Surgeon General removed from post by Trump administration

Dr. Vivek Murthy was asked to resign, then dismissed.



The Trump Administration has dismissed U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy from his post as the nation's top doctor. He was temporarily replaced by his deputy, Rear Adm. Sylvia Trent-Adams.

Surgeon general is removed by Trump administration, replaced by deputy for now

Murthy, who was appointed by former President Obama, announced on Friday that he had been dismissed.

"While I had hoped to do more to help our nation tackle its biggest health challenges, I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have served," Murthy wrote in the Facebook post announcing his departure.

"For the grandson of a poor farmer from India to be asked by the president to look out for the health of an entire nation was a humbling and uniquely American story," Murthy continued. "I will always be grateful to our country for welcoming my immigrant family nearly 40 years ago and giving me this opportunity to serve."

Surgeon General and Elmo team up to talk vaccinations

Dropping knowledge... and throwing some shade at the haters.



The nation's head public health official (and former Angry Reader of the Week), Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, recently paid a visit to Sesame Street to chop it up with the one and only Elmo, who was a little nervous about getting a shot. Dr. Murthy explains how vaccines work, and why they're so important for children's health. They also manage throw in a little shade at anti-vaxxers.

Check it out:

Angry Reader of the Week: Vivek Murthy

"I love empowering and connecting people so they can create positive change."



Hey, everybody! It's that time again. Time to meet the Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Dr. Vivek Murthy.

Senate confirms Vivek Murthy as Surgeon General

Dr. Murthy is the first-ever U.S. Surgeon General of Indian descent



Finally, we have a surgeon general. On Monday, the Senate voted to confirm Dr. Vivek Murthy as the new Surgeon General of the United States -- more than a year after President Obama nominated him to the post.

The U.S. Has A Surgeon General, For The First Time In 17 Months

The job has been open for a while. Dr. Murthy was nominated back in November 2013, but his confirmation was stalled by partisan opposition, fueled by the gun lobby, particularly over his views criticizing gun violence. But with Congress now in a lame-duck session, Dr. Murthy's confirmation finally got the support it needed from more Democrats, with Monday's vote tally coming in at 51-43.

At 37 years old, Dr. Murthy is the youngest-ever surgeon general in the United States. He is also the first Indian American to serve as America's top doctor.

Senate to vote on Vivek Murthy for Surgeon General

Call to urge your senators today to confirm Dr. Murthy



Senate Democrats are using their lame-duck majority in a last-ditch attempt to finally push through President Obama's pick for the next surgeon general. Over the weekend, the Senate voted 52-40 to bring the nomination of Dr. Vivek Murthy to a formal confirmation vote on Monday at 5:30pm before they adjourn for the holidays.

US Senate to vote for Vivek Murthy as surgeon general before Democrats cede control

President Obama nominated Dr. Murthy, a highly qualified and experienced medical professional, to the post of U.S. Surgeon General over a year ago. While his credentials make him a no-brainer for the job, Dr. Murthy's confirmation has been stalled by the usual partisan politics -- particularly over his stance on gun violence.

Dr. Murthy will have no chance of getting a vote once Republicans take control of the Senate in January. So it's now or never -- time is running out. Here's how you can take action right now: call your senators.

Dr. Vivek Murthy is the Surgeon General we need right now

Sign the petition to tell the Senate to stand up to the NRA and confirm Dr. Murthy.



As you might recall, President Obama nominated Dr. Vivek Murthy, a highly qualified and experienced medical professional, to the post of U.S. Surgeon General nearly a year ago. While his credentials make him a no-brainer for the job, Dr. Murthy's confirmation have been stalled by the usual partisan politics.

A Surgeon General nominee 'tied up in politics'

Dr. Murthy, a guy who probably knows many more things about health and medicine and stuff than you, has some thoughts about gun violence in this country: it is bad, and it is indeed a health care issue. This opinion put him in the sights (no pun intended) of Republicans and the NRA, who decided to block his nomination.

So now, in the midst of some serious public anxiety over the Ebola virus, America finds itself without a Surgeon General, whose job is to effectively and authoritatively communicate what the public needs to know in situations like this. Raise your hand if you would appreciate the leadership of someone like Dr. Murthy right now.

This online petition implores the Senate to stand up to the NRA and confirm Dr. Murthy as surgeon general now. As I write this, the petition has more than 70,000 signatures.

Senator wants Surgeon General nominee to meet his Indian friends

Vivek Murthy would be "right at home" with the two other Indian doctors in Dodge City



You gotta love it. Put a brown guy in the room and some well-intentioned white person is compelled to remark that he also happens to know some lovely brown people. Only in this case we're talking about Surgeon General nominee Vivek Murthy. He's Indian American. Senator Pat Roberts wants Dr. Murthy to know that he too knows a few Indian doctors, and he thinks they're pretty darn great.

Kansas Senator Wants Indian-American Nominee to Meet His Cool Indian Friends

During Murthy's confirmation hearing, the senator from Kansas took a moment to boast that Dodge City is home to some wonderful Indian American doctors. There's that lovely one from India and that other one that helped him out that one time with the thing with the carpal tunnel. Senator Roberts also extended a good ol' Kansas invitation to Dr. Murthy, because he'd be "right at home." With those two Indian doctors.

Let's go to the tape:

President Obama nominates Vivek Murthy as Surgeon General

If confirmed, Dr. Murthy would be the first U.S. Surgeon General of Indian descent.



President Obama has nominated Vivek Hallegere Murthy of Harvard Medical School to be the next Surgeon General: Obama Selects Health Policy Advocate as Surgeon General.

Murthy, 36, is the co-founder of Doctors for America, which began in 2008 as Doctors for Obama and focuses on providing quality, affordable healthcare to all Americans. He is an attending physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and is an instructor at Harvard Medical School.

Also, am I the only one thinks that photo of Dr. Murthy is gangster as hell?