age of 40 .
In 1990 she founded the Bayou La Batre Rural Health Clinic , which cares for a largely uninsured working - class community that was hit by both Hurricanes Katrina and George .
In addition to providing for her ill patients - whether or not they can foot the bill - "she's been a relentless promoter of prevention and wellness programs , " Obama said about Benjamin , who has had many relatives have die of preventable diseases .
In her acceptance speech , Benjamin thanked two of her mentors : former Surgeon General David Satcher and former Secretary of Health and Human Services , Louis Sullivan .
If confirmed by the Senate , she will replace Rear Admiral Steven K . Galson , who has been acting surgeon general since October 2007 .
The surgeon general "communicates the best science , evidence , and data to the American people for them to make healthy choices , " according to the Office of the Surgeon General's Web site .
CNN correspondent Sanjay Gupta had been the front - runner for the spot earlier this year until he pulled himself out of consideration .