Highlighted Researcher: Field Willingham

What is your professional background? 
I have really been all over.  I trained in Maryland, Texas, and Boston.  I counted it up one time, and I was surprised to find that I was in school or training for 29 years all together.  My pathway was medical school, medicine residency, chief residency, gastroenterology fellowship, and then therapeutic endoscopy fellowship.

In what division do you work, and who is your mentor? 
I work in the Division of Digestive Diseases and consider many folks at Emory as mentors.  Jennifer Christie is our clinical chief, and I have been very grateful for her leadership and for providing such a steady and collegial hand on the main campus.  Also, I have been so grateful for Shanthi Srinivasan, who is our Interim Division Chief – leading the Division across sites as we are expanding all over the Atlanta area.

Briefly describe your research. Why is it important? 
My research is mostly focused on the esophagus and the pancreas.  We are now able to treat and cure early esophageal cancer endoscopically – this is life changing for many patients, and it has been particularly rewarding to see the national guidelines change and incorporate these minimally invasive approaches as first line therapy.  In the pancreas, we are also now able to treat many forms of pancreatitis and its complications endoscopically.  Patients may be able to come off TPN right after their procedure and go home the next day.  It has been exciting and rewarding to be the test site for the new generation of devices that are changing the way we manage pancreatitis, pancreatic fluid collections, and walled off necrosis.

What do you like most about Emory? 
I have loved being at Emory.  My first home in Atlanta when I was 3 was on the Emory campus in graduate student housing for my father to attend the Law School.  Now, as faculty here, I think the best part of being at Emory is getting to work with remarkable colleagues in many areas: surgery, surgical oncology, oncology, radiology, and cytology (to name a few).

What is your favorite movie or TV show? 
Whatever my children are watching is my favorite at the moment!

What do you like to do in your spare time?
My free time is centered around our 3 boys and spending time with them, sometimes coaching, sometimes watching, always chauffeuring.

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About the Author

Emory Department of Medicine
The Department of Medicine, part of Emory University's School of Medicine, promotes excellence in education, patient care, and clinical and basic research.

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