Regina Benjamin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Regina Benjamin
|
|
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2009
|
|
| 18th Surgeon General of the United States | |
| In office November 3, 2009 – July 16, 2013 |
|
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Donald Weaver (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Boris Lushniak (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 26, 1956 Mobile, Alabama, U.S. |
| Education | |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service | U.S. Public Health Service |
| Service years | 2009–2013 |
| Rank | Vice Admiral |
| Unit | USPHS Commissioned Corps |
| Awards | USPHS Regular Corps Ribbon |
Regina Marcia Benjamin (born October 26, 1956) is an American doctor who served as the 18th Surgeon General of the United States. The Surgeon General is often called "the nation's doctor" and leads the country in public health matters.
Before this important role, Dr. Benjamin was a vice admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. She is famous for running a medical clinic in the small town of Bayou La Batre, Alabama, which she founded to help people who had trouble getting healthcare.
Contents
Early Life and Schooling
Regina Benjamin was born in Mobile, Alabama. After graduating from Fairhope High School, she went to Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans. She then attended the Morehouse School of Medicine.
She earned her M.D. (Doctor of Medicine) degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. After medical school, she completed her residency, which is a special training period for new doctors, in family medicine. She was the first person in her family to become a doctor. She once said, "I had never seen a black doctor before I went to college."
After her training, she opened her own medical practice in Bayou La Batre, Alabama. To keep her clinic running, she also worked in emergency rooms and nursing homes. She later earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree to help her manage her clinic even better.
A Career of Helping Others
Dr. Benjamin has held many important leadership roles in medicine. She was the president of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama in 2002. In 1995, she was elected to the board of the American Medical Association. She was the first African-American woman and the first doctor under 40 to be elected to this position.
Her main focus has always been on helping people in rural areas, where it can be hard to find a doctor. She even used technology to help patients from far away through a telemedicine program.
The Bayou La Batre Clinic
Dr. Benjamin is the founder of the Bayou La Batre Rural Health Clinic in a small shrimping village on the Gulf Coast. Her clinic has faced major challenges. In 2005, it was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Then, in 2006, just one day before it was supposed to reopen, it was destroyed again by a fire.
Despite these setbacks, Dr. Benjamin was determined to help her community. She made news across the country when she rebuilt the clinic for a second time, showing her incredible dedication to her patients.
Surgeon General of the United States
On July 13, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Dr. Benjamin to be the U.S. Surgeon General. The United States Senate approved her, and she officially took the job on November 3, 2009.
When she accepted the role, Dr. Benjamin talked about her own family's health struggles. She mentioned that her father had high blood pressure and diabetes, her brother died from HIV, and her mother died from lung cancer. She said that many of these diseases could be prevented with better healthcare and healthier lifestyles.
Focus on a Healthy Nation
As Surgeon General, Dr. Benjamin worked to make the nation healthier. In 2010, she released a plan called "The Surgeon General’s Vision for a Healthy and Fit Nation." It focused on the problem of people being overweight and suggested ways for communities to encourage healthy eating and exercise.
One of her fun programs encouraged women of color to exercise more. It addressed the concern that some women avoid working out because they don't want to mess up their hair. The program even had a contest for healthy hair and fitness.
She also launched a "Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding" in 2011 to improve the health of babies. In 2012, she released a national strategy for suicide prevention, continuing the work of a previous Surgeon General.
Dr. Benjamin stepped down as Surgeon General on July 16, 2013.
Public Views and Criticism
During her time as a public figure, some people disagreed with Dr. Benjamin. Because of her Catholic faith, some critics questioned her views on certain health topics. However, she also received an award from Pope Benedict XVI and was supported by leaders in the Catholic health community.
Some people also criticized her personal weight, but she used it as an opportunity to talk about how health is a journey for everyone. Other critics felt she should have been tougher on large food companies that market unhealthy foods.
Awards and Recognition
Dr. Benjamin has received many awards for her work.
- In 1998, she received the Nelson Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights.
- TIME magazine named her one of the "Nation's 50 Future Leaders Age 40 and Under."
- She was named "Person of the Week" by ABC's World News Tonight and "Woman of the Year" by People Magazine.
- In 2006, she received the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal, an honor given by the Pope.
- In 2008, she received a MacArthur "Genius Award" for her work. This award came with a large grant to support her work, but she had to stop accepting the money when she became Surgeon General because of rules for government employees.
 Badge of the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services |
 Surgeon General of the United States Badge |
 Public Health Service Regular Corps Ribbon |
 Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Award |
