Why Millennials Stand With Dr. Vivek Murthy For Surgeon General

Last year, President Obama nominated Dr. Vivek Murthy for Surgeon General of the United States. However, his confirmation has been stalled due to obstructionists in Congress despite an urgent need for America’s “Top Doctor.” Not only is Dr. Murthy a distinguished medical practitioner with immense amounts of experience in public health, technology integration, and the non-profit sector, but he also understands the health challenges facing Millennials throughout the country.

1. He's a practicing physician and is training the next generation of young doctors at Harvard Medical School.

Young people need a Surgeon General who has not only worked with patients but can also advocate for them at the highest levels.

2. He has leadership experience handling global health crises.

Dr. Murthy co-founded a non-profit organization, Visions Worldwide, working on HIV/AIDS prevention and education in the United States and India. With more than 56,000 Americans contracting HIV each year, and more than half of them between the ages of 13 and 34, we need a Surgeon General who can lead a coordinated response to these types of issues.

3. He brings an expertise in modernizing health care systems via technological developments.

Early in his career, Dr. Murthy founded a start-up that integrated modern web technology into medical research for better collaboration and accelerated discovery of cures.

4. He advocates for all Americans.

Dr. Murthy studied unequal access to clinical trials and lack of representation of women and patients of color in research. His research was published in world-class journals and served to raise awareness of the issue in the medical world.

5. He has helped millions of young people gain access to affordable health care.

His advocacy on the Affordable Care Act has been instrumental in its passage, which included Millennials being able to remain on their parents’ plans until 26.

6. He represents the diverse background of the Millennial generation.

Millennials are the most racially diverse generation in American history. With parents originally from India, Dr. Murthy would be the first-ever Asian American to serve as Surgeon General.