Rear Adm. Sylvia Trent-Adams became the first Black female Surgeon General, who is not a doctor.
Indian-American Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy from Obama’s era was replaced by his deputy, Rear Adm. Sylvia Trent-Adams, one of the first Black nurses to occupy this position.
Trent-Adams, a 24-year veteran of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (USPHS)—a group of more than 6,700 public health professionals working throughout the federal government to advance the health of the country—Trent-Adams served as the agency’s chief nurse officer from 2013 until 2016, advising the department on the recruitment, assignment, deployment and retention of nurse professionals.
Five things to know about the new surgeon General:
1. A nurse by training, Dr. Trent-Adams is among the first nurses to serve as a surgeon general of the United States; she is the first non-physician to serve as surgeon general.
2. Dr. Trent-Adams was a nurse officer with the Army and research nurse at the College Park-based University of Maryland before accepting her current post.
3. Dr. Trent-Adams has experience in the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service and was the deputy associate for the administrator for the HIV/AIDS bureau of the Health Resources and Services Administration. She served as the chief nursing officer of the U.S. Public Health Service from November 2013 to May 2016.
4. Throughout her career, Dr. Trent-Adams published several studies and presented at international organization gatherings and in front of professional groups. She has been a guest lecturer at the University of Maryland and Hampton (Va.) University.
5. Dr. Trent-Adams has experience as the chair of the Federal Public Nurse Leadership Council and Federal Nursing Service Council. She also completed two internships in the U.S. Senate focusing on prospective payment systems for skilled nursing facilities and scope of practice for nurses and psychologists.
Many are misguided by the titles calling Trent-Adams a nurse. Before the appointment, this nurse served as an advisor for the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and the Chief Nurse Officer of the U.S. Public Health Service, so no one can claim she lacks expertise.
Admiral Trent-Adams has been in an acting role since Friday evening when her portrait was added to the Surgeon General’s Twitter account.
Our sincere congratulations to Sylvia Trent-Adams! We expect great accomplishments from this wonderful woman.
