Conyers opposes Gupta nomination

WASHINGTON, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers is asking his colleagues to discourage U.S. President-elect Barack Obama from nominating Sanjay Gupta for surgeon general.

In his letter, the Michigan Democrat said there are "highly experienced medical professionals who question whether Dr. Gupta has the necessary experience or even the medical background to be in charge of some 6,000 physicians or more who work in the United States Public Health Service," the Detroit Free Press reported Thursday.

Conyers has suggested that Obama consider nominating for surgeon general Dr. Herb Smitherman Jr., a Detroit public health advocate and assistant dean for community and urban health at the Wayne State University School of Medicine.

Gupta, 39, attended college and medical school at the University of Michigan. He is a neurosurgeon in Atlanta and on the faculty at Emory University's medical school in addition to serving as CNN's medical correspondent. Sources have said Obama will tap Gupta for the surgeon general slot.