1. Jerome Michael Adams was born on September 22,1974 and is an American anesthesiologist and a former vice admiral in the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps who served as the 20th surgeon general of the United States from September 5,2017, until January 20,2021.
On June 29,2017, President Donald Trump nominated Adams to become Surgeon General of the United States.
Jerome Adams was confirmed by the United States Senate on August 3,2017.
Jerome Adams is the son of Richard and Edrena Jerome Adams of Mechanicsville, Maryland, and grew up on the family farm.
Jerome Adams then attended the University of Maryland Baltimore County through a full-tuition Meyerhoff Scholarship, a grant dedicated to minority students interested in the sciences.
Jerome Adams received his Bachelor of Science in biochemistry and his Bachelor of Arts in biopsychology.
Jerome Adams attended medical school at Indiana University School of Medicine as an Eli Lilly and Company Scholar.
Jerome Adams received a Master of Public Health degree from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2000, with a focus on chronic disease prevention.
Jerome Adams completed his internship in internal medicine at St Vincent Indianapolis Hospital and his residency in anesthesiology at Indiana University.
In October 2014, Jerome Adams was appointed Indiana state health commissioner.
Jerome Adams was originally appointed by Governor Mike Pence and re-appointed by newly elected governor Eric Holcomb in 2017.
Jerome Adams served as Secretary of Indiana State Department of Health's executive board, as Chairman of the Indiana State Trauma Care Committee, as President of the Healthy Hoosier Foundation, and as co-chairman of the Indiana Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative Governing Council.
Jerome Adams was confirmed to the position by the Senate on August 3,2017.
Jerome Adams was sworn in as surgeon general on September 5,2017, and received his commission shortly after.
In May 2018, Jerome Adams responded to an in-flight medical emergency on a flight to Jackson, Mississippi.
In September 2018, Jerome Adams began a campaign along with other public health officials to promote seasonal flu vaccinations.
In February 2020, Jerome Adams was appointed to the task force for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jerome Adams initially downplayed the risk from COVID-19 by comparing it to the flu, which was criticized by experts.
Jerome Adams later retracted this recommendation because he said there was new information about the asymptomatic spread of the virus.
Politico reported in April 2020 that Jerome Adams had been largely sidelined by the administration.
Jerome Adams expressed concern that the George Floyd protests could lead to a spike in COVID-19 cases.
Jerome Adams confirmed that he was asked to step down as Surgeon General by the incoming Biden administration.
Jerome Adams officially resigned on January 20,2021, at the request of President Joe Biden.
Jerome Adams is Catholic, and he and his wife Lacey have three children.