[3] Poland received his BA in biology from Illinois Wesleyan University in 1977 where he was a member of Sigma Pi fraternity.
[4][5] He received his MD from the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in 1981.
[4] This board answers to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs.
[11] Dr. Poland has also been president of the Armed Forces Epidemiological Board and worked for over ten years as a consultant to the department.
[4] Poland received the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service in 2004 and was named a Master of the American College of Physicians in 2008.