Vivek Murthy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vivek Murthy
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Official portrait, 2022
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| 19th and 21st Surgeon General of the United States | |
| In office 25 March 2021 – 20 January 2025 |
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| President | Joe Biden |
| Deputy | Erica Schwartz Denise Hinton |
| Preceded by | Jerome Adams |
| Succeeded by | TBD |
| In office 22 April 2015 – 21 April 2017 |
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| President | Barack Obama Donald Trump |
| Deputy | Sylvia Trent-Adams |
| Preceded by | Regina Benjamin |
| Succeeded by | Jerome Adams |
| Co-Chair of the COVID-19 Advisory Board | |
| In office 9 November 2020 – 20 January 2021 Serving with David A. Kessler, Marcella Nunez-Smith
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Vivek Hallegere Murthy
10 July 1977 Huddersfield, England, UK |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Alice Chen
(m. 2015) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Harvard University (BA) Yale University (MD, MBA) |
| Awards | Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship |
| Uniformed service | |
| Service/ |
 U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps |
| Years of service | 2015-2017 2021–2025 |
| Rank | Vice Admiral |
Vivek Hallegere Murthy (born July 10, 1977) is an American physician and a former vice admiral. He served as the 19th and 21st Surgeon General of the United States. This important role means he is the nation's top doctor, giving advice on public health.
He served under Presidents Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden. Dr. Murthy is the first Surgeon General of Indian descent. During his first time in the role, he was the youngest active duty flag officer in federal uniformed service.
Dr. Murthy helped lead President-elect Biden's COVID-19 Advisory Board. This was from November 2020 to January 2021. He worked with former Food and Drug Administration commissioner David A. Kessler and public health professor Marcella Nunez-Smith. In December 2020, President Biden announced Dr. Murthy would return as Surgeon General. The United States Senate approved his return on March 23, 2021.
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Early Life and Education
Dr. Murthy was born in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England. His parents were immigrants from Karnataka, India. In 1978, his family moved to Newfoundland, Canada. His father worked there as a medical officer. When Dr. Murthy was three, his family moved to Miami, Florida. His parents then started their own medical practice there.
He grew up in Miami and finished his early schooling there. He graduated as the top student from Miami Palmetto Senior High School in 1994. He then went to Harvard University. In 1997, he graduated with high honors, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree. In 2003, Dr. Murthy earned two more degrees from Yale University. He received a medical degree (MD) from Yale School of Medicine and a business degree (MBA) from Yale School of Management.
While at Yale, Dr. Murthy helped create "The Healer's Art." This was a special course for medical students. It helped them talk about important topics like what it means to be a healer. They also discussed how to deal with losing a patient and how to avoid feeling overwhelmed by their work.
Career Highlights
Starting Out in Public Health
When he was a freshman at Harvard in 1995, Dr. Murthy helped start VISIONS Worldwide. He led this group for eight years. This non-profit organization worked to educate people about HIV/AIDS in the U.S. and India. He also helped create Harvard's bhajan club, which focused on spiritual music.
In 1997, he co-founded the Swasthya Community Health Partnership. This group trained women in rural India to be community health workers. They helped educate people in their communities about health.
Medical and Advisory Roles
Dr. Murthy completed his medical residency at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School. As a doctor at Brigham and Women's Hospital, he cared for many patients. He also helped teach many students and new doctors.
In 2008, Dr. Murthy founded Doctors for America. This group of over 15,000 doctors and medical students supported good, affordable healthcare for everyone.
In 2011, President Barack Obama chose Dr. Murthy to join a special council. This group advised the government on how to improve the nation's health through prevention. In 2012, Dr. Murthy also helped lead Obama's healthcare advisory team during his re-election campaign.
Dr. Murthy also co-founded and chaired TrialNetworks. This company uses technology to make pharmaceutical and biotechnology clinical trials better. This helps new medicines get to people faster and more safely.
