The 20 Best Achalasia Doctors Near Me in Ann Arbor, MI
Find the Top Achalasia Experts and Specialists
Taubman Center
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. Dr. Chen is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Achalasia. She is also highly rated in 19 other conditions, according to our data. Her clinical expertise encompasses Achalasia, Esophagitis, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Endoscopy, and Colonoscopy. Dr. Chen is board certified in Gastroenterology.
Taubman Center
Andrew C. Chang, M.D., is the Cameron Haight Collegiate Professor of Thoracic Surgery at the University of Michigan. After completing his undergraduate education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and medical education at The Johns Hopkins University he pursued general surgical residency at Vanderbilt University. During this time he also obtained an individual National Research Service Award from the National Institutes of Health to study cardiothoracic transplantation with Richard N. Pierson, III, M.D. He then continued as a thoracic surgical resident and subsequently thoracic surgical fellow at the University of Michigan, completing these in 2003, before joining the faculty. Dr. Chang is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Achalasia. He is also highly rated in 22 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Achalasia, Hiatal Hernia, Hernia, Endoscopy, and Lung Transplant. Dr. Chang is board certified in Surgery and Thoracic & Cardiac Surgery.
Taubman Center
Mary Takami is an Internal Medicine specialist and a Gastroenterologist practicing medicine in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Takami is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Achalasia. She is also highly rated in 29 other conditions, according to our data. Her clinical expertise encompasses Achalasia, Swallowing Difficulty, Painful Swallowing, Colonoscopy, and Gastrectomy.
Taubman Center
Joel Rubenstein, M.D., M.Sc. is Director of the Barrett's Esophagus Program and Professor in the Division of Gastroenterology at the University of Michigan. He is also a Research Scientist at the Veterans Affairs Center of Excellence for Clinical Management Research.Dr. Rubenstein earned a Bachelors of Science from the University of Michigan, majoring in biophysics. He then earned his medical degree from Washington University in St. Louis. After completing his residency training in internal medicine at the University of Chicago, Dr. Rubenstein returned to the University of Michigan, where he completed fellowship training in gastroenterology, earned a Masters of Science in Clinical Research Design and Statistical Analysis, and then joined the faculty of the Division of Gastroenterology in 2004.Dr. Rubenstein is a recognized expert in the diagnosis and management of Barrett's esophagus, a precancerous lesion associated with esophageal cancer. His research aims to develop efficient management strategies for identifying Barrett's esophagus and preventing death from esophageal cancer. Dr. Rubenstein's research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, and other sources. In addition to Barrett's esophagus, Dr. Rubenstein has clinical expertise in other esophageal disoders, including achalasia and eosinophilic esophagitis.Dr. Rubenstein is the former Chair of the Clinical Practice Section of the American Gastroenterology Association, and current Associated Editor of the American Journal of Gastroenterology. Dr. Rubenstein is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Achalasia. He is also highly rated in 14 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Barrett Esophagus, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Esophageal Cancer, Endoscopy, and Colonoscopy. Dr. Rubenstein is board certified in Gastroenterology.
Taubman Center
Dr. Kwon joined the Division of Gastroenterology in 2005 and is currently a Clinical Professor. He received his bachelor's degree from Amherst College and his medical degree from UCLA Medical School. He completed his internal medicine residency at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and his gastroenterology fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH). He also completed his advanced endoscopy fellowship at the combined BWH and Massachusetts General Hospital program. He earned his Master of Science in Clinical Research Design and Statistical Analysis at the University of Michigan. Dr. Kwon is currently the Director of Advanced Endoscopy, Program Director for the Advanced Endoscopy fellowship, and Co-director of the Comprehensive Pancreas Program. He also serves as the Medical Director of the Michigan Chapter of the National Pancreas Foundation. He is a principal investigator in several independently funded research studies and has been an author on over 100 publications, including multiple research studies, national guidelines, and book chapters. He is a sought-after speaker, having served as invited faculty at multiple regional, national and international courses. Dr. Kwon is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Achalasia. He is also highly rated in 34 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Hereditary Pancreatitis, Bile Duct Obstruction, Pancreatic Cancer, Endoscopy, and Lithotripsy. Dr. Kwon is board certified in Gastroenterology.
