Surgeon general of the United States serves as the nation’s chief health adviser. The surgeon general advocates good public health techniques based on the latest scientific information. The surgeon general also oversees the operations of the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps, which consists of thousands of uniformed health officers. These medical professionals serve in locations around the world to promote, protect, and advance the health and safety of the United States. The surgeon general is appointed by the president of the United States with the consent of the U.S. Senate.
In 1798, Congress established the U.S. Marine Hospital Service to provide health care to sick and injured merchant seamen. In 1870, the Marine Hospital Service was reorganized as a national hospital system. The system, which later became the U.S. Public Health Service, had a centralized administration led by a medical officer, the supervising surgeon. The supervising surgeon’s office was the forerunner of the present-day Office of the Surgeon General.
