When he came to WMed last year to join the departments of Medical Education and Medicine at WMed, the move was one that marked a return home for John Buckley, MD, MPH.
A Kalamazoo native, Dr. Buckley graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School in 1981 and went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Kalamazoo College in 1985.
“In some ways, it’s like things coming full circle for me,” said Dr. Buckley who, in addition to his role as a professor of Medicine and Medical Education, assists with the Internal Medicine core clerkship for third-year medical students and is the course director for Transitions to Residency for fourth-year medical students. “It feels like home.”
His return to Kalamazoo has been some four decades in the making for Dr. Buckley. After graduating from K-College, he earned his MD degree from Wayne State University and set out on a career path that led to him becoming a highly respected pulmonologist and critical care physician and, most recently, his appointment this year as president of the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST).
After medical school, Dr. Buckley completed his Internal Medicine residency training at Indiana University and followed that up with a four-year Pulmonary and Critical Care fellowship at IU. During fellowship, Dr. Buckley also earned a master’s degree in public health from IU.
Dr. Buckley returned to Michigan in 1997 where he took on the role of senior staff physician in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. In addition to his duties as a physician, he also served as associate program director and, later, as program director for the Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine fellowship.
In 2008, Dr. Buckley returned to IU where he served in several capacities as vice chair for Quality and Patient Safety, program director for the Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine fellowship program, statewide Internal Medicine sub-internship clerkship director, service line leader for Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, and Vice-Chair for Education in the Department of Medicine. In 2020, Dr. Buckley came back to Henry Ford Hospital to become the Division Head for Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, a role he held until he made the move to WMed in September.
“What I have recognized and learned is how tight of a community this is,” Dr. Buckley said of WMed. “The medical students all know each other, they’re all supportive of each other so it allows for a level of familiarity and comfort that you don’t always find at a larger school. I love the family feeling of a school this size.”
Dr. Buckley said he is excited about his work at WMed with third- and fourth-year students, as well as residents, and the opportunity to be an advocate and support for learners.
“It’s been my career focus and I think it’s a duty to help prepare the next generation of physicians, and it’s something I’ve always enjoyed doing,” Dr. Buckley said.
In his role as president of CHEST, Dr. Buckley is helping lead what is the largest professional society in the world for pulmonary / critical care physicians. The organization, which has been in existence for 80 years, boasts over 20,000 members, as well as its own accredited simulation center at its headquarters in Chicago.
Dr. Buckley has been a part of CHEST for almost 25 years and says he has drawn immense value from the educational materials, training, and specialized courses CHEST offers to members. CHEST also hosts an annual conference that draws thousands of attendees and this year’s conference, scheduled for October 6-9 in Boston, is expected to draw 7,000 to 8,000 health care professionals and learners, including 2,500 medical students who have submitted case reports and research abstracts for the event.
“The exciting part for me is watching the interest of early learners getting excited about coming to a national medical conference,” Dr. Buckley said. “Our WMed students and residents who may have an interest in pulmonary critical care or learning how professional societies work should not hesitate to reach out to me. I love to help our learners, answer questions and offer advice on how things work , along with tips for success.
“I’m really glad to be here at WMed,” Dr. Buckley added. “I’m having a lot of fun working with our different learners and the decision to come home to Kalamazoo has worked out wonderfully.”
For learners who have questions or an interest in learning more about pulmonary critical care can reach Dr. Buckley via email at jack.buckley@wmed.edu.