RADM David Rutstein U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps
Chief Medical Officer
RADM David Rutstein leads and coordinates U.S. Public Health Service medical professional affairs for the Office of the Surgeon General and the Department of Health and Human Services, advising the Surgeon General and the Physician Professional Advisory Committee on the recruitment, assignment, retention, and career development of Public Health Service physicians. He is also responsible for overseeing the office that trains, rosters, and deploys the entire U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps in response to public health emergencies.
RADM Rutstein says, “In the Corps, our primary mission is protecting the health, safety, and security of the Nation. Particularly for physicians who are looking to be a part of a very proactive primary health mission, we have a single unifying service. Medical officers work in diverse assignments and profoundly affect the people of the United States, as well as populations around the world. It’s easy to move between agencies and move your career forward.”
He served for 13 years as a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) National Health Service Corps (NHSC) family physician in the Federated States of Micronesia, 602 islands spread out over an area of ocean roughly equivalent to the size of the United States, but with a total combined area smaller than half the size of Rhode Island. Because of the remote location and austere environment, RADM Rutstein performed virtually every clinical function, treating numerous patients with unusual clinical presentations. For example, during this time, RADM Rutstein treated an 18-year-old man who was accidentally shot in the mouth with a barbed spear while fishing in one of the remote outer islands of Yap State. The patient was 400 nautical miles away with no airstrip nearby or boat capable of traversing the large distance. RADM Rutstein was able to divert a ship to pick up the patient, and transport him to an island with an airstrip. After 2 1/2 days, the patient arrived at Yap State Hospital, carrying his own IV bag with a metal rod sticking out of his mouth as if he was smoking a stainless steel cigarette. After taking some X-rays, RADM Rutstein was able to remove the spear and the patient recovered completely. He says, “Among other things, the experience crystallized my understanding of the need to ensure access to health care.”
RADM Rutstein joined the Corps in 1991. He says, “I feel wonderful about being a Commissioned Corps officer. I am serving my country and humanity. When we serve underserved populations, our focus is on improving the public’s health. We are often the voice of people who do not have a strong voice. The Corps’ mission is gratifying to anybody who has both an interest in health and in service. To me, it’s a perfect fit.”
“Like all Commissioned Corps officers, I have chosen to serve the greater good. We demonstrate daily a genuine desire to serve humanity, particularly those in greatest need. The medical officers of the Commissioned Corps are a collective cadre without equal, anywhere,” RADM Rutstein explains.
RADM Rutstein received a bachelor of arts in psychology from Hamilton College, a doctor of medicine from Brown University Medical School, and a master of public health from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. Morehouse School of Medicine awarded RADM Rutstein an honorary medical degree followed by the Distinguished Alumnus Award.
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