Peter M. Rhee
Encyclopedia
Peter Meong Rhee is an American surgeon, medical professor, and military veteran. During his 24 years in the United States Navy
, Rhee served as a battlefield casualty physician in Afghanistan
and Iraq
.
Dr. Rhee is presently the Director of Trauma Treatment at the University Medical Center (UMC) in Tucson
, Arizona
and Professor of Surgery at the University of Arizona
. In January 2011, Rhee was the attending physician to U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords
of Arizona as well as other victims of the 2011 Tucson shooting
.
as his father, also a doctor, worked in the Peace Corps
. The elder Rhee moved the family to the United States when his son was 10 to get a better education. The family was raised in a small Pennsylvania
town, south of Pittsburgh. His father was an anesthesiologist
at Uniontown Hospital
. The younger Rhee graduated in 1979 from Laurel Highlands High School
in Fayette County
.
In 1983, he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Health Systems Engineering
from the Georgia Institute of Technology
. In 1987, Rhee earned his medical degree from the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine. He also earned a Master's degree in Public Health
from the University of Washington
. In 1999, he earned a diploma in Medical Care of Catastrophes from the Society of Apothecaries of London
.
. They have two children.
Rhee is a 24-year veteran of the U.S. Navy. During a trip to China
in 1998, he was selected to accompany U.S. President Bill Clinton
as his designated surgeon. In 2001, Rhee became one of the first American military surgeons to be deployed in Afghanistan
at Camp Rhino
, the first forward operating base
to be established during Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2005, Rhee was deployed to Iraq
, where he established the first surgical unit in Ramadi
. His service awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal
and the Navy Commendation Medal.
As the Director of the Navy Trauma Training Center at Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center, Rhee became involved in an interbranch disagreement between the Army and Navy regarding the adoption of new hemostatic agents designed for battlefield treatment of severe bleeding. While the Army had adopted blood-clotting bandage called HemCon, the Navy and Marines instead opted for a different product called QuikClot. After testing HemCon at the Navy Trauma Training Center, Rhee concluded in December 2005: "I've tried every one of these products, many times, on many different kinds of wounds. For big-time bleeding – and that's what we're really worrying about here – HemCon doesn't work." Though Rhee preferred QuikClot, he expressed reservations over its commercialization in 2003 because of the potential for misuse by untrained consumers.
Rhee was appointed as Professor of Surgery and Molecular Cellular Biology at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and continues to consult for the Office of Naval Research
and the Marine Corps War Fighting Laboratory
.
in Seattle and the Washington Hospital Center
in Washington, D.C.
In September 2007, he became the Chief of Trauma and Critical Care and Professor of Surgery at the University of Arizona
in Tucson, Arizona
. By that time, he had published over 140 articles in medical journals. In July 2009, the University Medical Center was designated a Level 1 Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons
. Rhee stated that the center had become ranked among the top 10 in the nation.
, who had been shot in the head near Tucson. Rhee was out jogging at the time of the shooting and had to rush three miles home and go to the hospital. Rhee also held press conferences to update the public on her condition. Upon observing that Giffords was still able to squeeze a doctor's hand, which most gunshot victims are unable to do, he became confident of her chances. Rhee remarked, "She has a 101 percent chance of surviving. She will not die.
On January 12, 2011, Rhee was met with cheers as he arrived at the McKale Center
, while still dressed in scrubs
and a white coat from the medical center, for a memorial speech
by U.S. President Barack Obama
.
Rhee was also invited to sit with First Lady Michelle Obama
during a joint session of the United States Congress
for the 2011 State of the Union Address
on January 25.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, Rhee served as a battlefield casualty physician in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
.
