Where is the surgeon general of the United States? That question has become a common refrain in recent weeks. Ebola has highlighted significant gaps in our nation's preparedness and the lack of a dedicated, credible public health leader and communicator. The White House's response was to appoint an "Ebola czar," but because of Ron Klain's lack of a medical background , his appointment has drawn significant bipartisan public criticism.

The surgeon general is and has been the doctor of the nation. That credibility is based on the surgeon general being seen as a non-partisan representative. For example, I was an independent but was nominated by President George W. Bush to serve as the nation's 17th surgeon general .

In the past, surgeons general were traditionally chosen from the career uniformed service ranks based on earned merit. This changed in the late 1960s and 1970s, when presidents sometimes nominated civilians who they believed would be more aligned with their political party.

In 2007, former surgeons general C. Everett Koop, David Satcher and I testified before Congress . Regardless of whether we served during liberal or conservative administrations, we surgeons general spoke in unison about the plague of politics. Yet, Congress took no action.

Which brings us to today, and why we do not have a surgeon general.

In late 2013, President Obama nominated Vivek Murthy to become U.S. surgeon general. Murthy is an accomplished doctor very early in his career with no formal public health education, progressive leadership or management experience. He founded Doctors for Obama , later renamed Doctors for America, a partisan group supporting the president and his policies. For this reason, his nomination has the appearance of political patronage.

We do not appoint doctors early in their career to be a university dean or chairman. And top graduates of elite law schools don't get nominated to be the U.S. attorney general or a Supreme Court justice. Why would the U.S. surgeon general be any different?

Some suggest that the National Rifle Association blocked Murthy's confirmation because of his views on gun control. But many senators from both parties expressed doubts about his ability to fulfill the role, and he did not have the votes for confirmation.

The public should be outraged by these partisan solutions. The people don't want a Democratic or Republican surgeon general, just as they don't search for their personal physician by political affiliation. They want the most qualified physician.

The remedy is returning to the tried-and-tested nomination of career uniformed service officers for the post. The job of surgeon general is to protect, promote and advance the health and safety of our nation and the world.

The public we have the privilege to serve deserves no less.

Richard Carmona was the surgeon general from 2002 to 2006.

In addition to its own editorials, USA TODAY publishes diverse opinions from outside writers, including our Board of Contributors . To read more columns like this, go to the opinion front page or follow us on twitter @USATopinion or Facebook .