Vivek Murthy isn't your grandfather's Surgeon General. He's young, he's social media-savvy, and he's constantly breaking new ground — whether sending 2 million-plus letters to clinicians in an unprecedented appeal to stop prescribing opioids or partnering with Fitbit to get Americans moving. But for some critics, that's not enough — and they wonder if we need a Surgeon General at all. Murthy joined POLITICO's "Pulse Check" podcast to discuss the role of the Surgeon General (starts at the 2:20 mark), why he's focused on getting Americans walking (10:10 mark), how he sees the nation's opioid problem (15:00), how he picks his priorities (24:00) and whether he thinks the Surgeon General can truly be independent on issues like gun violence (30:30). Also: Stay tuned for the lightning round that starts at 38:10. We’d appreciate your help: Please share PULSE CHECK and rate us on your favorite podcast app! Have questions, suggestions or feedback? Email ddiamond@politico.com.