Dr. Rhee is presently the Director of Trauma Treatment at the University Medical Center (UMC) in Tucson
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and Professor of Surgery at the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
. In January 2011, Rhee was the attending physician to U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords
Gabrielle Giffords
Gabrielle Dee "Gabby" Giffords is an American politician. A Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, she has represented since 2007. She is the third woman in Arizona's history to be elected to the U.S. Congress...
of Arizona as well as other victims of the 2011 Tucson shooting
2011 Tucson shooting
On January 8, 2011, a mass shooting occurred near Tucson, Arizona. Nineteen people were shot, six of them fatally, with one other person injured at the scene during an open meeting that U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords was holding with members of her constituency in a Casas Adobes Safeway...
.
Early life and education
Born in Seoul, South Korea, Peter Rhee lived for several years in UgandaUganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
as his father, also a doctor, worked in the Peace Corps
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
. The elder Rhee moved the family to the United States when his son was 10 to get a better education. The family was raised in a small Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
town, south of Pittsburgh. His father was an anesthesiologist
Anesthesiologist
An anesthesiologist or anaesthetist is a physician trained in anesthesia and peri-operative medicine....
at Uniontown Hospital
Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Uniontown is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh and part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. Population in 1900, 7,344; in 1910, 13,344; in 1920, 15,692; and in 1940, 21,819. The population was 10,372 at the 2010 census...
. The younger Rhee graduated in 1979 from Laurel Highlands High School
Laurel Highlands School District
Laurel Highlands School District is a school district located in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. It serves North and South Union Townships. The current superintendent is Dr. Gary Brain. District enrollment is 3591.-Creation of LHSD:...
in Fayette County
Fayette County, Pennsylvania
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the2010 census, the population was 136,606. The county is part of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area....
.
In 1983, he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Health Systems Engineering
Health systems engineering
Health systems engineering is an academic discipline where researchers and practitioners treat health care industry as complex systems, and further identify and apply engineering applications in health care systems. This term was first seen in late 70s...
from the Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
. In 1987, Rhee earned his medical degree from the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine. He also earned a Master's degree in Public Health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
from the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
. In 1999, he earned a diploma in Medical Care of Catastrophes from the Society of Apothecaries of London
Worshipful Society of Apothecaries
The Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. Originally, apothecaries were members of the Grocers' Company and before this members of the Guild of Pepperers formed in London in 1180...
.
Personal life
Rhee met his wife, Emily, as he was completing his residency at the University of California, IrvineUniversity of California, Irvine
The University of California, Irvine , founded in 1965, is one of the ten campuses of the University of California, located in Irvine, California, USA...
. They have two children.
Military service
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in 1998, he was selected to accompany U.S. President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
as his designated surgeon. In 2001, Rhee became one of the first American military surgeons to be deployed in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
at Camp Rhino
Camp Rhino
Forward operating base Rhino, also known as Camp Rhino, was the first US land base established in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. It was located in the Registan Desert, southwest of Kandahar.-History:...
, the first forward operating base
Forward Operating Base
A forward operating base is any secured forward military position, commonly a military base, that is used to support tactical operations. A FOB may or may not contain an airfield, hospital, or other facilities. The base may be used for an extended period of time. FOBs are traditionally supported...
to be established during Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2005, Rhee was deployed to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, where he established the first surgical unit in Ramadi
Ramadi
Ramadi is a city in central Iraq, about west of Baghdad. It is the capital of Al Anbar Governorate.-History:Ramadi is located in a fertile, irrigated, alluvial plain.The Ottoman Empire founded Ramadi in 1869...
. His service awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
The Defense Meritorious Service Medal is the third-highest award bestowed upon members of the United States military by the United States Department of Defense...
and the Navy Commendation Medal.
Rhee was appointed as Professor of Surgery and Molecular Cellular Biology at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and continues to consult for the Office of Naval Research
Office of Naval Research
The Office of Naval Research , headquartered in Arlington, Virginia , is the office within the United States Department of the Navy that coordinates, executes, and promotes the science and technology programs of the U.S...
and the Marine Corps War Fighting Laboratory
United States Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory
The United States Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory was established in 1995, at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. The organization was originally known as the Commandant's Warfighting Laboratory....
.
