Dr. Jerome Michael Adams, born September 22, 1974, is an American anesthesiologist and public health leader best known for serving as the 20th Surgeon General of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Before his federal role, he was the Indiana State Health Commissioner from 2014 to 2017, where he managed a $350 million budget and over 1,000 employees, leading Indiana’s response to public health crises including Ebola, Zika, and the largest HIV outbreak in the U.S. related to injection drug use. His advocacy helped legalize syringe service programs in Indiana and secured funding to reduce infant mortality[1][2][3][4]. As Surgeon General, Dr. Adams was the operational head of the 6,000-person U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and guided the nation through major health challenges like three consecutive category 5 hurricanes and the COVID-19 pandemic. He prioritized addressing the opioid epidemic, mental illness, health disparities, and promoting naloxone availability, which contributed to a significant increase in its dispensing nationwide. He is noted for actively practicing medicine while in office, a rarity for recent Surgeons General[1][2][3][4][6]. After leaving the Surgeon General post in 2021, Dr. Adams joined Purdue University as a Presidential Fellow and the inaugural Executive Director of Health Equity Initiatives. He is also a professor of practice in Pharmacy Practice and Public Health and affiliated with the Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering. His academic background includes a medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine and a Master of Public Health from UC Berkeley, with earlier research experience internationally. He continues to focus on health equity and community engagement[2][3][5][6]. Dr. Adams is recognized for his leadership during multiple public health emergencies, his commitment to science communication, and his efforts to address systemic health disparities, particularly those affecting marginalized communities.