[3][4] He attended Central Washington University with the intention of becoming a teacher, but changed his major to psychology in preparation for medical school.

After serving two years as Chief Medical Officer during the Vietnam War, Boyd entered the General Surgery Program at the University of Maryland.

[3] Boyd developed a "trauma unit" concept at Cook County Hospital, which used a combination of monitoring, resuscitation, and immediate surgery, helping to establish the modern emergency medical system.

In 1972, Boyd was appointed by President Gerald Ford to be the Director of EMS Systems for the federal government, responsible for expanding the program to every state and four US territories.

[9] In 1973, the Emergency Medical Services Act was passed in Congress, and Boyd was appointed by Ford to be the Director of the Division of EMS Systems.

[1] Boyd visited states and identified areas where it made social and geographic sense to develop trauma centers in a variety of sizes and uses.

[9] His main obstacle was transposing the American system into differently structured countries in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East in an effective and comprehensive way.

[1] Later in his career, Boyd returned to clinical medicine and worked in trauma and general surgery at the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana and in other Native American communities.

[9] Additionally, Boyd campaigned to decrease alcohol deaths in tribes, where he organized personnel to assist with alcohol-related accidents on tribal land.

[1] With respect to his service to Native Americans, it was said that his most cherished recognition was to be honored by the Blackfeet Nation with the name Pita Ana ("Eagle Man").