Jerome Adams, MD, MPH named new U.S. surgeon general

Jerome Adams, MD, MPH, former Indiana Health Commissioner, has become the 20th U.S. Surgeon General.

Adams was nominated by President Donald Trump in June and received a speedy confirmation from the U.S. Senate. He is the first anesthesiologist to hold the position.

In addition to serving in Indiana’s top health position, Adams also is assistant professor of clinical anesthesia at Indiana University School of Medicine and a staff anesthesiologist at Eskenazi Health, where he is Chair of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee.  He has served in the leadership of several professional organizations, including the American Medical Association, and on the Boards of the Indiana State Medical Association and Indiana Society of Anesthesiologists. He is immediate past Chair of the Professional Diversity Committee for the American Society of Anesthesiologists.

Adams is recognized as an expert in substance abuse and has made the opioid crisis one of his priorities for the Surgeon General’s office. "The addictive properties of prescription opioids is a scourge in America and it must be stopped," Adams wrote in his nomination committee statement. "I bring to this discussion a unique perspective and a proven track record of bringing together various groups to address the problem."

He has authored several papers and book chapters, including chapters in Anesthesia Student Survival Guide, A Case Based Approach, and an editorial in the American Journal of Public Health titled, “Are Pain Management Questions in Patient Satisfaction Surveys Driving the Opioid Epidemic?”