Dr. Mehmet Oz was born on June 11, 1960 in Cleveland, Ohio. He is of Turkish decent. He and his wife Lisa have been married over 19 years and they have four children. Their names are Daphne, Arabella, Zoe, and Oliver.
Education and Training
After graduating from Tower Hill High School in Delaware, Oz went to Harvard University where he received a BA in 1982. He then attended the University of Pennsylvania/Wharton School of Business in Philadelphia from which he earned a MD/MBA. From 1986 to 1990, he served as an intern and then a resident in General Surgery at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York. He went on to become the center’s Chief Resident of General Surgery from 1990-91. From 1991 to 1993 he completed his residency in Cardio Thoracic Surgery.
Career
In 1993, Oz became an attending surgeon at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Medical Center. In April 2001, he became the director of Siga Technologies. This company is a biotechnology company that researches how to prevent and cure infectious diseases and has performed researched in the area of biological warfare. It is home to the ST-246 program, which is showing itself effective in fighting orthopoxviruses which small pox is a part of. Other programs that it has concentrated on are such viruses as Ebola and Marburg, just to mention a few.
From 2001, Oz has been Vice Chairman of Cardiovascular Services Department of Surgery from Columbia University Medical Center, Director of the Cardiovascular Institute at Columbia University, and Professor of Surgery at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Oz founded the Complementary Medicine Program for the New York-Presbyterian Hospital. The Heart Assist Device PRAM (pressure recording analytical method) is another program he directs.
Specialty Fields
Oz specializes in many fields, including the following: minimally invasive heart surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, mitral and aortic valve surgery, adult cardiac transplantation, mechanical heart assistance, and coronary bypass and aneurysm surgery. He performs over 350 heart surgeries annually.
Research Areas
Oz is involved in many areas of research. He has researched the areas of minimally invasive cardiac surgery, complementary medicine, healthcare outcomes and analysis, and heart replacement. He also holds several patents.
Certifications
The American Board of Surgery certified him in 1992. Dr. Oz was then certified in 2004 by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery.
Published Material
Among his published material are the following titles:
- Healing from the Heart: A Leading Surgeon Combines Eastern and Western Traditions to Create the Medicine of the Future
- Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
- Complementary and Alternative Cardiovascular Medicine: Clinical Handbook
- YOU: The Owner's Manual: An Insider's Guide to the Body that Will Make You Healthier and Younger
- YOU: The Smart Patient: An Insider's Handbook for Getting the Best Treatment
- YOU: On A Diet: The Owner's Manual for Waist Management
- YOU: Staying Young: The Owner's Manual for Extending Your Warranty
Honors
Oz has received numerous honors in his career. Some of these honors are the following:
- Included in the Doctors of the Year — Hippocrates Magazine
- Among the list of Healers of the Millennium — Healthy Living Magazine
- Listed in Best Doctors of the Year — New York Magazine
- Global Leader of Tomorrow at the 1999 World Economic Forum Meeting
- Awarded the Turkish American of the Year award in 1996
- Books for a Better America Award for Healing from the Heart, 1999
Oz has appeared on numerous television programs over the years. The Discovery Health Channel has featured him in programs such as Second Opinion with Dr. Oz, Daily Rounds, Life Line, Live Transplant, National Body Challenge, The Truth About Food, and You: On a Diet. He has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show several times and also has done her XM Satellite Radio Show. He also appears in Accent Health, a show viewable only in medical offices produced by Turner Private Networks.
Oz’s appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show enable him to dispense much needed medical advice on a variety of subjects.
Inspiration
Oz’s career should be an inspiration for aspiring health care workers. With the proper training and diligence, health care workers can create great medical care in the world. Oz founded HealthCorps, an organization supporting college graduates so they can be mentors to students in high school on subjects like fitness, health, and nutrition over a period of two years.
Conclusion
Dr. Oz has helped numerous people with his medical abilities and is a credit to his profession. He is an asset to the medical and health care community.
