Mehmet Oz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mehmet Oz
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|---|---|
Oz in 2016
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| Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Nominee |
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| Assuming office TBD |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Succeeding | Chiquita Brooks-LaSure |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Mehmet Cengiz Öz
June 11, 1960 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Citizenship |
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| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Lisa Lemole
(m. 1985) |
| Children | 4, including Daphne |
| Education | Harvard University (BA) University of Pennsylvania (MD, MBA) |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Organization | HealthCorps, Sharecare |
| Television | The Dr. Oz Show |
| Occupation |
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| Awards | Full list |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | Turkey |
| Service/ |
Turkish Land Forces |
| Years of service | Early 1980s for 60 days |
Mehmet Cengiz Öz (born June 11, 1960), known as Dr. Oz, is an American television presenter, doctor, and author. He was a professor of heart surgery at Columbia University. He also ran for political office.
Dr. Oz is the son of Turkish immigrants. He grew up in Wilmington, Delaware. He went to Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania. He is a citizen of both the U.S. and Turkey. In the 1980s, he completed 60 days of military training in the Turkish Army. This was required for Turkish citizens living abroad to keep their citizenship.
In 2003, Oprah Winfrey was a guest on his show, Second Opinion with Dr. Oz. He then became a regular guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show. In 2009, The Dr. Oz Show started. It was a daily TV show about health and medical topics. The show ran for 13 seasons. Dr. Oz has faced some criticism for promoting alternative medicine and other beliefs.
Oz ran for the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania in 2022. He ran as a Republican. He was the first Muslim candidate for Senate from a major party. Oz lost the election to John Fetterman. He has now been nominated by President Donald Trump to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Mehmet Oz was born in 1960 in Cleveland, Ohio. His parents, Suna and Mustafa Öz, came from Konya Province, Turkey. Oz said he was named after Mehmed II, an Ottoman sultan. His father, Mustafa, was a heart surgeon. He moved to the U.S. for his medical training. His mother, Suna, came from a wealthy family in Istanbul. Oz has two sisters, Seval and Nazlim. He grew up in a mixed Muslim home. His father's family was more traditional. His mother's family was more modern.
As a child, he spent summers in Turkey. After college, he served in the Turkish Army for 60 days. This helped him keep his dual citizenship.
Oz went to Tower Hill School in Wilmington, Delaware. In 1982, he earned his degree in biology from Harvard University. He played football and water polo there. In 1986, he earned two degrees from the University of Pennsylvania: an MD (Doctor of Medicine) and an MBA (Master of Business Administration). He was a leader in college and medical school.
Medical Career and Innovations
Oz started his medical training in 1986. He worked at Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. In 1995, he and a colleague started a center for alternative medicine for heart patients. This caused some concern with the hospital.
In 1996, Oz and his colleague Eric Rose became well-known. They performed a successful heart transplant for Frank Torre. Frank was the brother of baseball manager Joe Torre. Oz later reopened his center as the Cardiovascular Institute and Integrative Medicine Program. He was its director.
Oz became a professor at Columbia University in 2001. He became a professor emeritus in 2018. In May 2022, Columbia University ended its ties with him.
He has helped create new tools and methods for heart surgery. These include the MitraClip and the left ventricular assist device (LVAD). By 2015, he held several patents for heart surgery devices.
In 2003, Oz was banned for two years from presenting research to a medical association. This was because his team changed their study methods. Oz's political campaign later said they had simply added more patients to the study.
In 2010, Oz helped start Sharecare, Inc. In 2015, some doctors asked Columbia to remove Oz from the faculty. They said he did not follow science-based medicine. Columbia supported Oz, saying they believed in academic freedom. Oz said his show helped people and offered different viewpoints.
Television Career and Public Role
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Oz first hosted Second Opinion with Dr. Oz in 2003. Oprah Winfrey was a guest on this show. Oz then became a regular health expert on The Oprah Winfrey Show. He appeared more than sixty times. In 2009, Oprah's company, Harpo Productions, launched The Dr. Oz Show. It became a very popular daily show.
On The Dr. Oz Show, he talked about topics like Type 2 diabetes. He also promoted certain health supplements. His TV series Transplant! won awards. He was also a consultant for the movie John Q.
In 2011, Oz joined "Ask Oprah's All-Stars" on OWN. He gave advice with other experts. He also hosted a health segment on radio. In 2014, a documentary series called Surgeon Oz showed his work as a surgeon.
In September 2016, Donald Trump appeared on The Dr. Oz Show during his presidential campaign. Oz said he would share Trump's medical records on the show. Later, in 2018, Trump appointed Oz to the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.
In March 2021, Oz was a guest host on the game show Jeopardy! for two weeks. This decision was met with some criticism from fans.
The Dr. Oz Show aired its last episode on January 14, 2022. It had been on air for over a decade.
Political Career and Public Service
In 2007, it was reported that Oz was active in the Republican Party of New Jersey. He had donated to Republican politicians. He supported President George W. Bush's re-election in 2004.
In 2018, President Donald Trump appointed Oz to the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition. In 2022, President Joe Biden asked Oz to resign from the council. This was because Oz was running for Senate, and it could violate the Hatch Act. Oz refused, so Biden removed him.
Running for U.S. Senate
On November 30, 2021, Oz announced he would run for the United States Senate in Pennsylvania. After his announcement, some TV stations stopped airing his show. This was due to rules about equal airtime for political candidates. During his campaign, he called for Dr. Anthony Fauci to be fired. He also opposed vaccine requirements.
In April 2022, former President Donald Trump supported Oz's campaign. Oz's ties to Turkey and his dual citizenship were criticized by his opponents. Oz called these issues a "distraction." He said he would give up his Turkish citizenship if elected.
