Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Paging Dr. CNN

So, the blogs are all abuzz about the rumor that Dr. Sanjay Gupta, of CNN medical correspondent fame, was approached to be the next Surgeon General.  What do I think about this?  I think that surely, we must have more qualified doctors than a talking head on tv.  Am I biased against doctors on TV?  Yeah because I don't think that you can ever be a good one (don't even get my started on the show, "The Doctors"... an Oprah spinoff which no one, including Ms. Winfrey herself, should ever watch). 
 
At one point, I wanted to be Surgeon General.  I think I might have even mentioned that on a medical school admission essay or two (or at least thought about putting that in).  I still think that it'd be pretty nice to be Surgeon General, but my sights are on other positions (HHS Secretary is a good start, then WHO director or UNAIDS director - hey, maybe even throw in a MacArthur genius grant somewhere in there).  However, I think that whoever holds that post should be someone more than a (non-)talking head.  They should be ready to elevate the position to something of stature, and elevate it beyond the public health ruins in which it currently finds itself - especially with a willing and ready president, as I hope Obama will be (my hope for his first act as President, as others before him - repeal the Mexico City Policy).
 
On the other hand, I find it encouraging that someone who is merely 39 may be Surgeon General.  That gives me a chance at doing before I'm 35.
 

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