PHS Proud Audio Time: Recent Episodes
Sean Navin
Honoring the unique history and culture of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, America’s uniformed health service!
I think a vast majority of Americans do not know that within the Health and Human Services (HHS), there are 8 agencies that are part of something called the U.S. Public Health Service (UPSHS).
USPHS has a uniformed service called the USPHS Commissioned Corps whose servicemembers are considered active duty and veterans of this country. It's been around since 1889.
America doesn't recognize USPHS as an entity anymore though this wasn't always the case. Admittedly, the organization and structure of USPHS has become way too complicated to the detriment of the Commissioned Corps and America's public health.
In this episode I discuss the 8 agencies that comprise USPHS today.
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On July 1st, 1946, what is now known as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officially opened in Atlanta, GA. What many may not know is that the CDC was started by medical officers of one of our country's uniformed services: the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (USPHS). It was birthed from WWII and is considered by some to be the largest institutional legacy from the war.
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Memorial Day is meant to honor those who lost their lives while serving in the Armed Forces.
We must always remember that the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps has been militarized during many of the great wars, and USPHS officers have lost their lives.
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Learn about the whiskey that used to supply the U.S. Public Health and Marine Hospital Service.
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USPHS quarantine boats were in operation for nearly 100 years from the late 1800s to mid 1900s. I discuss 4 PHS tugs in this episode.
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In this episode I speak with a living legend of the U.S. Public Health Service, RADM (ret) Scott Giberson. RADM (ret) Scott Giberson started his USPHS career as a pharmacist in the Indian Health Service (IHS). He was a stanch advocate for advanced pharmacy practice. After responding to the 9/11 anthrax attacks in 2001, he was tapped to serve as senior public health advisor for U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM). He eventually went on to serve as the national IHS HIV/AIDs consultant, chief pharmacy officer for USPHS, director of Commissioned Corps HQ, assistant Surgeon General, and commander of the Ebola response in Liberia.
Interview Timestamps
0:00-15:59 Introduction to Scott's career
16:00-37:34 Pharmacy school, getting into PHS, pharmacy culture in the 90's, getting into the Corps, uniform wear in the 90's, importance of OBC, history of khaki uniform, corps reputation in past 2 decades, importance of IHS
37:35-58:59 Starting National Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (NCPS), advanced practice in pharmacy, start of pharmacist clinician (PhC), future of pharmacy practice, history of pharmacy as providers, personality of pharmacists
59:00-1:17:59 Deploying for Anthrax, going to Pacific Command, being PHS officer with military, importance of respecting rank and uniform, influence of SG Carmona
1:18:00-1:24:59 Challenges of working in IHS, cultural fluency in IHS
1:25:00-1:35:59 Becoming CCHQ director, fighting to survive, structural challenges at HQ
1:36:00-1:53:59 How USPHS got involved with Ebola, meeting President Obama
1:54:00-1:58:29 COVID-19 and USPHS's role
1:58:30-2:07:37 The role of the uniform in USPHS, should the Surgeon General come from the ranks, closing remarks
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USPHS officers are considered military veterans yet they are usually not part of the armed forces. So, why is this the case?
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CAPT (ret.) spent 30 years with the CDC as a research scientist. He has over 100 publications and spent his career on environmental toxins that affect American workers.
Timestamps for interview
00:00-13:29- intro the Ray's career, how he got into the Corps, uniform wear in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, Ray's educational background
13:30-29:14- what is NIOSH and why it's important, why we should care about environmental toxicology, history of how how it started, COVID applications, scientists in the Corps
29:15-42:29- history of latex during AIDS epidemic, why it's a problem, NIOSH health hazard alert, allergy response versus immune response
42:30-54:59- opiate research, antibodies in burn victim serum vs heroin addict serum, anthrax research, developing testing for military in Middle East, multiplexing
55:00-1:00:59- emergency and disaster response research on black mold
1:01:00-1:16:22- Ray's passion for research, what he's most proud of, why the Corps changed over time, political problems in the Corps
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RADM Michael Toedt is a former assistant surgeon general of the U.S. Public Health Service and chief medical officer of the Indian Health Service. He attended the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences and led the COVID-19 response for the Indian Health Service. There is a lot more in between!
In our conversation we discuss:
0:00-10:59- introduction, summer whites story, and summary of RADM Toedt's career
11:00-13:38- intro to Toedt Health Solutions
13:39-25:29- describing USUHS and USPHS, how Michael joined the Corps, training to be an officer in USUHS vs present day
25:30-30:49- USPHS uniform culture
30:50-35:59- Michael's hospital residency, experience at Cherokee indian hospital, and National Health Service Corps and HRSA
36:00-47:59- IHS COVID-19 response, what people may not understand about IHS, vaccination campaign
47:50-55:14- what Michael is most proud of in his career, navigating a career as a PHS officer, future of the Corps and Ready Reserve
55:15-1:00:52- Toedt Health Solutions current focus
1:00:53-1:02:44- closing remarks
Michael Toedt's website: https://toedthealth.com/
Michael Toedt's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-toedt/
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The USPHS has a proud history and is the seed of all our major public health institutions like CDC and NIH.
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In 1889 the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps was established. Back then, it was the Marine Hospital Service. In 1891 U.S. law mandated that all immigrants coming into the U.S. received a health inspection by a Service physician. This was the era of "Manifest Destiny" and Americans were spreading Westward and more immigrants were incoming from abroad. Ships carrying immigrants were known to be harbingers of disease.
Thus, in 1893 President Harrison directed Surgeon General Walter Wyman to strengthen quarantine laws. Surgeon General Wyman ordered that ALL arriving ships be approved by a federal health officer. The most well-known ports were Ellis Island on the East coast and Angel Island on the West coast; however, there were many such quarantine stations throughout the U.S.
The Columbia River Quarantine Station sits at the mouth of the Columbia river as it exits into the Pacific Ocean on the West Coast. The station is located in Knappton Cove, WS and the Public Health Service officers were stationed south, across the river in Astoria, OR. The station was in operation from 1899-1938.
Timestamps
1:55-06:35- Intro
06:35-1401- How Nancy become director, history of family owning the land, how she and her sister started Heritage Center
14:01-27:00- how they started to learn about PHS at Knappton, the Pesthouse, turning the center into a non-profit museum, how the clothespin project funded the beginning
27:00-45:30- ships bringing disease, Surgeon General controversy in San Francisco, laws mandating health inspections, 1921 Oregon article, reputation of officers in Astoria, life of the officers, and the inspection process
45:30-57:00- Discussion of tugboats/steamers, staff and maintenance of the station, roles of personnel at the station
57:00-1:03:25- Future goals of the museum, establishing relationship with PHS officers, becoming a National Park Service affiliate, "Pesthouse Guesthouse
1:03:25-1:08:48- USPHS in 2021 and close
Nancy's website: http://www.knapptoncoveheritagecenter.org/
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