Taubman Center
Rishindra M. Reddy, M.D., is the José José Alvarez Research Professor in Thoracic Surgery. He was born and raised in Michigan. He earned his undergraduate and medical degrees at Northwestern University, and completed his general surgery residency at Washington University-Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. His spent two years during his residency, as a Clinical Research Fellow at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland. He completed his Thoracic Surgery residency at the University of Washington and was a visiting fellow at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. His academic interests include improving outcomes for patients with thoracic cancers, molecular targeting for thoracic cancers, resident and medical student education.Clinical Specialization: Dr. Reddy's clinical interests include all aspects of general thoracic surgery including thoracic oncology, minimally invasive techniques and robotics surgery, esophageal diseases, pectus repairs and therapy for end stage lung disease including transplantation and lung volume surgery. Dr. Reddy is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Achalasia. He is also highly rated in 25 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Lung Cancer, Hiatal Hernia, Esophageal Cancer, Endoscopy, and Lung Transplant. Dr. Reddy is board certified in Surgery and Thoracic & Cardiac Surgery.
Taubman Center
Dr. Lagisetty serves as an Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Section of Thoracic Surgery at the University of Michigan Health System.He is a graduate from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a degree in Philosophy in 2003 and medical degree in 2007. His General Surgical residency was completed at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School. Dr. Lagisetty spent two years as a Clinical Research Fellow at the National Institutes of Health studying tumor immunology and genetic engineering/therapy. After residency he completed a two year Thoracic Surgery Fellowship at the University of Michigan.Clinical Specialization: Dr. Lagisetty specializes in all areas of general thoracic surgery, benign and malignant esophageal disorders, benign and malignant lung resections, minimally invasive including robotic techniques, lung transplantation. Dr. Lagisetty is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Achalasia. He is also highly rated in 13 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Hiatal Hernia, Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia, Hernia, Endoscopy, and Lung Transplant. Dr. Lagisetty is board certified in Surgery and Thoracic & Cardiac Surgery.
Taubman Center
Eric D. Shah MD MBA FACG is an Associate Professor in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Dr. Shah is director of the Michigan Medicine GI Physiology Laboratories. Dr. Shah is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Achalasia. He is also highly rated in 23 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Chronic Idiopathic Constipation (CIC), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Bowel Incontinence, Endoscopy, and Colonoscopy. Dr. Shah is board certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology.
Taubman Center
David Odell is a General Surgeon and a Thoracic Surgeon practicing medicine in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Odell is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Achalasia. He is also highly rated in 17 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Lung Cancer, Lung Nodules, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), Endoscopy, and Gastrostomy.
Taubman Center
Chigozirim Ekeke is a Thoracic Surgeon practicing medicine in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Ekeke is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Achalasia. He is also highly rated in 1 other condition, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Pleural Effusion, Metastatic Pleural Tumor, Hiatal Hernia, Endoscopy, and Advanced Bronchoscopy.
Briarwood Health Associates
Andrea Todisco is an Internal Medicine specialist and a Gastroenterologist practicing medicine in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Todisco is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Achalasia. He is also highly rated in 16 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Painful Swallowing, Swallowing Difficulty, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Colonoscopy, and Gastrectomy.
C. S. Mott Children's Hospital
Dr. Church is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at Michigan Medicine.Dr. Church graduated cum laude with a B.S. in biological sciences from the University of Notre Dame. He went on to receive his medical degree from the University of Michigan Medical School with Alpha Omega Alpha Honors. He then completed his general surgery residency training at Michigan Medicine, followed by pediatric surgery fellowship training at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital at Michigan Medicine. After fellowship, he served as Assistant Professor of Surgery at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. He then returned to Michigan Medicine in 2023 to join the faculty of the Department of Surgery in the Section of Pediatric Surgery.Clinical Specialization:Dr. Church’s practice includes the breadth of pediatric surgery. His clinical interests include pediatric thoracic surgery, fetal surgery, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), in which he completed a research fellowship during his residency training. He has particular clinical and research interest in congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Dr. Church is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Achalasia. He is also highly rated in 13 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia, Diaphragmatic Hernia, Hernia, Appendectomy, and Gastrostomy. Dr. Church is board certified in Surgery and Pediatric Surgery.
Taubman Center
Shanti Eswaran is an Internal Medicine specialist and a Gastroenterologist practicing medicine in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Eswaran is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Achalasia. She is also highly rated in 36 other conditions, according to our data. Her clinical expertise encompasses Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Diarrhea, Chronic Idiopathic Constipation (CIC), Endoscopy, and Colonoscopy. Dr. Eswaran is board certified in Gastroenterology.
Taubman Center
John Del Valle is an Internal Medicine specialist and a Gastroenterologist practicing medicine in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Del Valle is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Achalasia. He is also highly rated in 13 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Hemorrhagic Proctocolitis, Colitis, and Colonoscopy. Dr. Del Valle is board certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology.
