President Trump’s nominee is Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, an American surgeon, Fox News contributor and family medicine physician, who calls himself a dual board-certified doctor and earned a degree from the University of Arkansas School of Medicine – in which the president touted the president.

But those claims about her certification and her studies seem misleading.

According to records from CBS News reviews, Nesheiwat is actually a medical degree obtained from the American University of the Caribbean (AUC) School of Medicine in St. Martin, the Caribbean. A spokesperson for the University of Arkansas confirmed to CBS News that she completed her residency through her family medicine program in Fayetteville, Arkansas, but did not receive a medical degree there.

Nesheiwat is expected to face questions about her certificates there before she holds a confirmation hearing on the U.S. Senate Health Committee. American surgeons are known for setting the public health agenda. Surgeons in the past have focused on priorities such as smoking, gun violence and the dangers of loneliness.

Currently, Nesheiwat's LinkedIn profile mistakenly lists a MD from the University of Arkansas School of Medicine while omitting any mention of AUC. In at least one instance on social media, she mentioned attending “American University” in describing her education – without clarifying that it is not the same-named American university in Washington, D.C., which has no medical school. She said in the same article that she “completed most of my studies at St. Thomas & Guy’s Hospital in London, England.” CBS News can’t verify this by the foundations that run those London hospitals.

AUC's medical degree is usually a four-year course: the first two years include classroom training in St. Martin, and the last two years include clinical rotation at the medical institution.

According to the AUC, Nesheiwat studied for six years from 2000 to 2006.

This extended enrollment period reflects a wider focus that has attracted federal attention in recent years and has attracted stigma of Caribbean medical schools, which are sometimes considered a last resort for students who cannot qualify for American medical schools. The school itself and many graduates have strong doubts about the assessment.

Senators Dick Durbin and Bill Cassidy introduced a bill at several congressional meetings to end a vulnerability that allows certain Caribbean medical schools, including the AUC, to bypass standards imposed on other foreign institutions. Despite the low on-time graduation rates, the loophole has allowed schools to still qualify for federal funding. According to the Durbin office, students at these schools usually take longer to complete their medical degrees, which can lead to higher debt and greater difficulty in ensuring residency.

"They don't have to meet the same high standards that American medical schools have to meet, but they don't have to meet the same requirements as schools outside the United States to get hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding," Dubin said.

Some organizations, including medical centers in the public interest, believe these schools are important to help mitigate the school Physician shortage The United States faces it. "In a perfect world, everyone tells the truth, and for me, it's not a problem."

Goldberg said this time, when some people have expertise, it may be in her favor. "Don't be afraid to talk about it. Maybe it's a teachable moment for her," he said.

Propositions about her board certification also raised questions. nheed Often described as double board certification, including on her own website. This statement has not been challenged in many of her past media appearances - Including CBS News. CBS News can only verify her certification in family medicine.

Nesheiwat's New York State Physician profile lists only her certification in family medicine. The American Medical Professional Council, the largest and oldest certification organization in the United States, told CBS News that the only proof they have given her is family medicine.

CBS News has contacted Nesheiwat and the White House, but has not received a response.

Dr. Arthur Caplan, a medical ethicist at New York University, said the inaccurate or misleading statements were “very, very disturbing.” Kaplan said the surgeon’s job “is determined by trust and credibility. You don’t actually control anything. You are a spokesperson and educator for the public. If you are not completely transparent in the first place or make false claims about training, that’s a very bad start.”

"She has to do her work clearly and transparently with her background and being nervous about her background doesn't mean she should cover up her background," he told CBS News.

Nesheiwat did not mention her Caribbean medical education in her 2024 autobiography Beyond Stethoscope: Miracle in Medicine. "I participated in the Army ROTC program at the University of South Florida. I received basic training in Lewisburg, Washington, and completed my medical training as the chief resident at the University of Arkansas."

Nesheiwat attended the University of South Florida for his undergraduate degree in biology and attended the Army ROTC. According to the U.S. Army Craft Command, she completed the requirements of the program, but was “medically advertised” in June 2000 before entrusting as an official in June 2000.

Her upbringing included personal tragedy and perseverance. Her family immigrated from Jordan to the United States after political turmoil in the 1950s. Nesheiwat was involved in a tragic accident at the age of 13, and she accidentally shot her father to death. She and her four siblings were raised by their mother, a nurse.

After completing his residency, Nesheiwat began working at CityMD, an emergency care provider in New York and New Jersey. She was described in media appearances and news materials as “Medical Director,” “Medical Director of Emergency and Family Medicine at CityMD” and “Medical Director of CityMD”. On her website, she described herself as “Citymed’s Medical Director.” The exact nature of her character is not yet known. CBS News contacted CityMD for clarification and received comments from the company's chief operating officer saying "she is a truly outstanding doctor who stands out" but did not clarify her position or position at the company.

Nesheiwat gained public awareness among Fox News contributors during the Covid-19 pandemic, providing practical health advice and personal insights from her clinical work. As an emergency nursing physician practicing in the New York metropolitan area at the time, she witnessed the devastating effects of CAVID firsthand. Nesheiwat admitted she initially prescribed hydroxychloroquine, but stopped when research showed it was ineffective. She said the co-vaccine was helpful but also criticized the Biden administration’s lockdown during the pandemic.

Her sister, Julia Nesheiwat, a national security expert, served in the Obama administration and married Mike Waltz, a member of Congress and now President Trump's national security adviser.

Independent freelance writer Anthony Clark first reported on issues about Nesheiwat's resume on alternatives.

If confirmed, Neshewat will oversee 6,000 unified officials who are part of the U.S. Department of Public Health Services, which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services. She is also responsible for communicating with the public “the best scientific information on how to improve health and reduce the risk of illness and injury.”

Some of her views may clash with HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr.he spreads unfounded theories about the link between vaccines and autism. "Scientific and rigorous testing has shown that these vaccines are safe and efficient in suppressing disease. The increase in hesitation leading to vaccines is the spread of poorly studied research that claims to be aimed at linking vaccines to autism and other issues."

The date for her Senate confirmation hearing has not been set yet, but sources told CBS News that it may be scheduled soon.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to remove a false reference to the relationship between AUC and London Hospital.