Civilian medical career
Rhee worked in the trauma centers at the Harborview Medical CenterHarborview Medical Center
Harborview Medical Center, located on Seattle's First Hill, is a public hospital in King County, Washington and is managed by UW Medicine.-Overview:...
in Seattle and the Washington Hospital Center
Washington Hospital Center
Washington Hospital Center is the largest private hospital in Washington, D.C.. It serves as a teaching hospital for Georgetown University School of Medicine....
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
In September 2007, he became the Chief of Trauma and Critical Care and Professor of Surgery at the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
in Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
. By that time, he had published over 140 articles in medical journals. In July 2009, the University Medical Center was designated a Level 1 Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons
American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is an educational association of surgeons created in 1913 to improve the quality of care for the surgical patient by setting high standards for surgical education and practice.-Membership:...
. Rhee stated that the center had become ranked among the top 10 in the nation.
2011 Tucson shooting
In January 2011, Rhee became the subject of national media attention as the attending trauma physician for U.S. Representative Gabrielle GiffordsGabrielle Giffords
Gabrielle Dee "Gabby" Giffords is an American politician. A Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, she has represented since 2007. She is the third woman in Arizona's history to be elected to the U.S. Congress...
, who had been shot in the head near Tucson. Rhee was out jogging at the time of the shooting and had to rush three miles home and go to the hospital. Rhee also held press conferences to update the public on her condition. Upon observing that Giffords was still able to squeeze a doctor's hand, which most gunshot victims are unable to do, he became confident of her chances. Rhee remarked, "She has a 101 percent chance of surviving. She will not die.
On January 12, 2011, Rhee was met with cheers as he arrived at the McKale Center
McKale Center
McKale Memorial Center is an athletic arena located at 1756 E University Blvd on the campus of the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. It is primarily used for basketball, but also features state-of-the-art physical training and therapy facilities. Its construction is marked with a large...
, while still dressed in scrubs
Scrubs (clothing)
Scrubs are the shirts and trousers or gowns worn by nurses , surgeons, and other operating room personnel when "scrubbing in" for surgery. In the United Kingdom, they are sometimes known as Theatre Blues. They are designed to be simple with minimal places for dirt to hide, easy to launder, and...
and a white coat from the medical center, for a memorial speech
Barack Obama Tucson memorial speech
President of the United States Barack Obama delivered a speech at the Together We Thrive: Tucson and America memorial on January 12, 2011, held in the McKale Center on the University of Arizona campus....
by U.S. President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
.
Rhee was also invited to sit with First Lady Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama is the wife of the 44th and incumbent President of the United States, Barack Obama, and is the first African-American First Lady of the United States...
during a joint session of the United States Congress
Joint session of the United States Congress
Joint sessions of the United States Congress are the gatherings together of both houses of the United States Congress...
for the 2011 State of the Union Address
2011 State of the Union Address
The 2011 State of the Union Address was a speech given by President Barack Obama at 9 p.m. EST on January 25, 2011, in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives...
on January 25.
Affiliations
- American Board of SurgeryAmerican Board of SurgeryThe American Board of Surgery is an independent, non-profit organization based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania founded for the purpose of certifying surgeons who have met a defined standard of education, training and knowledge...
- Fellow of the American College of SurgeonsAmerican College of SurgeonsThe American College of Surgeons is an educational association of surgeons created in 1913 to improve the quality of care for the surgical patient by setting high standards for surgical education and practice.-Membership:...
and Critical Care Medicine.
See also
- Lee (Korean name)Lee (Korean name)Lee is the common English spelling of 이 , a common Korean family name. The proper pronunciation in South Korea is like the English letter "E", although in North Korea the name is still written as "리" and pronounced "Lee". Many times South Koreans will knowingly introduce themselves as "Lee" to...
- List of medical specialty colleges in the United States
External links
- Dr. Peter Rhee: 5 Facts About Obama's State of the Union Guest at AOL NewsAOLAOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...