U Of M Thoracic Surgery
William R. Lynch, M.D., is the Associate Professor of Surgery for the Section of Thoracic Surgery in the clinical track in the Department of Surgery, Section of Thoracic Surgery. He will also provide services at the Ann Arbor Veterans Administration Hospital and have a dry appointment in the College of Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering.Principal responsibilities include clinical care, teaching, clinical research and program development, particularly implementation of ex vivo lung perfusion and other means of advanced donor organ management into our pulmonary transplantation program. Dr. Lynch will be mentored with Dr. Robert Bartlett. Primary research responsibilities are conducting independent scholarly investigations in the ECMO and critical care. Dr. Lynch has served as Chairman-Elect for the ELSO Steering Committee since 2010, and has had eight publications in peer-reviewed journals.Dr. Lynch received his Medical Degree (1994) from the University of Michigan, and completed his General Surgery residency (2000) at Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania. He completed his Thoracic Surgery residency at the University of Michigan in 2003. He was a Fellow in Extracorporeal Life Support (1998) and in Surgical Critical Care (1999) at the University of Michigan and more recently had a Fellowship in Lung Transplantation (2011) with the Toronto Lung Transplant Group, Toronto, Ontario. Clinical Specialization: Dr. Lynch specializes in all aspects of general thoracic surgery including pulmonary transplantation and thoracic oncology. Dr. Lynch is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Achalasia. He is also highly rated in 6 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Hiatal Hernia, Pleurisy, Pleuropulmonary Blastoma, Lung Transplant, and Endoscopy. Dr. Lynch is board certified in Surgery, Thoracic & Cardiac Surgery, and Surgical Critical Care.
Taubman Center
George Philips is a Gastroenterologist practicing medicine in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Philips is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Achalasia. He is also highly rated in 19 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Bile Duct Obstruction, Bile Duct Stricture, Cholestasis, Colonoscopy, and Endoscopy.
Taubman Center
Erik-Jan Wamsteker, MD is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Dr. Wamsteker earned his medical degree from UMDNJ Rutgers Medical school (New Jersey Medical School). He completed his internal medicine residency at the University of Michigan and Gastroenterology Fellowship where he focused his training in Advanced Endoscopy with a focus in ERCP and EUS. He is board certified in Gastroenterology.Dr. Wamsteker has authored numerous peer-reviewed articles, abstracts, and book chapters. He has served as a councilor of the AGA Institute Council Pancreatic Disorders Section as well as a counselor to the ACG practice parameters committee tasked with clinical guideline development and serves on the Board of the National Pancreas Foundations Michigan Chapter. He is an active faculty member in the training of GI fellows both for the general GI fellowship as well as Advanced Endoscopy Fellowship programs. He runs the monthly Advanced Endoscopy Conference as well as gives didactic lectures to Internal Medicine residents and GI fellows on various topics focused on endoscopic management of pancreatic and biliary disorders as well as endoscopic oncology.Personal Interests:Music history, listening to music especially on vinyl, print making, greyhounds. Dr. Wamsteker is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Achalasia. He is also highly rated in 43 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Neuroma Biliary Tract, Bile Duct Obstruction, Childhood Pancreatitis, Pancreatectomy, and Gastrectomy. Dr. Wamsteker is board certified in Gastroenterology.
Taubman Center
Andrew Read is an Internal Medicine specialist and a Gastroenterologist practicing medicine in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Read is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Achalasia. He is also highly rated in 17 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Angiodysplasia of the Colon, Tenesmus, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Colonoscopy, and Endoscopy.
Taubman Center
Hope Jackson is a General Surgeon practicing medicine in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Jackson is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Achalasia. She is also highly rated in 4 other conditions, according to our data. Her clinical expertise encompasses Hernia, Hiatal Hernia, Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia, Endoscopy, and Sleeve Gastrectomy.
Taubman Center
Dr. Michael Rice, received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan Honors program and his medical degree at Wayne State University. He completed his internal medicine residency and gastroenterology fellowship training at the University of Virginia. After honorably serving as an active duty gastroenterologist in the United States Air Force, he joined the University of Michigan faculty in 2008. Dr. Rice has clinical and research interests in small bowel endoscopic imaging techniques in the diagnosis and management of inflammatory bowel diseases, obscure GI bleeding and other small bowel disorders. Dr. Rice serves as the Medical Director for the Inpatient Gastroenterology Service as well as the Director of the University of Michigan Small Bowel Program. He believes that health care services can be improved by building more effective partnerships among health care providers, nursing, patients and families. Dr. Rice is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Achalasia. He is also highly rated in 19 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Angiodysplasia of the Colon, Endoscopy, and Colonoscopy. Dr. Rice is board certified in Gastroenterology.
Last Updated: 04/28/2026


















