Surgeon General and U.S. Public Health Service
The Surgeon General is the U.S. chief health educator who provides information on how to improve the health of the U.S. population. The Surgeon General, who is appointed by the President of the United States, and the Office of the Surgeon General oversee the operations of the commissioned U.S. Public Health Service Corps , which provides support to the Surgeon General. The U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps consists of 6,700 public health professionals who are stationed within federal agencies and programs. These commissioned employees include various professionals such as dentists, nurses, physicians, mental health specialists, environmental health specialists, veterinarians, and therapists. The Surgeon General serves a four-year term and reports to the Secretary of HHS. The Surgeon General focuses on certain health priorities for the United States and publishes reports on these issues. In 2010, the Affordable Care Act designated the Surgeon General as the chair of the National Prevention Council, which provides coordination and leadership among 20 executive departments with respect to prevention, wellness, and health promotion activities ( Office of the Surgeon General, 2016 ).