surgeon general

noun

plural

surgeons general 

1. the chief of medical services in one of the armed forces.

2. (initial capital letters),  the head of the U.S. Bureau of Public Health or, in some states, of a state health agency.

surgeon general

noun

1. (in the British, US, and certain other armies and navies) the senior officer of the medical service

2. the head of the public health service in the US

Word History and Origins

Origin of surgeon general¹

First recorded in 1770–80

Example Sentences

When Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced the effort earlier this month, he likened existing mandates to "slavery", saying that parents should ultimately have a choice.

From BBC

But the 32-year-old mother is beginning to reconsider sending her immunocompromised son to school, after Florida's surgeon general last week announced he would try to end vaccine mandates in the state, including those for school children.

From BBC

Medical experts and some parents worry the surgeon general's move will threaten the health of vulnerable children like Mason, setting the stage for a new era of infectious disease, driven by lower vaccine rates.

From BBC

"We'll end up having pockets of outbreaks of different types of infectious diseases," Florida's former surgeon general, Scott Rivkees, told the BBC.

From BBC

Dr Rivkees, Florida's former surgeon general, said Kennedy's anti-vaccine rhetoric has opened a door for Ladapo.

From BBC