Mehmet Oz first gained widespread public attention through his work as a cardiothoracic surgeon, later transitioning into a prominent career as a television host and government official. He currently serves as the 17th administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a role he assumed in 2025 following a high-profile career in academic medicine and mass media broadcasting.
Academic Background and Surgical Training
Born in Cleveland in 1960 to parents who emigrated from Turkey, Oz grew up in Wilmington, Delaware. He completed his secondary education at the Tower Hill School before attending Harvard University, where he graduated with a degree in biology in 1982. He subsequently earned both an M.D. from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School. His clinical training began in 1986 with a residency in general surgery and a fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery at Presbyterian Hospital in New York City.
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Oz served as a professor of surgery at Columbia University starting in 2001, maintaining this position until he became professor emeritus in 2018. During his time at the university, he helped develop several medical devices and surgical procedures, most notably the MitraClip. He also established the Cardiac Complementary Care Center to investigate alternative treatments for heart patients, a project that drew scrutiny from hospital administration regarding his use of therapeutic touch. In 2022, Columbia University formally severed ties with him.
Broadcasting and Public Profile
His television career began in 2003 on the Discovery Channel with the program Second Opinion with Dr. Oz. He gained significant exposure through more than sixty appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show. This platform led to the 2009 launch of The Dr. Oz Show, which aired for 13 seasons and received 10 Daytime Emmy Awards. Throughout his broadcasting career, Oz faced criticism from medical peers for his public promotion of alternative medicine, faith healing, and claims categorized by critics as pseudoscience.
Political Career and Public Service
In 2022, Oz entered electoral politics as the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, becoming the first Muslim candidate nominated for the Senate by a major party. Although he was defeated by John Fetterman, he remained active in public life. In 2025, President Donald Trump appointed him to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The U.S. Senate confirmed his appointment to this administrative position along party lines.
Fast facts
- Born: 1960, Cleveland, Ohio
- Citizenship: United States and Turkey
- Education: Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania
- Role: Administrator, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (2025)
- Television career: The Dr. Oz Show (2009–2022)
- Professional specialty: Cardiothoracic surgery
Questions readers ask
What medical institutions did Oz serve?
He spent much of his clinical and academic career at Columbia University and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.
What is his official government role?
As of 2025, he serves as the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Achievements
- Held posts at Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Columbia University
- Educated at Harvard University, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and The Wharton School
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