Dr. Richard Carmona, the most recent Surgeon General of the United States, will deliver a free public lecture at ETSU on Monday, March 19, at 7 p.m.
Sponsored by the ETSU College of Public and Allied Health, Carmona will present “Prevention, Plagues, Preparedness and Politics: The Life of the Surgeon General” in the Martha Street Culp Auditorium of the D.P. Culp University Center.
Carmona was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate and sworn in as the 17th U.S. Surgeon General on Aug. 5, 2002. President George W. Bush recommended him in recognition of his experience in emergency management, bioterrorism and law enforcement. The nomination came just months after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Carmona’s tenure as Surgeon General saw him involved in a variety of extremely important public health issues, ranging from enhancing the nation’s preparedness for a potential biological attack to coordinating the nation’s health response to several natural disasters. He released a significant report on the dangers of second-hand smoke and played a pivotal role in increasing awareness about the importance of global health. Chiefly, Carmona advocated for a common-sense and evidence-based approach to improving health. His term as Surgeon General ended in August 2006.
Born and raised in New York City, Carmona dropped out of high school and enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1967. While enlisted, he received his Army General Equivalency Diploma and joined the Army’s Special Forces, ultimately becoming a combat-decorated Vietnam veteran.
After leaving active duty, he attended Bronx Community College of the City University of New York, where he earned his Associate of Arts degree. He later attended and graduated from the University of California-San Francisco (UCSF), with B.S. and M.D. degrees. While there, he was awarded the prestigious gold-headed cane as the top graduate.
He also earned a Master of Public Health from the University of Arizona, and completed a surgical residency at UCSF and a National Institutes of Health-sponsored fellowship in trauma, burns and critical care.
A fellow of the American College of Surgeons, Carmona is also certified in correctional health care and in quality assurance. Prior to being named Surgeon General, he was the chairman of the State of Arizona Southern Regional Emergency Medical System; a professor of surgery, public health, and family and community medicine at the University of Arizona; and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department surgeon and deputy sheriff.
He has also served as a medical director of police and fire departments and is a fully qualified peace officer with expertise in special operations and emergency preparedness, including weapons of mass destruction.
While Surgeon General, Dr. Carmona worked with ETSU Dean of Public and Allied Health Dr. Randy Wykoff, who was then the deputy assistant secretary for health and director of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion in the Department of Health and Human Services. In 2002, Carmona presented Wykoff with the Surgeon General’s Medallion, the highest honor the Surgeon General can bestow on a civilian.
Last October, following the completion of his four-year term as Surgeon General, Carmona was named vice chairman of Canyon Ranch. He also serves as chief executive officer of the company’s Health division and as president of the non-profit Canyon Ranch Institute, which is dedicated to prevention, eliminating health disparities, and increasing health literacy. He is also the Distinguished Professor of Public Health at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona in Tucson.
For more information, call 439-4243.

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