Mobile County Health Department welcomes its new Health Officer
February 24, 2022
Mobile County Health Department welcomes its new Health Officer
MOBILE, Ala. — Dr. Bernard H. Eichold II established a record on May 1, 2021, when he observed his 31st year serving as Health Officer for Mobile County. No other person in Alabama has ever served as a health officer for this amount of time.
However, all good things must eventually come to an end. Dr. Eichold will soon retire from his position.
Having been selected to serve as the next Health Officer is Dr. Kevin Philip Michaels. He arrived this week to begin the next chapter of the Mobile County Health Department that traces its history back to 1816.
Dr. Michaels has recently served as assistant medical director at Occupational Health Center. In addition, he was the former Occupational Medicine Director at Providence Hospital. He retired as a colonel in the U.S. Army.
Dr. Michaels, who grew up in East Setauket, New York, earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He remained in the southeastern United States to receive his medical degree from the University of South Alabama in 1992. He added a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Alabama’s School of Public Health in Birmingham.
Dr. Michaels did his Internship at William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso, Texas. He did his Residency in Public Health at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington. He also did a Fellowship in Occupational Medicine at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Michaels has Certifications in Preventative Medicine/Public Health; Occupational and Environmental Medicine; Medical Review Officer; National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners; and FAA Medical Examiner. He is licensed in Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi.
He is married to Nora Michaels. They have three children: Capt. Sam Michaels, U.S. Army, married to Lucy and parents to Ella, their first granddaughter; 2nd Lt. Benjamin Michaels, U.S. Air Force, who is attending medical school; and 2nd Lt. Anna Michaels, U.S. Army.