In May 2022, Columbia University ended its ties with Oz. The Republican primary election was on May 17. Oz narrowly won the primary after a recount. He became the Republican nominee.
During the campaign, opponents said Oz was not truly from Pennsylvania. Oz denied this, saying he owns a home there. His campaign said he lives and votes in Pennsylvania.
In August 2022, a video of Oz shopping for vegetables went viral. In the video, he complained about high prices, blaming President Joe Biden. The video was widely made fun of. Oz said he was tired when he made the video.
Oz's opponent, John Fetterman, had a stroke in May 2022. The Oz campaign made some comments about Fetterman's health. Fetterman said the comments mocked stroke survivors. They eventually agreed to a debate in October.
Oz lost to Fetterman in the Senate election. He conceded defeat on November 9, 2022. If he had won, Oz would have been the first Muslim to serve in the U.S. Senate.
Leading Medicare and Medicaid Services
On November 19, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump nominated Oz. He wants Oz to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Trump said Oz would help cut waste and fraud. He also said Oz would encourage disease prevention.
Oz's nomination was well-received by some politicians. His former opponent, John Fetterman, said he would consider voting to confirm Oz. Fetterman said he would support Oz if he focused on protecting Medicare and Medicaid.
Political Views and Beliefs
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When he announced his Senate campaign in 2021, Oz called himself a "conservative Republican." After winning the primary, he described himself as a "moderate leader." In 2007, he had also called himself a "moderate Republican."
COVID-19 Pandemic
In March 2020, Oz suggested that hydroxychloroquine could treat COVID-19. In April 2020, he called for schools to reopen. However, Oz has also supported wearing masks and getting vaccinated.
He first praised Dr. Anthony Fauci for fighting the pandemic. But when running for Senate, Oz changed his view. He called Fauci a "tyrant." Oz said in 2022 that it was "time we get back to normal."
Education
Oz supports school choice and charter schools. He has criticized teachers' unions.
Environment and Climate Change
In 2017, Oz wrote an article about the dangers of climate change. These included extreme heat and floods. When running for Senate, he played down the risk of carbon dioxide in climate change. In March 2022, he claimed carbon dioxide is "not the problem."
In 2022, Oz said he supports hydraulic fracturing ("fracking"). He believes natural gas can help the U.S. become energy independent. He supports reducing environmental rules on fracking. However, in 2014, Oz had called for more rules on fracking. He wanted more research on its environmental impact.
Gun Policy
Oz supports the right to own guns under the Second Amendment. In February 2022, he said he supports red flag-style laws for dangerous people. But he opposes a national red flag law registry. In 2019, he had co-written an article calling for a ban on assault rifles.
Healthcare Views
In 2022, Oz said he would vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act if elected. He supported a plan called Medicare Advantage Plus.
However, in 2009, Oz said everyone in America should have healthcare coverage. He said if people cannot afford it, it should be provided. In 2010, he supported a government-backed healthcare system. He even appeared in an ad for the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). Oz has said that Germany and Switzerland have the best healthcare systems. Both have universal healthcare.
Oz said that people do not have a "right to health." But he said they have a "right to access" healthcare.
Personal Life and Family
Oz speaks both English and Turkish fluently. His wealth is estimated to be between $100 million and $300 million.
In 2010, Oz found a pre-cancerous polyp in his colon during a routine check-up. He said this procedure likely saved his life.
Oz has played in celebrity basketball and softball games.
Where He Lives
Oz was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and grew up in Wilmington, Delaware. He lived in Cliffside Park, New Jersey, for many years. He holds his medical license in Pennsylvania.
In late 2020, Oz moved to Pennsylvania. He changed his voter registration to his in-laws' home. He has since voted and gotten a driver's license in Pennsylvania.
Oz and his wife own many properties. These include homes in Florida and Turkey.
Citizenship
Oz is a citizen of both the U.S. and Turkey. He said he keeps his Turkish citizenship to care for his mother, who has Alzheimer's. He said he would give up his Turkish citizenship if he was elected to the Senate. U.S. law does not stop members of Congress from having dual citizenship.
Family Life
Oz married Lisa Oz, an author and TV personality, in 1985. They met in Philadelphia. They have four children. Their oldest daughter, Daphne, is also an author and TV host. Oz and his wife started HealthCorps. This is a non-profit group for health education.
In 2020, Oz's sister, Nazlim Öz, sued him. She said he was keeping her rental income from apartments owned by their late father. Oz said he had to hold the money because other family members were suing Nazlim in Turkey.
Religious Beliefs
As of 2022, Oz identifies as a "secular Muslim." He has said that the spiritual side of Islam, like Sufism, is more important to him than religious law. Oz has said he is against Sharia law in the U.S. His wife and children are Christians. Oz believes the U.S. was founded on Judeo-Christian values. His wife Lisa introduced him to the teachings of Emanuel Swedenborg. She also introduced him to alternative medicines like reiki and transcendental meditation.
In a 2012 interview, Oz said his father followed Islam strictly. His mother was a more modern Muslim.
Books and Publications
Eight of Oz's books have been New York Times bestsellers. Seven of them were written with Michael F. Roizen. He writes a regular column in Esquire and O, The Oprah Magazine. His article "Retool, Reboot, and Rebuild" won an award in 2009. In 2014, Oz and the Hearst Corporation launched a magazine called Dr. Oz The Good Life.
Images for kids
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Oz at ServiceNation in 2008
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Oz at the 2016 Voice Awards
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Oz with First Lady Michelle Obama in 2012
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Oz speaking at the Mall in Columbia in August 2015
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- List of American Muslims
- Medical journalism
- New Yorkers in journalism
