Rear Admiral Scott F. Giberson
Assistant Surgeon General and Chief Pharmacy Officer, U.S. Public Health Service
In his role as chief pharmacy officer, RADM Giberson leads U.S. Public Health Service pharmacy professional affairs, advising the Office of the Surgeon General and the Department of Health and Human Services on the recruitment, assignment, deployment, retention, and career development of U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) pharmacists. In addition, he provides expertise for the Indian Health Service (IHS) in the area of HIV/AIDS as its National HIV Program Principal Consultant and as the Acting Director of the Division of Clinical and Community Services. These positions allow him to directly affect the Nation’s health within clinical and public health issues on a national perspective to improve patient care across the Nation.
RADM Giberson says, “U.S. Public Health Service pharmacists are multifaceted public health professionals that have a certain zeal for their career that goes well beyond a day-to-day job. They are part of a rich tradition and history of pharmacy innovation. Their work inspires me. Their commitment to serve and dynamic ethos translate directly into improved health for their patients, our populations, and the entire Nation.”
RADM Giberson joined the Corps in 1994 and has served in roles as a Clinical Pharmacist, Chief Pharmacist, Senior Public Health Advisor, Senior Medical Program Officer, and HIV/AIDS Principal Consultant. He maintains dual licensure as a Pharmacist and Pharmacist Clinician and has been a privileged member of an IHS Family Practice Medical staff as a pharmacist for more than 12 years. He was a founding member of the IHS National Clinical Pharmacy Specialist Program in 1997. He is a recognized leader and advocate in advanced pharmacy practice.
Diversity and unique experiences explain much of RADM Giberson’s career. As examples, early in the 1990s he learned how to perform a physical exam and counsel a patient in the Navajo language since his patient did not speak any English. In 2001, he responded to the Anthrax attacks on the U.S. and was deployed to provide care to postal workers in a New York City post office. To prepare for similar events, he was later chosen by his peers as the Coordinator for both National Nurse and National Pharmacy Response Teams initially under the Department of Homeland Security.
In 2003, RADM Giberson was detailed from the HHS Office of Global Health Affairs to the Department of Defense’s Center of Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance (COE) for 3 years. In this capacity, he served in multiple roles on various international health deployments for the U.S. Pacific Command/COE. He served as faculty within an HIV/AIDS military training program in Thailand involving public health professionals from more than 23 countries. As a Senior Medical Program Officer at U.S. Pacific Command/COE, his bilateral country work included Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, Australia, and Thailand. RADM Giberson traveled extensively working with Asian-Pacific militaries, the U.S. State Department, and others on HIV/AIDS, global health, and humanitarian response.
In 2007, RADM Giberson was selected to attend the GlaxoSmithKline Executive Management Program for Pharmacy Leaders, a program taught by the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. More recently, in 2009, he was the primary author on a report to former Acting U.S. Surgeon General on Advanced Pharmacy Practice.
RADM Giberson has authored multiple articles, served as adjunct faculty and preceptor for many pharmacy schools, and has spoken on a variety of public health topics domestically and internationally. He has served as a consultant to the U.S. Marine Corps Command Staff and College during their Capstone exercise on global health. He has truly embraced and developed his role as a leader in public health. Across his career, RADM Giberson has received multiple awards including the USPHS Allen Brands Clinical Pharmacist of the Year and a Department of Defense Meritorious Service Medal for his work abroad.
RADM Giberson holds a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Temple University School of Pharmacy, a masters degree in public health from University of Massachusetts, and a graduate certificate in Health Emergencies in Large Populations, a graduate-level program developed by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
“Being an officer and pharmacist in the USPHS allows us to harness an energy and camaraderie that is hard to explain. It fuels us to improve the health of the nation as critical members of the public health and primary care teams,” he says.
