C. Everett Koop
American pediatric surgeon and public health administrator (1916–2013)
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Key Takeaways
- Charles Everett Koop (October 14, 1916 – February 25, 2013) was an American pediatric surgeon and public health administrator who served as the 13th surgeon general of the United States under President Ronald Reagan from 1982 to 1989.
- Koop was known for his work on tobacco use, AIDS, and abortion, and for his support of the rights of children with disabilities.
- He attended and graduated from Flatbush School.
- His interest in medicine followed a year in the hospital after a childhood skiing accident and brain hemorrhage.
Charles Everett Koop (October 14, 1916 – February 25, 2013) was an American pediatric surgeon and public health administrator who served as the 13th surgeon general of the United States under President Ronald Reagan from 1982 to 1989. According to the Associated Press, "Koop was the only surgeon general to become a household name" due to his frequent public presence around the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s.
Koop was known for his work on tobacco use, AIDS, and abortion, and for his support of the rights of children with disabilities.
Early life and education
Koop was born in Brooklyn, New York, the only child of John Everett Koop (1883–1972), a banker and descendant of 17th-century Dutch settlers, and Helen (née Apel) Koop (1894–1970). He attended and graduated from Flatbush School. In 1937, he earned his Bachelor of Arts in zoology degree from Dartmouth College, where he was given the nickname "Chick" (occasionally used for his first name, Charles, but here an allusion to a chicken coop). His interest in medicine followed a year in the hospital after a childhood skiing accident and brain hemorrhage. He earned his MD degree from Cornell Medical College in 1941 and Doctor of Science degree in medicine from the University of Pennsylvania in 1947.
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