Sean Barbabella
Sean Barbabella | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Official portrait, 2023 | |
| Physician to the President | |
| Assumed office March 7, 2025 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Kevin O'Connor |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Sean Patrick Barbabella Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of Pittsburgh (BS) Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Navy |
| Rank | Captain |
| Commands | Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point (2013–2025) |
| Battles/wars | Iraq War War in Afghanistan |
| Awards | Purple Heart Legion of Merit |
Sean Patrick Barbabella[1] is a US Navy captain and osteopathic physician specializing in emergency and tactical medicine. Since 2025, he has served as the physician to the president under Donald Trump.
Early life and education
[edit]Barbabella is a native of Birdsboro, Pennsylvania.[2] He is the son of Vincent M. Barbabella Sr., a retired US Army major and former Army Ranger who served during the Vietnam War.[2] Sean Barbabella graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1992.[2] He earned a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1996.[2][3][4] He completed his residency at the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth.[3][4]
Career
[edit]Barbabella is a career military physician specializing in emergency and tactical medicine.[4] He completed several tours in Iraq and Afghanistan during his service in the United States Navy.[3][4] In 2009, during his first deployment to Afghanistan, he was injured in a blast from an improvised explosive device and was subsequently awarded a Purple Heart.[3][4]
From August 2010 to March 2012, Barbabella served as the division surgeon with the 2nd Marine Division during a year-long deployment to Helmand Province, Afghanistan.[2] He was awarded the Legion of Merit in 2012 for his meritorious conduct and service in that role.[2][3][4] During that deployment, Barbabella led more than 40 medical officers and 20 physician assistants and focused on point-of-injury care for service members in combat environments.[4] He implemented improvements in patient tracking systems, including the Blast Exposure Concussion Incident Report and integration of blast injury documentation into electronic medical records.[2] He also contributed to medical training for the Afghan National Army's 215th Corps by designing basic combat lifesaving training, which transitioned to being taught independently by Afghan personnel.[2]
Barbabella played a role in the development of the Mobile Trauma Bay, a mobile medical facility that provided emergency-room-level care in the field and was equipped for resuscitation with medical staff and trauma equipment.[2][3][4] He has also served as a member of the Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care, which formulates battlefield trauma care guidelines.[4]
Barbabella held the position of executive officer at Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune before taking command of the Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point in 2023.[3][4] In January 2025, Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point announced that Barbabella would be leaving his post to join the White House Medical Unit.[3] He serves as the physician to the president under Donald Trump.[3]
Personal life
[edit]Barbabella is married and has two sons.[2][4]
References
[edit]- ^ "Sean Patrick Barbabella, DO". Practitioner Information. Henrico: Virginia Board of Medicine. January 17, 2024. Archived from the original on June 23, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Drew, Jeff (April 13, 2012). "Pennsylvania sailor awarded Legion of Merit for medical excellence". Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Fiore, Kristina (2025-03-05). "Who Is Trump's New Doctor?". MedPage Today. Archived from the original on 2025-03-06. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k McDonald-Gibson, Charlotte (2025-02-26). "Trump's doctor revealed as battlefield specialist Sean Barbabella". The Times. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
| Authority control databases: Academics |
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- Living people
- People from Birdsboro, Pennsylvania
- Physicians from Pennsylvania
- American osteopathic physicians
- 21st-century American physicians
- 21st-century American naval officers
- Physicians to the president of the United States
- United States Navy Medical Corps officers
- University of Pittsburgh alumni
- A. T. Still University alumni
- Military personnel from Pennsylvania
- Recipients of the Legion of Merit
- United States Navy personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
- United States Navy personnel of the Iraq War
- American emergency physicians
- Second Trump administration personnel