Bethesda, MD (May 24, 2022) – John M. Carethers, MD, AGAF, will begin his term as the 117th president of the AGA Institute on June 1, 2022.
He currently serves as John G. Searle professor of internal medicine and chair of the department of internal medicine at the University of Michigan Health System, a position he has held since 2009.
Dr. Carethers’ research programs focus on familial colon cancer and polyposis syndromes. His research encompasses Lynch syndrome, juvenile polyposis, hyperplastic polyposis and colorectal cancer. He has published more than 182 articles.
“John’s lifetime achievement is not just reflected by his compendium of publications. Rather his lifetime achievement is seen in every student, resident, fellow and junior faculty he has mentored, advocated for and cultivated into careers of scholarship, clinical care and academic medicine,” says Sherry Huang, MD, vice chancellor graduate medical education, Rutgers/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
A native of Detroit, Dr. Carethers earned his undergraduate degree in molecular biology and biophysics at Wayne State University. He remained there for medical school, where he graduated at the top of his class. His ability to stay focused on his work earned him the moniker ‘The Rock’. It’s a strength that’s made him an outstanding role model and exemplary leader.
“He is a humble, brilliant and hard-working physician-scientist who cares deeply about training the next generation,” says Marcia Cruz-Correa, MD, PhD, professor of medicine, biochemistry and surgery, University of Puerto Rico. “He empowers women and diverse populations and does it with kindness and respect.”
An active member of AGA for more than 20 years, Dr. Carethers received the AGA Gastrointestinal Oncology Section Research Mentor Award as well as the AGA Distinguished Mentor Award in 2017. He has served on several AGA committees, including the AGA Nominating Committee, AGA Underrepresented Minorities Committee, AGA Research Policy Committee, AGA Institute Council and the AGA Trainee & Young GI Committee. He has also served as senior associate editor of Gastroenterology.
His academic career began at the University of California, San Diego, preceded by a gastroenterology fellowship at University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and residency at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. From the beginning, he has inspired others with his strong work ethic and intense dedication.
“John possesses the rare qualities of equilibrium and balance – his positivity, compassion and geniality are always evident in his interactions with his colleagues and peers,” says Chung Owyang, MD, the GI division chief at University of Michigan since the time Dr. Carethers was a fellow. “These invaluable attributes were in the forefront of John’s leadership throughout this challenging period of the COVID-19 pandemic and are what really made the difference for many of us here at University of Michigan.”
Dr. Carethers joined the AGA Governing Board in June 2020 as vice president and served as president-elect prior to assuming the top leadership role.
