President Trump’s nominee to be the U.S. surgeon general, the Fox News contributor and family medicine physician Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, has described herself as a double board-certified physician with a degree from the University of Arkansas School of Medicine — credentials the president touted in his announcement.
But those claims about her certification and schooling appear to be misleading.
Nesheiwat actually earned her medical degree from the American University of the Caribbean (AUC) School of Medicine, located in St. Maarten, in the Caribbean, according to records reviewed by CBS News. A spokesperson for the University of Arkansas confirmed to CBS News she completed her residency through its family medicine program in Fayetteville, Arkansas, but did not obtain her medical degree there.
Nesheiwat has not yet come before the U.S. Senate’s health committee for a confirmation hearing, where she is expected to face questions about her credentials. The U.S. surgeon general is known for setting the national agenda on public health. Past surgeons general have marshaled attention for priority issues such as the dangers of cigarette smoking, gun violence and an epidemic of loneliness.
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Currently, Nesheiwat’s LinkedIn profile incorrectly lists a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Arkansas School of Medicine, while omitting any mention of AUC. In at least one instance on social media, she has referenced attending “American University” when describing her education — without clarifying that it was not the similarly named American University in Washington, D.C., which does not have a medical school. In that same posting she said she “completed the majority of my studies in London, England, at St. Thomas & Guy’s Hospital.” CBS News was unable to verify that with the foundation that runs those London hospitals.
AUC’s medical degree is generally a four-year program: the first two years consist of classroom training in St. Maarten, and the final two years consist of clinical rotations at a medical facility.
According to AUC, Nesheiwat was enrolled at the school for six years, from 2000 to 2006.
This extended enrollment period reflects broader concerns that have drawn federal attention in recent years and fueled stigma against medical schools in the Caribbean, which are sometimes perceived as a last resort for students who couldn’t qualify for a U.S. medical school. The schools themselves and many graduates strongly dispute that assessment.
Senators Dick Durbin and Bill Cassidy have introduced a bill in several congressional sessions aimed at closing a loophole that allowed certain Caribbean medical schools, including AUC, to bypass standards imposed on other foreign institutions. This loophole enabled the schools to remain eligible for federal funds despite lower on-time graduation rates. According to Durbin’s office, students at these schools often take longer to complete their medical degrees, which results in higher debt and greater difficulty securing residency placements.
“They don’t have to meet the same high standards U.S. medical schools must meet, but also don’t have to meet the same requirements as schools located outside of the U.S. to access hundreds of millions of dollars of federal funding,” Durbin said.
Some organizations, including the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest, argue that these schools are important for helping to alleviate the physician shortage America is facing. The group’s founder, Robert Goldberg, told CBS News, “In a perfect world, everyone would tell the truth and something like this to me is not an issue.”
Goldberg says that in this time when some people are down on expertise, this could work to her advantage. “Don’t be afraid to talk about it. Maybe this will be a teachable moment for her,” he said.
The claims regarding her board certification have also raised questions. Nesheiwat is frequently described as double board-certified, including on her own website. The claim has gone unchallenged during her many past media appearances — including on CBS News. CBS News has only been able to verify her certification in family medicine.
Nesheiwat’s Physcian Profile for New York State only lists her certification in family medicine. The American Board of Medical Specialties, the largest and oldest certification organization in the U.S., told CBS News the only certification they had for her was for family medicine.
CBS News has reached out to Nesheiwat and the White House for comment but have not received a response.
Dr. Arthur Caplan, a medical ethicist at New York University, says these inaccurate or misleading statements are “very, very troubling.” Caplan says the surgeon general’s job “depends on trust and credibility. You don’t actually control anything. You are a spokesperson and educator for the public. If you begin by not being totally transparent or making a false claim about your training it’s a really bad start.”
“She must be to do the job crystal clear and transparent about her background, and being nervous about her background doesn’t mean she should cover up her background,” he told CBS News.
In her 2024 autobiographical book, “Beyond the Stethoscope: Miracles in Medicine,” Nesheiwat makes no mention of her Caribbean medical education. Instead, she writes: “I studied at the University of South Florida where I enrolled in an Army ROTC program. I did basic training in Fort Lewis, Washington, and completed my medical training at the University of Arkansas where I served as chief resident.”
Nesheiwat attended the University of South Florida for her undergraduate degree in biology and participated in Army ROTC. According to the U.S. Army Cadet Command, she completed the program’s requirements but was “medically disenrolled” in June 2000, prior to commissioning as an officer.
Her upbringing includes both personal tragedy and perseverance. Her family immigrated to the U.S. from Jordan following political unrest in the 1950s. At age 13, Nesheiwat was involved in a tragic accident in which she accidentally shot and killed her father. She and her four siblings were raised by her mother, who was a nurse.
After completing her residency, Nesheiwat began working at CityMD, an urgent care provider in New York and New Jersey. She has been variously described in media appearances and press materials as “medical director,” “CityMD Medical Director for emergency and family medicine,” and “a medical director at CityMD.” On her website she describes herself as “the Medical Director at CityMed.” The exact nature of her role remains unclear. CBS News reached out to CityMD for clarification and received comment from the company’s COO stating that “She is an exceptional physician who truly stands out,” but did not provide clarification on her job title or position at the company.
Nesheiwat gained public visibility as a Fox News contributor during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering practical health advice and personal insights from her clinical work. As an urgent care physician practicing in the New York metropolitan area at the time, she saw firsthand COVID’s devastating effects. Nesheiwat has acknowledged that she initially prescribed hydroxychloroquine but stopped when studies showed it was ineffective. She has said the COVID vaccine has been helpful but has also criticized the Biden administration over lockdowns during the pandemic.
Her sister, Julia Nesheiwat, is a national security expert who served in the Obama administration and is married to Mike Waltz, a former member of Congress who now serves as national security adviser to President Trump.
Questions about Nesheiwat’s résumé were first reported by independent freelance writer Anthony Clark on Substack.
If confirmed, Neshewat would oversee 6,000 uniformed officers who are part of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services. She would also be in charge of communicating to the public about “the best scientific information available on how to improve their health and reduce the risk of illness and injury.”
Some of her views may conflict with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has spread the unfounded theory of a connection between vaccines and autism. In her book, she wrote: “Science and rigorous testing have shown these vaccines to be safe and highly effective at suppressing disease. Leading to increased vaccine hesitancy has been the proliferation of poorly researched studies purporting to link vaccines to autism and other problems.”
A date for her Senate confirmation hearing has not yet been set, but sources tell CBS News it likely will be scheduled soon.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to remove an incorrect reference to the relationship between AUC and a London hospital.
