[1][2][3] Chalmers began his higher education as an English major at Yale College.

[1][4] Chalmers' interest in medical research began while working for the United States Army in Japan, where he conducted clinical trials investigating the treatment of hepatitis among Korean War soldiers.

After returning to the United States, he spent 13 years as chief of medical services at Lemuel Shattuck Hospital in Boston.

[6] After leaving Mount Sinai, he became chairman of the board of directors of the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire.

"[7] His papers were donated to the National Library of Medicine by the Thomas C. Chalmers Centre for Systematic Reviews.