Dr Oz: 20 Facts That Fans of His Television Talk Series Might Not Know

"The Dr. Oz Show" launched Mehmet Oz into stardom. The doctor is now a household name and first made a name for himself with guest appearances on "The Oprah Winfrey Show."

Dr. Oz has become a daytime TV superstar and the host of "The Dr. Oz Show." In real life, he is actually a cardiothoracic surgeon.

Over the years he has gained a loyal fan base. Here are twenty facts about Dr. Oz that fans might not know.

1. First Show Aired in 2009

After spending five years as a health expert on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," Dr. Mehmet Oz decided to host his own health show. He landed a one hour slot every weekday to discuss viewers' health-and-wellness concerns.

2. Dream to be a Doctor

As the son of a doctor, Mehmet watched his father work as a surgeon and decided to follow in his footsteps when he was just seven years old.

3. Dr. Oz Earned More Than His MD

Mehmet Oz is not just a doctor. He is actually a surgeon and but also went back to school and earned an MBA which allows him to work in the medical field in management.

4. He Is An Accomplished Writer

When he's not being a doctor or TV host, he is also a writer. He has authored over 400 pieces of work including eight New York Times best-selling books. He also writes articles for publications like Esquire.

5. Important Role At Columbia University

He is also employed by Columbia University as the vice-chair and the Professor of Surgery at Columbia University.

6. Art Is Just As Important As Science

Dr. Oz has an appreciation for the finer things in life. He opened up to Success Magazine saying:

“Look at the greatest advancements in medicine and science. They’re often predated by wisdom that derives from artists.”

7. Harvard Accomplishment

Besides getting his MD and MBA from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Wharton Business School in the mid-'80s, he also earned admission to the world-famous Harvard University. He did his undergraduate degree at the school.

8. He Co-Founded ShareCare, Inc.

Dr. Oz co-founded a company named ShareCare, Inc. The company creates medical technology and bagged Mehmet a Best Medical App Award from Ask MD in 2013.

9. He And His Wife Were Set Up By Their Fathers

Dr. Oz has been married since the year 1985. According to reports, he met his wife after their fathers set them up with each other.

10. Award-Winning Medical Career

Over the years, several organizations paid tribute to Dr. Oz. He even made the New York Magazine list of the Best Doctors of the Year.

11. Being A TV Star Saved His Life

Dr. Oz’s choice to be a TV star has been extremely controversial but it also had several positive effects on him. One such time was when he chose to get a colonoscopy for his show and discovered that he’d developed a cancerous polyp.

12. His Show is Similar to Sitcoms In One Way

Dr. Oz’s show format is very different from the average sitcom, however, like sitcoms, before recording each episode of "The Dr. Oz Show" producers have a stand-up comedian warm up the live audience.

13. University Athlete

The successful surgeon, author, TV star, and hospital executive, also qualified for his university water polo and intercollegiate football teams.

14. Associated With The NYPD

Doctor Oz was named an honorary New York City police surgeon and was enlisted to teach police offers how to take care of themselves.

15. Respected By His Medical Co-Workers

According to Dr. Oz’s co-worker at New York-Presbyterian and Columbia University Medical Center Dr. Richard Green:

"He's uniformly respected and admired here. Maybe he should be president. I would vote for him. If you did a poll of the staff at Columbia and asked them, 'If you needed a heart operation and Mehmet was there, would you want him?' they'd say yes."

16. Dr. Oz’s Father-In-Law

Dr. Oz’s father-in-law was part of the team that performed America’s first heart transplant. The surgery took place in 1968.

17. He Worked On A Major Movie

Dr. Oz worked on the 2002 movie "John Q." The film focused on a desperate father who takes over a hospital in order to force them to operate on his son and the film’s producers hired Dr. Oz to serve as their medical director.

18. Student Body President in Medical School

He was elected class president twice and won the election for Medical School Student Body President once.

19. Changed Meaning of Heart Surgeries Or Transplants

Dr. Oz has the patent to 11 devices used during heart surgeries and transplants. He also helped to research and develop the left ventricular assist device.

20. Included On Some Really Important Lists

Dr. Oz was included in the Esquire Magazine list of the 75 Most Influential People of the 21st Century, as well as the 2008 Time list of The World’s Most Influential People.