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Dr. Sanjay Gupta has withdrawn his name from consideration to become surgeon general, the White House confirmed to CBS News today.

Gupta, a neurosurgeon, pulled out from consideration "in order to continue devoting time to his medical career and of course his work at CNN,” according to CNN U.S. President Jon Klein.

Jerry Farrell, head of the Commissioned Officers Association, which represents the group overseen by the surgeon general, told Fox News that possible candidates have been calling his office to express their interest in the job now that Gupta has withdrawn and “the bidding process [is] open again."

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The Huffington Post reports that influential Democratic Rep. John Conyers has written a letter to his House colleagues urging them to oppose the nomination of Dr. Sanjay Gupta for Surgeon General.

President-elect Obama’s outside-the-box selection of Gupta , a CBS News medical contributor and CNN’s chief medical correspondent, has been praised in many circles, but Conyers insists Gupta "lacks the requisite experience needed to oversee the federal agency that provides crucial health care assistance.”

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The transition team has announced that Barack Obama will make an announcement tomorrow morning at a 10:15 ET press conference. Could it be that he is tapping CBS News contributor and CNN correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, a neurosurgeon, to be surgeon general?

The Washington Post, citing two sources, first reported that Mr. Obama had offered Gupta the job.

"Gupta has told administration officials that he wants the job, and the final vetting process is under way," reported the Post. "He has asked for a few days to figure out the financial and logistical details of moving his family from Atlanta to Washington but is expected to accept the offer."

CBS News can confirm through a source close to Dr. Gupta that the doctor was offered the position.

CBS News has also learned from a source close to Dr. Gupta that he was approached weeks ago about the position and that he had sought advice about whether or not he should take the job shortly after he was approached.

Another source close to Dr. Gupta (whom Gupta asked for advice) tells CBS News that Gupta feels drawn to public service and confirms the approach was made a while back.

The CBS News bio of Gupta notes that the doctor performs surgery weekly at Grady Memorial Hospital and is a member of the staff and faculty of the department of neurosurgery at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. Check out some of Gupta's work for CBS News below:

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