David Satcher facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Satcher
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| 16th Surgeon General of the United States | |
| In office February 13, 1998 – February 12, 2002 |
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| President | Bill Clinton George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | J. Jarrett Clinton (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Kenneth P. Moritsugu (acting) |
| 11th U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health | |
| In office February 13, 1998 – January 20, 2001 |
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| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Philip R. Lee |
| Succeeded by | Arthur Lawrence (acting) |
| 13th Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | |
| In office 1993 – February 13, 1998 |
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| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | William L. Roper |
| Succeeded by | Jeffrey Koplan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 2, 1941 Anniston, Alabama, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Morehouse College (BS) CWRU (MD, PhD) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service | U.S. Public Health Service |
| Service years | 1998–2002 |
| Rank | Admiral |
David Satcher, born on March 2, 1941, is an American doctor and a leader in public health. He reached the highest rank, a four-star admiral, in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. He also served as the 11th Assistant Secretary for Health and the 16th Surgeon General of the United States. These are very important jobs focused on keeping Americans healthy.
Contents
About David Satcher
His Early Life and Inspiration
David Satcher was born in Anniston, Alabama. When he was just two years old, he got a serious illness called whooping cough. A Black doctor named Dr. Jackson visited his family's farm. He told David's parents that he might not live. But Dr. Jackson stayed all day and taught them how to give David the best chance to get better.
Dr. Satcher often heard this story as he grew up. It inspired him to become a doctor himself. While in college, he was active in the Civil Rights Movement. This movement worked for equal rights for all people.
Education and Training
David Satcher graduated from Morehouse College in Atlanta in 1963. He then went to Case Western Reserve University. In 1970, he earned two advanced degrees: a MD (to become a medical doctor) and a PhD in cell biology.
He continued his training at several hospitals and universities. He became an expert in family medicine and preventive medicine. This means he focused on keeping people healthy and preventing diseases.
His Career in Medicine and Public Health
Dr. Satcher taught at the Morehouse School of Medicine from 1979 to 1982. He also taught at the UCLA School of Medicine and the King-Drew Medical Center in Los Angeles. At King-Drew, he helped start the Department of Family Medicine. He also led the Sickle Cell Research Center there for six years.
From 1982 to 1993, Dr. Satcher was the President of Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. Later, from 1993 to 1998, he directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC is a major U.S. agency that protects public health.
Serving as Surgeon General
In February 1998, Dr. Satcher became the Surgeon General of the United States. This is like America's top doctor. At the same time, he also served as the Assistant Secretary for Health. He was the first Surgeon General to hold both these high-ranking jobs at once. Because of this, he was given the rank of a four-star admiral.
One of his first major actions as Surgeon General was releasing a report in 1998. This report warned about the dangers of tobacco use among young people from different backgrounds in the U.S. He pointed out that tobacco use was increasing among youth. This put their long-term health at risk.
Dr. Satcher was appointed by President Bill Clinton. He continued to serve as Surgeon General until 2002, even after President George W. Bush took office.
After Being Surgeon General
After leaving his role as Surgeon General, Dr. Satcher continued his important work. In 2002, he became the Director of the National Center for Primary Care at the Morehouse School of Medicine.
In 2006, he started the Satcher Health Leadership Institute (SHLI) at Morehouse. This institute works to improve public health policies for everyone. It especially focuses on making healthcare fair for minorities, the poor, and other groups who face challenges.
In 2013, he helped create the African American Network Against Alzheimer's. This group works to fight Alzheimer's disease.
Fighting for Fair Health Care
Dr. Satcher has always spoken out about unfairness in health care. He calls these "health disparities." He believes that everyone should have the same chance to be healthy, no matter their background.
He once asked, "What if we had eliminated differences in health in the last century?" He calculated that if health care had been equal in the year 2000, many lives could have been saved. For example, thousands fewer Black people would have died from heart disease or diabetes. Also, many more Black infants would have lived past their first year.
He also noted that if health care was fair, many more Black individuals would have had health insurance. Dr. Satcher encourages people to work together to find solutions. He believes we can make health care better at all levels: for individuals, in communities, and through government policies.
Dr. Satcher supports a healthcare system where the government helps pay for medical costs. This would make sure more people can get the care they need.
In 1990, he started a medical journal called the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved. This journal focuses on health issues for people who don't have easy access to care. It is considered one of the most important public health journals.
Awards and Special Honors
Dr. David Satcher has received many awards and honorary degrees for his work. Some of these include:
- The Public Health Service Distinguished Service Medal
- The 2013 UC Berkeley School of Public Health Public Health Heroes Award
- Honorary Doctor of Science from Harvard University (2011)
- Honorary Doctor of Public Health from Dickinson College (2016)
He has also received top awards from major medical groups. These include the American Medical Association and the American College of Physicians. In 2004, he received the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Award. This award recognizes people who make humanitarian contributions to human health. An academic society at Case Western School of Medicine is even named in his honor.
Images for kids
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Vice Admiral David Satcher, USPHS
