Neurosurgeon and CNN medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta has withdrawn from consideration for Surgeon General.

In January the Obama administration indicated that the 39-year-old Michigan native was its top choice for the position. 

Democratic Congressman John Conyers of Detroit campaigned against installing Gupta as administrator of the nations health services and questioned his experience and qualifications.

Other critics said that Gupta’s opposition to government-run health care made him a poor choice for an administration committed to health care reform.

On Thursday Gupta told CNN’s Larry King that he was withdrawing from consideration for the job in order to focus on his medical career and family.