doi:10.7916/vd3f-1j33Oral history interview with Vivek H. Murthy, 2021Murthy, Vivek Hallegere, 1977-oral historiesmixed materialPresidents--United StatesHealth care reform--United StatesPublic health--United StatesDrinking water--Lead content--MichiganGun control--United StatesMurthy, Vivek Hallegere, 1977-Obama, BarackUnited States. Surgeon-General's OfficeUnited StatesNational Prevention Council (U.S.)Prevention and Public Health Fund (U.S.)Patient Protection and Affordable Care ActVivek Murthy reflects on his activities during the years of the Obama presidency, and discusses his service as surgeon general of the United States from 2014 to 2017. Murthy outlines the issues in the American healthcare system he observed around the time of Obama's election in 2008, and describes his organization of Doctors for Obama, which collected support among doctors for Obama's healthcare reform proposals during the 2008 general election campaign. Following the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Murthy served on an advisory group to the National Prevention Council, and he recounts the Council's coordination of interagency activities and focus on social determinants of health outcomes. He narrates his nomination and confirmation as surgeon general, speaks widely about the role of the surgeon general in the U.S. healthcare system, and provides details about major issues and initiatives with which he was closely involved, including the administration's response to the 2014 Ebola epidemic; Murthy's listening tour across the country; the composition and publication of surgeon general's reports on addiction, mental health, and the substance use disorder crisis; and the Flint water crisis. Also discussed are Murthy's advocacy during the legislative development of ACA; the controversy surrounding Murthy's previous statements about gun control and public health; and the use of the Prevention and Public Health Fund