Sample Research Paper On The Recent Appointment And Confirmation Of Vivek Murthy As The New US Surgeongeneral

Introduction

The past one month has been awash with activities and programs within the government of the United States. A number of changes and reforms are being enacted and implemented. It is of importance to note that a greater part of the changes have impacted on the healthcare aspect. It is an area that has been marred with challenges in the recent years, and this essay paper analyzes and looks at the recent appointment of a new surgeon general and the dynamics and controversy that has arisen in its wake.
At the helm of the post of Surgeon General stands Dr. Vivek Murthy, the youngest so far in the history of the profession. At only thirty-seven the self-described dreamer holds a crucial status and responsibility within the field of medicine and health care in general. Insurance policies and affordable health care are some of the major issues that continue to bug the United States in recent times. His confirmation, however, comes months later after his nomination and appointment.
It has been a year since his nomination and the delay has been attributed to the fact that he has been quite emphatic and vocal regarding gun control. The political standpoints of the American political cycle have been the major cause of the delay (Gilson 8). He has been quoted relating guns to health, arguing that the end results of the use of guns are often solved in a hospital even before the law courts. His ideology has been a major factor that has led to the great debate regarding his appointment as the new surgeon general.

Meet Vivek Murthy

Having been born to immigrant parents in England who were originally from South India, Murthy grew up in Miami but is fond of making visits to the homeland of his parents. The passion for being in the medical field has been with him all his life, and it is greatly attributed to the fact that his father was a family practitioner in Miami. Having spent a lot of time in his clinic, he developed the passion for the medical world from quite a young age (Curfman et al. 1843).
He offers his services at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital as a physician, and teaches at the medical school of Harvard. He is rather brilliant and smart having graduated at the top of his class at Harvard University and graduated with a double degree from Yale. A healthy lifestyle is one of his strong points, and this is attributed to the low fat and vegetarian diet that he religious follows. This might come in handy regarding the avocation of healthy lifestyles among the American citizens.

Nomination and Arising Controversy

Upon being nominated by the president, Vivek Murthy did not get a confirmation until a year later. A number of issues had been raised regarding his views and perspectives on political issues. A number of critics have called him an advocate owing to his stern views on various matters within the American government. The public health sector in the United States is among the most crucial due to the fact that it affects each and every individual. The job of a Surgeon General thus portends numerous responsibilities and roles.
The political activism that Vivek Murthy portrayed as he awaited confirmation happens to be the main factor that delayed his confirmation. However, the very aspects that critics used to ensure that he did not get confirmed are the very ones used in guaranteeing him the position. Getting involved in areas that seem non-related to the medical world goes a long way in showing his comprehension of the interconnectedness of various sectors (Gilson 6).
Both social and political issues have a hand in defining and shaping the medical world. Vivek Murthy is well aware of this fact, and he does not feel the need to be reserved regarding pressing issues. Arguments have been thrown around regarding the irrelevance that has been found for the post of Surgeon General. Vivek Murthy is thus faced with a great task ahead of his four-year term to restore faith and ascertain the importance of this post.

Roles and Responsibilities of a Surgeon General

The surgeon general is a post highly regarded and respected within the United States. The public health sector heavily relies on and uses the services of a surgeon general. He or she holds the responsibility of being the operational head of the public health service sector within the commissioned corps. The nomination of an individual to this post is made by the president pending confirmation by the Senate through a majority vote. The term in office of the surgeon general is up to four years (McGill 13).
The responsibilities that come with this post are numerous, including being the overall head of the commissioned corps that comprises up to six thousand five hundred health professionals. The responsibilities that fall under their domain include immediate deployment of health professionals during cases of public health emergencies, and providing education to the American population regarding the various health issues and concerns. It is also worth noting that, this post comes with the role of championing healthy lifestyles and choices among the American citizen population.

Personal Opinion and Interest in the Story

The rise in incidences of lifestyle diseases is one area that the public health sector has been silent on. The average percentage of obesity in the United States stands at 62 percent, indicative of the various poor lifestyle choices people are making. Cancer is one other disease that results from the various foods and lifestyles that people choose to live. The deaths resulting from lifestyle diseases are on the rise. This is of great concern in relation to the post and responsibility of the Surgeon General. One of the key roles that the Surgeon General is involved in doing is the provision and avocation for better choices in terms of lifestyles and raising alarms and warnings in relation to health issues.
Currently, the American citizen is in urgent need of help in relation to health issues and majorly related to lifestyle diseases and healthy choices to live by. Substance and drug abuse cases are on the rise and the use of cigarettes and alcohol continues to bring about deaths every other year. It is, therefore, interesting to watch and see the moves of the new Surgeon General regarding the actions that he is likely to take in this effect. The most interesting aspect of the story is, however, the anticipation of the changes that might come with the new Surgeon General that has been described as an advocate.
In conclusion, the appoint of Vivek Murthy to the position of United States Surgeon General sparked controversy and it even took long for him to be confirmed. Murthy comes to the position at a time when a lot is expected of him, and public opinion about his capability divided. It remains to be seen what the new era will yield.

Work cited

Curfman, Gregory D., et al. "Vivek Murthy for Surgeon General." New England Journal of Medicine 370.19 (2014): 1843-1844.
Gilson, Chris. "Obama’s Cuba move, Jeb Bush looks to 2016, and a new Surgeon General: US national blog round up for 13–19 December." LSE American Politics and Policy (2014).
McGill, Natalie. "Senate confirms Vivek Murthy as 19th US surgeon general."The Nation's Health 44.10 (2015): 12-12.