William Churchwell, PA-C, MHS, helps hospitalized patients with hematologic malignancies navigate their cancer journey. Originally from Kansas City, he has lived in North Carolina for over 20 years. Bill believes laughter is the best medicine and bbq is the best food.
What is your role in the Department and what patients do you serve?
I work in the Division of Hematology and work on the inpatient APP Malignant Heme service. I am part of a team that takes care of any inpatient heme malignancy patients.
Where are you from?
Originally from Kansas City, KS. But have lived in the triangle for over 20 years, currently residing in Raleigh.
Did you always envision yourself as an APP?
Not always, this was a second career for me but gravitated towards healthcare later in life and the APP role became my calling.
What is the most rewarding part of your work?
I just love helping these patients through their cancer journeys. We often get to know these people very well and are involved in a lot of aspects of their care.
How has your role evolved over time since you’ve been here?
Yes, besides my day-to-day role I am also a part of many committees that are helping improve our cancer care at UNC.
What is one thing that you wish people knew about your job?
That cancer care overall takes a team effort. It is not just the providers that are taking care of these patients. There are many role players within our interdisciplinary team.
Personally or professionally, what are you most proud of?
Personally, I am most proud of my family and my ability to make people laugh. Professionally, I am most proud of the team of great folks I am surrounded by day to day. We have a great group working up on 4ONC, in our infusion center, and in our clinics. Everyone is passionate about providing the best cancer care and it makes me happy to know we all continue to fight for our patients together.
If you didn’t have a career in medicine, what would you be doing?
If I wasn’t in medicine, I probably would be a chef or professional bull fighter.
What hobbies do you enjoy outside of work?
Cooking, making bbq, spending time with my family. Watching sports (Go Chiefs!)
If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
If it was calorie free, I would eat bbq and steak for the rest of my life.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
There are a couple pieces of advice I have picked up over the years that I try and follow. “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” And as most of my colleagues know about me, I believe that “laughter is the best medicine.”
What do you hope to accomplish in the next year?
I hope to continue helping to improve our patient’s experience while getting intense cancer care here at UNC. Also, I would like to finally learn to ride a unicycle.
What’s the last song you listened to?
“We’re going to be friends.” – The White Stripes