Michael Kochman: Wilmott Family Professor of Medicine	Print Issue
October 14, 2008, Volume 55, No. 8

Left to right: Michael Kochman, with Nancy Barna and Timothy Wilmott

Dr. Michael L. Kochman, one of the nation’s leading gastroenterologists, has been named the first Wilmott Family Endowed Professor of Medicine. Timothy Wilmott and his wife, Dr. Nancy Barna, established the Wilmott Family Professorship “to honor Dr. Kochman, and support the work of an outstanding gastroenterologist at the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania.”

“Some of the most significant rewards that I have received in academics include the ability to influence the current and next generation of gastroenterologists,” said Dr. Kochman. “The Wilmott Professorship will allow the chair holder to explore individual areas of interest and to devote additional time to the mentorship and training of the next generation who will surpass us—as my children will surpass me.”

Dr. Kochman holds appointments in both the department of medicine and the department of surgery. He is also the co-director of Gastrointestinal (GI) Oncology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and directs Penn’s endoscopic ultrasound screening program for high-risk patients. He is the endoscopy training director and instructs fellows in advanced endoscopic procedures.

Early in his career Dr. Kochman helped develop a technique that is now the universally accepted modality for diagnosing and staging both GI and non-GI malignancies. He is currently developing novel procedures in animal models that he expects will lead to better, minimally invasive treatments for patients with gastrointestinal malignancies.

Mr. Wilmott and Dr. Barna established the Wilmott Family Professorship to recognize Dr. Kochman’s exceptional contributions as a physician, and to support the clinical and research pursuits of a gastroenterologist at Penn in perpetuity. A 1987 graduate of the Wharton School, Mr. Wilmott is president and chief operating officer of Penn National Gaming, Inc., an operator of horse racing and casino gaming facilities in the United States and Canada.

“In a tough economic climate like we’re experiencing, I cannot imagine a better return on investment than Dr. Kochman and Penn,” said Mr. Wilmott.

Dr. Kochman completed medical school, internship residency, and chief residency at the University of Illinois Medical Center, and completed fellowships at Indiana University School of Medicine and the University of Michigan Hospital. He joined the Penn Medicine faculty in 1993, where he divides his time between teaching, research, and a busy clinical practice.