Former Surgeon General To Speak At UF
The University of Findlay’s College of Pharmacy will welcome Dr. Jerome Adams, 20th Surgeon General of the United States, Distinguished Professor, Presidential Fellow, and Executive Director of Health Equity Initiatives at Purdue University, to campus on Thursday, April 7 at 6 p.m.
Adams will speak at the University’s second annual Health Equity – I Can Make a Difference event, which is open to the public, and will take place in Ritz Auditorium in Old Main.
Adams grew up in a predominantly poor, African American, Southern, rural community.
He “went on to lead the 6,000 person U.S. Public Health Service as ‘America’s Doctor’ during a worldwide pandemic,” according to Adams’ biography.
“As Surgeon General, he brought a passionate commitment to fighting issues that his own family and community experienced, including limited healthcare access, chronic disease, substance use disorder and ensuing stigma, tobacco addiction, maternal health, mental illness, and the opioid epidemic.”
Adams’ discussions combine his knowledge of being at the forefront of national and global health with his personal experiences.
These experiences include having a sibling who has a substance use disorder, dealing with life-threatening asthma, and navigating politics to support the health of the helpless throughout difficult times.
“I hope our society finds it unacceptable that health care quality depends on your economic class or race. At the University of Findlay, our faculty, staff, and students want to work to eliminate this inequity,” stated Sandra Earle, Pharm.D., associate professor of teaching in pharmaceutical sciences and associate dean for assessment and student success.
“By bringing in national leaders working on this problem, we hope to elevate the discussion in our community and stimulate actions that will work toward equal access and quality for all.”
This event is made possible through the generosity of the College of Pharmacy, Student Government Association, UF Convocations Committee, and Walgreens Pharmacy.
For more information or to register to watch the event via Zoom, visit the Health Equity – I Can Make a Difference webpage, or contact Sandra Earle at [email protected].