Assocaited Press President Bush congratulates UA surgery professor Dr. Richard Carmona, right, after announcing Carmona's nomination for the office of U.S. surgeon general, yesterday during a White House ceremony.

Carmona selected by Bush to fill top medical position; Senate must approve

President George W. Bush named a UA professor yesterday as his nominee to be U.S. surgeon general.

Dr. Richard Carmona, a professor of surgery and public health, has made headlines in the past for his work as a surgeon and a sheriff's deputy.

He also serves as chairman of the Arizona Southern Regional Emergency Medical System.

"These are distinguished physicians who have worked tirelessly to save lives and to improve lives," Bush said of Carmona and Elias Zerhouni, who was appointed to direct the National Institutes of Health, at a press conference yesterday in Washington.

Dr. Allan Hamilton, head of the department of surgery, accompanied Carmona to Washington.

He said the nomination is an achievement for Carmona and for the university.

"It is an incredible honor to have a faculty member chosen for this position," Hamilton said.

He said Carmona will bring to the position an educated look at border health and safety issues.

Arizona Republican Congressman Jim Kolbe said at a press conference that Carmona was especially qualified for the position in light of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Kolbe said the main focus today in healthcare issues is bioterrorism, and Carmona is uniquely qualified to deal with bioterrorism because of his a background in trauma care and his experience as a SWAT team member.

"If this nomination was pre-Sept. 11, he would not be in the running," Kolbe said.

Kolbe said that Carmona's appointment will help put Tucson on the map and bring issues confronting Tucson to the forefront of debate - issues such as trauma and emergency health care.

University Medical Center CEO Greg Pivirotto was also optimistic that Carmona's appointment will draw attention to problems concerning level-one trauma care.

"Tucson is not alone," he said. "I think Rich will help bring a national focus to the issue."

Carmona, who grew up in the city of New York and dropped out of high school before earning high educational achievements, established the first trauma center in southern Arizona in 1985 and joined the sheriff's department the same year.

He was appointed the sheriff's surgeon in 1989 and has won numerous awards to honor his achievements while serving as a deputy.

Such awards include the Pima county sheriff's department's medal of honor, two sheriff department's purple hearts and the National Association of Police Organizations National "Top Cops" Award.

In 1992, Carmona rappelled from a helicopter to reach a hiker stranded on a cliff.

In 1999, he stopped to assist a couple in a car accident and a firefight ensued. He shot and fatally wounded the man who had been beating the female driver, and it was later discovered that the man was a suspect in his own father's death.

Pivirotto said Carmona's expertise in emergency situations makes him the right choice for the job.

"He's a tremendously charismatic person and has a tremendous knowledge when dealing with emergency situations," Pivirotto said. "He has the knowledge to address the problems facing America."

The Senate must now approve Carmona's nomination.

Daniel Scarpinato and Rachel Williamson contributed to this report.