New faculty spotlight: John Higgins, M.D.

John "Jack" Higgins, M.D.

John “Jack” Higgins, M.D., is a new faculty member at UNMC.

  • Name: John “Jack” Higgins, M.D.
  • Hometown: Grand Island, Neb.
  • Title and department at UNMC: Assistant professor, UNMC Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine.

Research/ professional interests:

  • General cardiology with a focus on advanced imaging, including:
    • Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging;
    • Cardiac CT;
    • Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography; and
    • Nuclear cardiology.
  • Interaction between, and safety of, pacemakers and ICDs (implantable cardioverter defibrillators) in the MRI environment, particularly on image quality of cardiac MRI for patients with implantable cardiac devices.

How I fell in love with cardiology:
The wide range of pathology and clinical tools available to help diagnose cardiovascular disorders. There is also incredible variety between inpatient, outpatient, and imaging to keep me professionally stimulated. I love being involved in everything from critically ill patients, to continuity in clinic, to academic discussions on rare disease processes and pathophysiology.

Degrees:

  • M.D., UNMC
  • Residency, internal medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
  • Residency, cardiovascular medicine, UNMC

Memberships:

  • American College of Cardiology
  • American Heart Association
  • American College of Physicians

Three things people may not know about me:

  • I like to barbecue, which may be slightly hypocritical for a cardiologist.
  • I love listening to indie rock music.
  • I was on the geography bee circuit in middle school, and my ultimate goal is to be on Jeopardy! with Alex Trebek.