Americas Doctor

A physician, start-up entrepreneur, and political activist, this internist looks beyond the daily duties of a doctor, thinking broadly about national health.

At 37, he is not only the youngest-ever Surgeon General of the US but also the first ever Indian-American.

Childhood

Vivek Hallegere Murthy was born on July 10, 1977 in Huddersfield to immigrants from India. His family relocated to Miami when he was three years old. He grew up there was exposed to medicine by spending time in his father’s primary care clinic 

Murthy completed his early education graduating as valedictorian from Miami Palmetto Senior High School in 1994. Then he did his undergrad at Harvard University, graduating magna cum laude in three years’ time. He went on to get a combined medical and business degree from Yale.

Career

He worked as a physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and a Hospitalist Attending Physician and Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

He also founded Doctors for America, a group of 15,000 physicians and medical students supporting comprehensive health reform. He has managed staff and hundreds of volunteers, developed and executed strategic plans and national and local initiatives around coverage and prevention.

He has directed fundraising, managed budgets, built a broad array of partnerships with community-based organizations across the country.

In 2011, Murthy was appointed by US President Barack Obama to serve on the US Presidential Advisory Council on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health. The group advises the National Prevention Council on developing strategies and partnerships to advance the nation’s health.

He created and served as President and then Chairman of VISIONS, a non-profit organization focused on HIV/AIDS education in the US and India.

During his 8 year tenure as head of the organization, VISIONS established 10 chapters with hundreds of volunteers in both countries and impacted over 45,000 youth through direct education programs. He managed volunteers spread across two countries, directed fundraising and program evaluation efforts, and oversaw partnerships.

Surgeon General of the US

In 2013, Murthy was nominated by President Obama for the post of US Surgeon General. His nomination met some initial resistance in the Senate by both Democrats and Republicans.

The most opposition came from the National Rifle Association regarding previous comments Murthy made citing gun violence as a threat to public health. However, Murthy said in his confirmation hearings he would not use the office of Surgeon General as a bully pulpit for gun control. 

Murthy’s nomination received broad support from over 100 medical and public health organizations in the US, including the American College of Physicians, the American Public Health Association. 

Murthy’s appointment as Surgeon General was approved in December 2014. Following his confirmation, Murthy was automatically commissioned as a Vice Admiral in the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, of which the Surgeon General is the day to day head.

Personal Life

The physician focuses on his work and his friends. He is unmarried and sends gifts to his friends for special occasions and acts as the “single, honorary uncle.”

To stay in shape, he does yoga daily and eats foods like raw carrots, almond milk and high-protein grains.