Jerome Adams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jerome Adams
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Official portrait, 2019
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| 20th Surgeon General of the United States | |
| In office September 5, 2017 – January 20, 2021 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | Sylvia Trent-Adams Erica Schwartz |
| Preceded by | Vivek Murthy |
| Succeeded by | Vivek Murthy |
| Health Commissioner of Indiana | |
| In office October 22, 2014 – September 5, 2017 |
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| Governor | Mike Pence Eric Holcomb |
| Preceded by | William VanNess |
| Succeeded by | Kristina Box |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jerome Michael Adams
September 22, 1974 Mechanicsville, Maryland, U.S. |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse | Lacey Adams |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | University of Maryland (BA, BS) Indiana University (MD) University of California, Berkeley (MPH) |
| Uniformed service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ |
PHS Commissioned Corps |
| Years of service | 2017–2021 |
| Rank | Vice Admiral |
Jerome Michael Adams (born September 22, 1974) is an American doctor who specializes in anesthesiology. He also served as a vice admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. From September 5, 2017, to January 20, 2021, he was the 20th Surgeon General of the United States. Before this important role, he was the health commissioner for the state of Indiana from 2014 to 2017.
In 2017, President Donald Trump chose Adams to be the Surgeon General. The United States Senate approved his nomination on August 3, 2017. His time as Surgeon General included the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Jerome Adams: Early Life and Education
Adams grew up on his family's farm in Mechanicsville, Maryland. His parents are Richard and Edrena Adams. He went to Chopticon High School and graduated in 1992. He was among the top students in his class.
He then attended the University of Maryland Baltimore County. He received a special Meyerhoff Scholarship which covered his full tuition. This scholarship helps minority students who are interested in science. Adams earned two degrees: a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry and a Bachelor of Arts in biopsychology. He also studied in other countries like the Netherlands and Zimbabwe.
Adams later went to medical school at Indiana University School of Medicine. He was an Eli Lilly and Company Scholar there. In 2000, he also earned a Master of Public Health degree from the University of California, Berkeley. His studies focused on preventing long-term illnesses. He completed his medical training in internal medicine and anesthesiology at Indiana University. He is officially certified in anesthesiology.
Jerome Adams' Career in Public Health
Working as a Doctor and Teacher
After working as a doctor in private practice for two years, Adams became an assistant professor of anesthesiology at Indiana University. He has written many academic papers and chapters for medical books.
Indiana State Health Commissioner
In October 2014, Adams was chosen to be Indiana's state health commissioner. He was first appointed by Governor Mike Pence. Later, Governor Eric Holcomb re-appointed him in 2017. In this job, he was in charge of many important health services for the state. He oversaw public health protection, laboratory services, and health care quality. He also worked to prevent tobacco use.
Adams also held other important positions in Indiana. He was the Secretary of the Indiana State Department of Health's executive board. He was also the Chairman of the Indiana State Trauma Care Committee. He led the Healthy Hoosier Foundation and co-chaired a group focused on improving care for new mothers and babies. During a health challenge in 2015, Adams changed his mind about certain health programs. He decided to support them when he saw they were helping people.
Surgeon General of the United States
On June 29, 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Adams to be the Surgeon General of the United States. The Senate approved his appointment on August 3, 2017. After being confirmed, Adams stated that his main goals would be to address public health challenges and mental health issues. He was officially sworn in as Surgeon General on September 5, 2017.
In April 2018, Adams encouraged people at risk of medical emergencies, along with their families and friends, to carry a special medicine. This medicine could help save lives in certain situations. In May 2018, Adams even helped with a medical emergency on an airplane flight to Jackson, Mississippi.
In September 2018, Adams started a campaign with other health officials. Their goal was to encourage people to get their seasonal flu shots. The flu season in 2017-2018 had caused many deaths in the United States. The CDC reported that about 80,000 Americans died. This was the highest number of deaths in at least 40 years. Out of 180 children who died, 80 percent had not received the flu vaccine.
Leading During the COVID-19 Pandemic
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In February 2020, Adams was chosen to be part of the special team dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. At first, Adams compared the risk from COVID-19 to the flu. He also strongly advised people not to buy or use face masks. He said they were "NOT effective" for the general public. He also said wearing a mask could even increase the risk of getting the virus. Other U.S. Public Health officials, like Anthony Fauci, also gave similar advice. Dr. Fauci later explained that his recommendation was to prevent shortages for doctors.
Adams later changed his advice about masks. He said new information showed the virus could spread from people who did not have symptoms. News reports in April 2020 suggested that Adams was not as involved in the administration's public health discussions.
When asked about why some groups, like African-Americans and Latinos, faced higher risks from COVID, Adams gave advice about healthy living. He encouraged them to avoid certain unhealthy habits. Public health experts said his statements were misleading and needed more context.
Adams also shared his concern that large gatherings, like the George Floyd protests, could lead to more COVID-19 cases. He said, "Based on the way the disease spreads, there is every reason to expect that we will see new clusters and potentially new outbreaks moving forward."
Adams confirmed that the new presidential administration asked him to step down as Surgeon General. Former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy took his place. Adams officially resigned on January 20, 2021, at the request of President Joe Biden.
What Jerome Adams Does Now
After serving as Surgeon General, Adams joined Purdue University in October 2021. He became a special fellow and the first executive director of health equity initiatives. He also teaches in the Pharmacy Practice and Public Health departments. He is also a faculty member at the Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering. Adams has shared that it was challenging to find new positions in academia or business after being part of the previous presidential administration.
Jerome Adams' Personal Life
Adams is a Catholic. He is married to Lacey Adams, and they have three children.
Awards and Honors
Jerome Adams has received several awards and decorations for his service. These honors recognize his contributions to public health and his time in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.
- Public Health Service Distinguished Service Medal
- Public Health Service Meritorious Service Medal
- Public Health Service Outstanding Service Medal
- Public Health Service Outstanding Unit Citation
- Public Health Service Unit Commendation
- Public Health Service Global Health Campaign Medal
- Public Health Service COVID-19 Pandemic Campaign Medal
- Public Health Service Crisis Response Service Award
- Humanitarian Service Medal
- Public Health Service Regular Corps Ribbon
- Commissioned Corps Training Ribbon