First Term as Surgeon General (2015–2017)
Becoming Surgeon General
In November 2013, President Barack Obama nominated Dr. Murthy to be the Surgeon General. Some people in the Senate and the National Rifle Association of America did not agree with his nomination. This was because Dr. Murthy had said that gun violence was a public health issue.
However, over 100 medical and public health groups supported Dr. Murthy. Two former Surgeons General, David Satcher and Regina Benjamin, also supported him. On December 15, 2014, the Senate approved his appointment.
Key Work and Challenges
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During his time as Surgeon General, Dr. Murthy talked about making America a place that focuses on prevention. This means encouraging physical activity, good nutrition, and emotional well-being. He released a report called Step It Up! to encourage walking and walkable communities. He also worked with Elmo and Top Chef to teach people about vaccines and healthy eating.
Dr. Murthy led the U.S. through several big health challenges. These included the Ebola and Zika viruses. He also helped during the Flint Michigan water crisis. He also spoke about how climate change affects people's health.
In 2016, he said that climate change could lead to many more illnesses and deaths. Dr. Murthy also spoke out against "conversion therapy." He stated that it is not good medical practice.
On April 21, 2017, President Trump removed Dr. Murthy from his role. His deputy, Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, became the acting Surgeon General. Dr. Murthy said he was grateful for the chance to serve the country that welcomed his immigrant family.
Work Between Terms (2017–2021)
After his first time as Surgeon General, Dr. Murthy appeared on TV and radio. He discussed the problem of loneliness. He wrote many articles about loneliness and social isolation. He said he was surprised by how many lonely people he met as a doctor. He believes loneliness in America has become a widespread problem, like an "epidemic." He sees loneliness as a main cause of many other social problems.
In April 2020, he wrote a book called Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World. This book talks about how society and individuals can reduce loneliness.
Dr. Murthy spoke at the 2020 Democratic National Convention. In his speech, he called for stronger leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Second Term as Surgeon General (2021–2025)
Returning to the Role
On September 5, 2020, Dr. Murthy joined the advisory council for the Biden-Harris Transition Team. This team planned for Joe Biden to become president. On November 9, Dr. Murthy was named one of three leaders of President-Elect Biden's coronavirus advisory board.
On December 3, 2020, it was reported that President-elect Joe Biden had nominated Dr. Murthy to return as Surgeon General. The Senate confirmed his nomination on March 23, 2021.
Before his Senate approval, Dr. Murthy shared information about his past earnings. He had received money for consulting from companies like Netflix, Airbnb, and Carnival Cruise Line. He also earned money from speaking fees for various organizations.
Current Work and Focus
As Surgeon General, Dr. Murthy leads a team of 6,700 public health officers. In September 2021, he spoke out against social media companies. He criticized them for allowing COVID-19 misinformation to spread on their platforms.
In 2023, Dr. Murthy shared his concerns about how social media affects the mental health of young people. He has also said that the loneliness epidemic is a public health risk. He compares it to the dangers of smoking.
Dr. Murthy's term as Surgeon General ended when the Biden administration finished on January 20, 2025.
Personal Life
Dr. Murthy is married to Alice Chen. She is also a doctor who trained at Yale, Cornell, and UCLA. She was also the executive director of Doctors for America. They have two children together.
Awards and Honors
In 2023, Dr. Murthy gave the main speech at American University's graduation ceremonies. He was also given an honorary doctor of science degree. In 2024, Time Magazine named Dr. Murthy one of the most influential people in health. His awards include:
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| Public Health Service Outstanding Service Medal with gold award star | Public Health Service Presidential Unit Citation with gold frame | Public Health Service COVID-19 Pandemic Campaign Medal | |||
| Public Health Service Global Response Service Award | Public Health Service Regular Corps Ribbon | Commissioned Corps Training Ribbon | |||
| Surgeon General Badge | Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services Badge | ||||
Images for kids
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Official portrait, 2022
See also
In Spanish: Vivek Murthy para niños
