Physician to the President
Encyclopedia
The Physician to the President (also known colloquially as the White House doctor) is the formal and official title of the physician
who is director of the White House Medical Unit
, a unit of the White House Military Office
responsible for the medical needs of the President of the United States
, Vice President
, White House
staff, and visitors. The Physician to the President is also the Chief White House Physician.
s, three medic
s, three administrators and one IT Manager. The White House Physician is metaphor
ically the "shadow
of the President" because he or she is always close at hand whether the President is at the White House, overseas, on the campaign trail, or aboard presidential plane Air Force One
. The Physician to the President protects president's health and may also perform emergency surgery.
The White House doctor is also responsible for providing comprehensive medical care to the members of the president's immediate family, the Vice President, and the Vice President's family. He or she may also provide medical care and attention to the more than 1.5 million visitors who tour the White House each year, as well as to international dignitaries and other guests of the President.
The medical office of the White House doctor is a "mini urgent-care center" containing a physician's office, private examination rooms, basic medications and medical supplies, and a crash cart
for emergency resuscitation. Air Force One is equipped with emergency medical equipment, an operating table
, and operating room lights installed at the center of the presidential plane for emergency use by the White House doctor, but does not have an X-ray machine or medical laboratory equipment.
.
As of May 2010, Captain
Jeffrey Kuhlman, MC, USN, is the incumbent White House doctor.
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
who is director of the White House Medical Unit
White House Medical Unit
The White House Medical Unit is the unit of the White House Military Office responsible for the medical needs of White House staff and visitors. The Unit provides medical care to the President, the Vice President, and their families....
, a unit of the White House Military Office
White House Military Office
The White House Military Office , an entity of the Executive Office of the President, provides military support for White House functions, including food service, Presidential transportation, medical support and emergency medical services, and hospitality services...
responsible for the medical needs of the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, Vice President
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
, White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
staff, and visitors. The Physician to the President is also the Chief White House Physician.
Organization and role
The White House doctor has an office inside the White House. The location of his or her medical unit plays an important role in keeping the President of the United States healthy. He or she also oversees a staff is typically composed of five military physicians, five nurses, five physician assistantPhysician assistant
A physician assistant/associate ' is a healthcare professional trained and licensed to practice medicine with limited supervision by a physician.-General description:...
s, three medic
Medic
Medic is a general term for a person involved in medicine, especially emergency or first-response medicine, such as an emergency medical technician, paramedic, or a military member trained in battlefield medicine. Also the term is used toward a Nurse in pre-hospital care and/or emergency...
s, three administrators and one IT Manager. The White House Physician is metaphor
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
ically the "shadow
Shadow
A shadow is an area where direct light from a light source cannot reach due to obstruction by an object. It occupies all of the space behind an opaque object with light in front of it. The cross section of a shadow is a two-dimensional silhouette, or reverse projection of the object blocking the...
of the President" because he or she is always close at hand whether the President is at the White House, overseas, on the campaign trail, or aboard presidential plane Air Force One
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
. The Physician to the President protects president's health and may also perform emergency surgery.
The White House doctor is also responsible for providing comprehensive medical care to the members of the president's immediate family, the Vice President, and the Vice President's family. He or she may also provide medical care and attention to the more than 1.5 million visitors who tour the White House each year, as well as to international dignitaries and other guests of the President.
The medical office of the White House doctor is a "mini urgent-care center" containing a physician's office, private examination rooms, basic medications and medical supplies, and a crash cart
Crash cart
A crash cart or code cart is a set of trays/drawers/shelves on wheels used in hospital emergency rooms for transportation and dispensing of emergency medication/equipment at site of medical/surgical emergency for life support protocols to potentially save someone's life.The contents of a crash...
for emergency resuscitation. Air Force One is equipped with emergency medical equipment, an operating table
Operating table
An operating table, sometimes called operating room table, is the table on which the patient lies during a surgical operation. This surgical equipment is usually found inside the surgery room of a hospital. An improvised suitable operating table can be composed of two kitchen tables that are...
, and operating room lights installed at the center of the presidential plane for emergency use by the White House doctor, but does not have an X-ray machine or medical laboratory equipment.
Selection of the physician
The White House Physician is often selected personally by the President, and most White House doctors have come from the ranks of active-duty United States armed forcesUnited States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
.
