Joan Weichun Chen, MD

Dr. Joan Chen received her Bachelor’s degree from the Johns Hopkins University and her Medical degree from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. She completed her Internal Medicine residency and Gastroenterology fellowship at Northwestern University. After her general GI fellowship, she completed an additional Esophageal fellowship at Northwestern University. She earned a master’s degree in clinical investigation (MSCI) at the Northwestern School of Public Health. Dr. Chen joined the University of Michigan faculty in 2013, where she is the Director of Esophageal Motility since 2017. Her clinical and research interests include swallowing disorders, gastroesophageal reflux disease, eosinophilic esophagitis, and esophageal motility disorders. Dr. Chen works closely with her UM colleagues in the Thoracic Surgery, Ear Nose and Throat, Speech Pathology, Rheumatology, Dermatology Departments, as well as the Behavioral Psychologists and Dietitians in the GI Department. Dr. Chen’s method to patient care often relies on collaborative, multidisciplinary, and patient-centered approaches.

Outside of the Institution, Dr. Chen has been invited to speak at national and international conferences. She is an active member of several professional GI organizations including the American Gastroenterological Association, the American Foregut Society, the American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society, the Rome Foundation, and the American College of Gastroenterology. She is a regular contributor to peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, and she has participated in the development of several recent guidelines for management of esophageal diseases.

Dr. Chen enjoys running, cycling, traveling, and reading outside of work. In addition to English, she is fluent in Mandarin, Chinese.

Swallowing disorders, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), achalasia, eosinophilic esophagitis, esophageal motor disorders, dyspepsia, esophageal strictures, upper endoscopy, endoscopic dilation

University of Michigan Health participates with most health insurance plans.

Phenotyping and managing patients with refractory GERD; treatments and outcomes for eosinophilic esophagitis; outcomes of motility disorders