Next week, graduate students will have a chance to experience the concerns of the United States Surgeon General for themselves.
Deputy Surgeon General Boris Lushniak will give the graduate school's New Horizons lecture April 8 in the Shelby Center auditorium.
"We were interested in bringing to campus for the New Horizons Lecture people whose ideas and deeds inspire and influence others, and certainly Boris Lushniak with the Office of the Surgeon General is someone who is influential both in the government and the health profession," said George Crandell, associate dean of the graduate school and organizer of the lecture.
A decorated member of the Public Health Service, Lushniak began his career in 1988 with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. He worked in the epidemic intelligence department where he spent 16 years.
He was also the chief medical officer for the office of counterterrorism within the FDA and was appointed assistant commissioner in 2005.
Currently, Lushniak is a physician in dermatology at the National Naval Medical Center and an adjunct professor of dermatology at the Uniformed Service University of the Health Sciences.
Lushniak received a bachelor's degree in medical sciences in 1981 from Northwestern University and his medical degree in 1983.
In 1984, he received a master's degree in public health from Harvard.
Lushniak's lecture is titled "Public Health Priorities of the United States Surgeon General."
"He is one of the highest ranking officials in the Surgeon General's office, and we would welcome people to come out," Crandell said. "I'm sure his comments will be beneficial in terms of public health, and people may be interested in learning more about the Surgeon General's office and possible careers in the health professions."
Crandell said Lushniak has not given specific details about what topics his speech will cover, but Crandell expects women's health, childhood obesity, electronic health records and family health history to be on the agenda.
Mark Burns, professor in health administration and health policy, said the Office of the Surgeon General is the leading source of federal views on health matters.
"In the past, that office has addressed issues like the hazards of smoking and the need for better sex education in schools," Burns said. "Currently they're focusing on such matters as the growing rate of obesity in the U.S. and its association with diabetes, heart problems and other health complications."
The New Horizon's Lecture began three years ago.
The goal of the lecture series is bringing to campus influential speakers who inspire and promote ideas.
The lecture is free and open to the public and will be held from 3-4 p.m. in the Shelby Center auditorium with a reception following.
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