The Surgeon General’s Medal is the highest award of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The medal is awarded in the name of the United States Surgeon General for actions of exceptional achievement to the cause of public health and medicine.

The exact award criteria for the Surgeon General’s Medal are open to the interpretation of the sitting U.S. Surgeon general. Typically, the Surgeon General’s Medal is presented for such actions as medical breakthroughs in public medicine, disease prevention and control, or exceptional service in a senior position of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Due to the prestige of the Surgeon General’s Medal, the award is authorized for wear on active duty uniforms of the United States armed forces. In such cases, the Surgeon General’s Medal is worn after all U.S. military awards and before any foreign decorations.