He holds the titles of professor of neurology, professor of history of medicine, director of the W. Bruce Fye Center for the History of Medicine, at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, and since 2022 is the Mayo Clinic Designated Institutional Official (DIO).

His work in the field of history of medicine includes research on Sir William Gowers, Sir William Osler, Bayard Taylor Horton, Mary Broadfoot Walker, Betty Clements and Harry Lee Parker.

[1] One of six children, his father was Gene Boes who ran a farming cooperative, and his mother is Mary Jane.

[2] In that field he has analysed the strengths and weakness of evidence for oral magnesium supplementation in the treatment of migraine.

[14][15][16] In 2014 Boes was appointed director of the W. Bruce Fye Center for the History of Medicine, at the Mayo Clinic.