Dr. Farmer was born in Indiana, attended Indiana University, and received MD degree from the University of Maryland and Master of Science degree from the University of Minnesota. He trained in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology at Milwaukee County Hospital and Mayo Clinic. He is Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. He served in the Medical Corps of the US Navy.
Dr. Farmer was Chief of Gastroenterology at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation for 10 years and served as Chair of Medicine for 16 years. He was on the Faculty at Georgetown University for 12 years. He developed continuing medical education programs in Russia and Eastern Europe from 1992 to 2003 working as a consultant for the US State Department as well as private sector grants. He was Medical Director of the Eurasian Medical Education Program, a joint collaboration with the American College of Physicians from 1997 -2003. He has published more than 250 journal articles, with primary emphasis on inflammatory bowel disease.