As of May 2010, Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
Jeffrey Kuhlman, MC, USN, is the incumbent White House doctor.
White House doctors
Some of the White House staff who have acted as White House physicians:- 1789: Samuel Bard, MD. Bard was the first physician known to have treated a president when he lancedScalpelA scalpel, or lancet, is a small and extremely sharp bladed instrument used for surgery, anatomical dissection, and various arts and crafts . Scalpels may be single-use disposable or re-usable. Re-usable scalpels can have attached, resharpenable blades or, more commonly, non-attached, replaceable...
a boilBoilA boil, also called a furuncle, is a deep folliculitis, infection of the hair follicle. It is always caused by infection by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, resulting in a painful swollen area on the skin caused by an accumulation of pus and dead tissue...
on George WashingtonGeorge WashingtonGeorge Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
's thigh. - 1789 to 1797: James Craig. Craig was a family friend of George Washington's.
- 1895: Leonard WoodLeonard WoodLeonard Wood was a physician who served as the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, Military Governor of Cuba and Governor General of the Philippines. Early in his military career, he received the Medal of Honor. Wood also holds officer service #2 in the Regular Army...
, MD, USAUnited States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. Wood was not only the White House Physician to President Grover ClevelandGrover ClevelandStephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
in 1895, but also the personal physician of President and Mrs. William McKinleyWilliam McKinleyWilliam McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
. - 1913 to 1921: RADMRear admiral (United States)Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
Cary Travers GraysonCary Travers GraysonAdmiral Cary Travers Grayson was a surgeon in the United States Navy who served a variety of roles from personal aide to President Woodrow Wilson to chairman of the American Red Cross.-Career:Grayson was born to Dr...
, MD, Pharm.D.Doctor of PharmacyA Doctor of Pharmacy is a professional doctorate degree in pharmacy. In some countries, it is a first professional degree, and a prerequisite for licensing to exercise the profession of pharmacist.-Kenya :...
, USNUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. - 1961 to 1963: Janet G. Travell, MD
- 1963 to 1969: RADM George G. Burkley, MD, USN
- 1969 to 1974: Major GeneralMajor GeneralMajor general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Walter R. Tkach, MD, USAFUnited States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... - 1974 to 1981: RADM William M. Lukash, MD, FACPAmerican College of PhysiciansThe American College of Physicians is a national organization of doctors of internal medicine —physicians who specialize in the prevention, detection, and treatment of illnesses in adults. With 130,000 members, ACP is the largest medical-specialty organization and second-largest physician group in...
, FACGAmerican College of GastroenterologyThe American College of Gastroenterology is a Bethesda, Maryland-based medical association of gastroenterologists.The association was founded in 1932 and holds annual meetings and regional postgraduate continuing education courses, establishes research grants, and publishes The American Journal of...
, USN - 1981 to 1985: Daniel A. Ruge, MD, Pharm.D.
- 1985 to 1986: T. Burton Smith, MD
- 1986 to 1987: John E. Hutton, Jr., MD
- 1987 to 1993: Lawrence C. Mohr, Jr., MD, FACP, FCCPAmerican College of Chest PhysiciansThe American College of Chest Physicians is a medical organization in the United States consisting of physicians and non-physician specialists in the field of chest medicine, which includes pulmonology, thoracic surgery, and critical care medicine....
(concurrent from 1989 to 1993 with Burton J. Lee III) - 1989 to 1993: Burton J. Lee III, MD (concurrent with Lawrence C. Mohr, Jr.)
- 1993 to 2001: RADM Eleanor MarianoEleanor MarianoEleanor Concepcion "Connie" Mariano is a Filipino-American physician and former flag officer in the United States Navy. She is the first Filipino-American and graduate of the Uniformed Services University of Medicine to reach the rank of Rear Admiral in the U.S...
, MD, USN - 2002 to 2009: Brigadier GeneralBrigadier GeneralBrigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Richard J. TubbRichard TubbRichard Tubb was the personal physician to President George W. Bush as well as being personal physician to Vice President Al Gore during the Clinton Administration. He is a brigadier general in the United States Air Force...
, USAF - 2009 to present: Captain Jeffrey Kuhlman, MD, USN