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Dr. Rachel Levine, an openly transgender woman, was recently chosen to be the new Pennsylvania Physician's General and may be named to Gov.-elect Tom Wolf's Cabinet.

(Submitted)

If selected to serve in Gov.-elect Tom Wolf's Cabinet, Dr. Rachel Levine could become the highest-ranked transgender woman in Pennsylvania state government history.

Levine, who transitioned from male to female about five years ago, was announced as Wolf's physician general on Saturday. The physician general position, which was created under former Gov Tom Ridge, must be confirmed by the Pennsylvania Senate.

Wolf spokesman Jeff Sheridan said Levine could become a member of the Cabinet or remain as a senior adviser to Wolf. The governor-elect has not yet formed his Cabinet.

"The confirmable positions that have to pass by the Senate are set by statute," Sheridan said. "A Cabinet is not set by statute. A governor can form his own Cabinet the way he wants to, and that has not been formed yet."

Levine said her decision to transition was "life changing."

"I've been addressing that issue all my life," Levine said. "You don't suddenly decide at 50-something that you're transgender. Over the last 10 years, I've been investigating that and exploring that."

Levine, who has been a physician at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center since 1996, said she hopes she can serve as a mentor and role model for other LGBT people in Pennsylvania.

If chosen to serve on Wolf's Cabinet, she also could become one of the highest-ranked transgender women in U.S. government.

Levine, who is also is a professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at the Penn State College of Medicine, said having that distinction would be "meaningful."

Sheridan said Levine was chosen to be physician general not because she is transgender but because of her extensive background in the areas of medical, public and behavioral health.

Levine's background in medicine

Levine graduated from Harvard College in 1979 and then Tulane University School of Medicine in 1983. Levine said she fell in love with pediatrics while going through her medical rotations at Tulane.

She completed her training in pediatrics at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, where she practiced from 1988 to 1993.

Levine said she became most interested in the intersection of medical, mental and behavioral health issues - such as individuals with bulimia and anorexia.

"In adolescent medicine, you have to deal a lot with behavioral health issues that teenagers present," Levine said. "I then developed a real interest in eating disorders, which carried through my career."

She is now the chief of the Division of Adolescent Medicine and Eating Disorders and vice chairwoman for Clinical Affairs for the Department of Pediatrics at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

Role as the new physician general

Focusing on the intersection of medical, mental and behavioral health will be a major part of her role as the state's physician general, Levine said.

To cover such a wide range of areas, Levine said she wants to work with the new leader of the Departments of Health and Human Services.

"It will be really, really important to have a strong voice in terms of those public health issues, health matters for the Department of Health and administration," Levine said.

Wolf praised Levine's work and experience in a prepared news release on Saturday.

"Dr. Rachel Levine is well-respected in the fields of pediatrics, psychiatry, and behavioral health, where she has practiced for close to three decades," Wolf said.

"She has been a leading voice in efforts to treat teens with medical and psychological problems, as well as adults and children with eating disorders. It is important to me that we place equal emphasis on behavioral and physical health issues."

LGBT advocacy

Levine said she became very active in LGBT issues about 10 years ago. Levine currently serves as the liaison for LGBT Affairs for the Penn State Hershey Office of Diversity. In that role, she mentors and assists LGBT students, faculty and staff.

She said she also has worked as the faculty advisor for the university's LGBT student group and started an LGBT staff and faculty affinity group.

Levine also is a member of the board for Equality Pennsylvania, an organization that lobbies for equal rights for people in the LGBT community.

Does being transgender give Levine a unique perspective for advocacy?

"I think it does," she said. "I think that it has helped me in terms of the LGBT community in terms of understanding what all the issues are. And I think I've been able to serve as a mentor and role model to LGBT individuals at the medical center as well as in the community."

This article has been updated with additional information about how the physician general position must be approved by the Senate.