October 28, 1957, marked the birth of Rachel Leland Levine in Wakefield, Massachusetts, a figure who ascended to the rank of admiral within the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. Her career spans decades of clinical practice in pediatrics and psychiatry, eventually transitioning into significant roles within the upper echelons of federal health administration and state-level governance.
Academic and Clinical Foundations
Levine completed her undergraduate studies at Harvard College in 1979 before earning a medical degree from the Tulane University School of Medicine in 1983. Her specialized training included a residency in pediatrics and a postdoctoral fellowship in adolescent medicine at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in Manhattan. In 1993, she relocated to central Pennsylvania to join the faculty of the Penn State College of Medicine. While at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center, she established the Division of Adolescent Medicine and the Penn State Hershey Eating Disorders Program.
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In 2015, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf nominated Levine to serve as Physician General for the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Her initial actions included authorizing law enforcement officers to carry naloxone. By July 2017, she transitioned to the role of Secretary of Health, following a unanimous confirmation by the Pennsylvania State Senate. Her tenure involved managing state public health responses, including the oversight of the department during the COVID-19 pandemic starting in 2020.
Federal Appointments and Senate Confirmation
President Joe Biden nominated Levine for the position of Assistant Secretary for Health in early 2021. The Senate confirmed her appointment on March 24, 2021, in a 52–48 vote, making her the first openly transgender official in the United States to hold an office requiring Senate confirmation. Concurrent with this appointment, she served as the admiral in charge of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps until 2025. In October 2021, she became the first openly transgender four-star officer within the nation's eight uniformed services.
Fast facts
- Born: 1957, Wakefield
- Education: Harvard College, Tulane University School of Medicine
- Positions held: Pennsylvania Physician General, Secretary of Health
- Federal role: Assistant Secretary for Health (2021-2025)
- Military rank: Admiral
- Professional fields: Pediatrics, Psychiatry
Questions readers ask
What medical specialties does Rachel Levine practice?
She is a pediatrician and psychiatrist.
Which state cabinet position did Levine hold before federal service?
She served as the Secretary of Health for Pennsylvania from 2017 to 2021.
Achievements
- Held posts at Penn State College of Medicine
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