The UNMC Department of Anesthesiology will host Jerome Adams, MD, former U.S. surgeon general, for a discussion on Aug. 11 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the UNMC Omaha campus in the College of Nursing, Room 1010.
Dr. Adams served as the nation’s surgeon general from 2017 to 2021, helping guide the country through complex public health crises that included the opioid epidemic and COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to his national role, he was the Indiana State Health Commissioner, where he led groundbreaking initiatives to reduce infant mortality and responded to Ebola, Zika and HIV outbreaks.
Cale Kassel, MD, associate professor at the UNMC Department of Anesthesiology, said inviting Dr. Adams is an opportunity to bring a broader perspective to campus.
“To have a former surgeon general come speak at UNMC is a great opportunity,” Dr. Kassel said. “He helped navigate the country through the challenges of COVID-19, and having him present at the health system that took some of the first COVID patients is exciting.”
Dr. Kassel said he hopes Dr. Adams’ talk will encourage attendees to look beyond their daily clinical focus.
“In medicine and health care, it’s easy to put your head down and focus on your specific area of expertise,” he said. “Dr. Adams brings expertise as a health care leader at both the state and national level. He understands the workforce challenges we’re facing, the mistrust of institutions, and I think he can speak to simple, practical ways to address them.”
Dr. Adams currently serves as a presidential fellow and executive director of the Center for Community Health Enhancement and Learning (HEAL) at Purdue University, continuing to advance public health and health equity conversations nationwide.
Dr. Kassel described Dr. Adams as an engaging speaker who makes public health challenges approachable. “His ability to take complex problems and find small yet meaningful ways to address them has always impressed me,” he said.
Amy Duhachek-Stapelman, MD, vice president of education at Nebraska Medicine and professor and cardiac anesthesiologist with the department of anesthesiology, said his visit will inspire current and future health care professionals with insights from a leader who has navigated public health challenges on state and national stages.
The presentation, which is open to the medical center community, will be hybrid. Watch for more information and a Zoom link.
Read more about Dr. Adams at his Purdue University bio page.