| Sylvia Trent-Adams | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health | |
| In office January 2, 2019 – September 30, 2020 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy Surgeon General of the United States | |
| In office October 25, 2015 – January 2, 2019 | |
| President | Barack Obama Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Vivek Murthy |
| Succeeded by | Erica Schwartz |
| Surgeon General of the United States Acting | |
| In office April 21, 2017 – September 5, 2017 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Vivek Murthy |
| Succeeded by | Jerome Adams |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1965-06-15) June 15, 1965 (age 59) Lynchburg, Virginia, U.S. |
| Education | Hampton University (BS) University of Maryland, Baltimore (MS) University of Maryland, Baltimore County (PhD) |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army USPHS Commissioned Corps |
| Years of service | 1987–1992 (Army) 1992–2020 (Public Health Service) |
| Rank |  Rear Admiral |
Sylvia Trent-Adams (born June 15, 1965) is a retired U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps rear admiral, who last served as the principal deputy assistant secretary for health from January 2, 2019 to August 31, 2020. She previously served as the deputy surgeon general of the United States from October 25, 2015 to January 2, 2019. Trent-Adams also served as the acting surgeon general of the United States from April 21, 2017 to September 5, 2017. She retired from the U.S. Public Health Service on September 30, 2020 after over 33 years of combined uniformed service. On October 5, 2020, Trent-Adams was named to the board of directors for AMN Healthcare.
Education
Trent-Adams received a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Hampton University, a Master of Science in nursing and health policy from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and a doctorate of nursing from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. After attending college on an ROTC scholarship, she served as an officer in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps for five years, on the oncology unit of Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Career
Trent-Adams has held various positions in HHS, working to improve access to care for poor and under-served communities. As a clinician and administrator, she has had a direct impact on building systems of care to improve public health for marginalized populations.
Prior to joining the Office of the Surgeon General, Trent-Adams was the deputy associate administrator for the HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). She assisted in managing the $2.3 billion Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009 (Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program) for uninsured people living with HIV disease as well as training for health care professionals.
Trent-Adams began her career in the Commissioned Corps of the PHSCC in 1992. She has published numerous articles and presented to organizations and professional groups. Prior to joining the USPHS, Trent-Adams was a nurse officer in the U.S. Army. She also served as a research nurse at the University of Maryland. Trent-Adams completed two internships in the U.S. Senate where she focused on the prospective payment system for skilled nursing facilities and scope of practice for nurses and psychologists. She has served as guest lecturer at the University of Maryland and Hampton University. Her clinical practice was in trauma, oncology, community health, and infectious disease. She serves as chair of the Federal Public Health Nurse Leadership Council, and the Federal Nursing Service Council.
Acting Surgeon General of the United States
On April 21, 2017, Trent-Adams was named acting surgeon general, replacing Vice Admiral Vivek Murthy, a physician, who was relieved as surgeon general by the Trump administration. In assuming the post, Trent-Adams became the second non-physician to serve as surgeon general. Robert A. Whitney, a veterinarian, served as the 17th (acting) surgeon general. She is the second nurse to serve in this role. Richard Carmona, who served in the role under George W. Bush, was both a nurse and a physician. She was succeeded by Vice Admiral Jerome Adams on September 5, 2017.
Awards and decorations
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In 2017, she was awarded the Red Cross' Florence Nightingale Medal, the highest international distinction in the nursing profession.
Personal life
Trent-Adams grew up on a farm in Concord, Virginia and graduated from Appomattox County High School in 1983. She is married to Dennis Adams and has two daughters.
References
- "Rear Adm. (Ret.) Sylvia Trent-Adams". U.S. Army. October 5, 2022. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
- "HHS.gov Bio: Rear Admiral (RADM) Sylvia Trent-Adams, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N." Archived from the original on September 2, 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
- "Transitions: In Appreciation of Retired Rear Adm. Sylvia Trent-Adams' Service to HHS". HIV.gov. September 1, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
- "AMN Healthcare Names Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams to Board of Directors". Business Wire. October 5, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
- O'Shaughnessy, Patrice (July 2014). "From Candy Striper to Chief Nurse". American Journal of Nursing. 114 (7). Wolters Kluwer: 68–69. doi:10.1097/01.NAJ.0000451691.06351.e3. PMID 25742360. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
- ^ Chandler, D.L. (April 22, 2017). "5 Things You Should Know About New Surgeon General Sylvia Trent-Adams". yahoo.com. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
- ^ (OSG), Office of the Surgeon General. "Biography of the Deputy Surgeon General". www.surgeongeneral.gov. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Ivory, Danielle; Harris, Gardiner (April 21, 2017). "Nurse Replaces Surgeon General After Obama Appointee Resigns". The New York Times. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
- "Surgeon general dismissed, replaced by Trump administration". USA Today. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
- Who Is Acting Surgeon General Sylvia Trent-Adams? Michele Gorman. Newsweek. April 24, 2017. Retrieved April 27, 2017
- Surgeon general is removed by Trump administration, replaced by deputy for now Lenny Bernstein. Washington Post. April 22, 2017. Retrieved April 27, 2017
- "Florence Nightingale Medal: Honouring exceptional nurses and nursing aides - 2017 recipients". International Committee of the Red Cross. May 12, 2017.
- Koerting, Katrina (February 10, 2014). "From Appomattox County roots to representing the U.S. for the WHO". Retrieved March 25, 2018.
- "Sylvia Trent-Adams gets big promotion in D.C. healthcare field". February 5, 2014. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
External links
- Sylvia Trent-Adams profile
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byVivek Murthy | Surgeon General of the United States Acting 2016–2017 |
Succeeded byJerome Adams |
| Deputy Surgeon General of the United States 2016–2019 |
Succeeded byErica G. Schwartz | |
| Surgeons general of the United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| .svg) | |
- 1965 births
- Living people
- United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps admirals
- Hampton University alumni
- University of Maryland, Baltimore alumni
- Fellows of the American Academy of Nursing
- Surgeons General of the United States
- Obama administration personnel
- First Trump administration personnel
- University of Maryland, Baltimore County alumni
- African-American United States Army personnel
- People from Appomattox County, Virginia
- People from Campbell County, Virginia
- Florence Nightingale Medal recipients
- United States Public Health Service personnel
- Members of the National Academy of Medicine