Former surgeon general: The Senate must not approve someone who can't practice medicine as the nation's top doctor

[lostincalifornia]

Eight years ago, I sat before the Senate for my confirmation hearing to be surgeon general. Republican Todd Young (Ind.) and Democrat Joe Donnelly (Ind.) introduced me, and I was confirmed unanimously.

That bipartisan support reflected more than politics. It reflected preparation: a medical degree, completion of an anesthesiology residency, board certification, an active license, a master’s in public health, and service as Indiana’s health commissioner. I was also actively practicing at a Level I trauma center.

That is what the job demands — not just a platform, but the training, experience, and authority to lead nearly 6,000 uniformed officers in the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service through hurricanes, outbreaks, and whatever crisis comes next. During my tenure, I practiced at Walter Reed and aboard the USNS Comfort in disaster zones. The officers I led were required to maintain active, unrestricted licenses. So was I.

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This is not a minor technical issue. The surgeon general is the nation’s “top doc” and a three-star admiral. By policy and long-standing tradition, physicians in the Commissioned Corps must complete residency training and maintain an active, unrestricted license. If confirmed, Means would be responsible for enforcing standards she does not meet herself. Disciplining an officer for a lapsed license while your own remains inactive would erode morale and credibility at the very top — not to mention opening the office up to legal liability.

https://www.statnews.com/2026/02/27/casey-means-surgeon-general-jerome-adams/