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Former Surgeon General Murthy Talks About Healthcare Change, Moral Leadership | AJMC

In-depth recap of the General Murthy's talk at Graziadio's 4th Annual Future of Healthcare Symposium


At the fourth annual Future of Healthcare Symposium at the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, former Surgeon General of the United States Vivek Murthy, MD, discussed issues relating to moral leadership and the healthcare workplace. The first Surgeon General to ever take paternity leave, Dr. Murthy said he did so not only for his own family, but to send a signal to the people working for him that it is both acceptable and encouraged.
Dr. Murthy shared his early interest in medicine, which was inspired by his parents and the medical practice they established in Miami after immigrating from India. They taught him that medicine is ""not just an opportunity to diagnose and treat, but also to build a relationship based on trust and contribute to the betterment of people in a community."" Dr. Murthy spoke of his service as Surgeon General, during which he experienced the unique challenges of healthcare and politics. These challenges yielded valuable insights on technology, communication, workforce issues, social detriments of health, and the importance of establishing a culture that supports a strong connection between emotional well-being and health.