“A lot of things come into play when dealing with the lungs.”
Dr. James Tasch originally worked in pediatric research before attending medical school. It was at that point that he really fell in love with medicine. “It’s been a journey,” he explains. “I can’t imagine doing anything else other than working in Pulmonology now.” Dr. Tasch enjoys the urgency of working in Critical Care Medicine at the hospital along with the slower pace and the depth of connections he makes with patients in the Pulmonary Clinic. “It’s very different, and that balance between the two is why I like this field so much.”
Dr. Tasch completed his fellowship in Pulmonology and Critical Care Medicine when the Covid-19 epidemic was at its peak. “It was an interesting but very difficult time,” he explains. “One of the biggest challenges was not only the incredible amount of patients who were sick, but the best practices on how to treat them were constantly changing. So all day long you were with patients and all night you were reading about the best way to treat them.”
At Reliant Dr. Tasch helps patients suffering from COPD, asthma, lung cancer, and other diseases and conditions that affect the lungs. He enjoys using the latest technology to diagnose his patients including Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS) bronchoscopy, a minimally invasive procedure that can be used to perform biopsies, detect infections and identify inflammatory diseases that affect the lungs and lymph nodes in the chest. “Making a diagnosis can be quite complicated at times,” he explains. “A lot of things come into play when dealing with the lungs. Fortunately, we have these new technologies that allow us to figure things out easier. It’s very exciting to get up every day and have to find a solution to a problem. I enjoy the constant learning.”
In his spare time Dr. Tasch likes to travel with his wife who is also a physician. He also enjoys video and board games as well as fishing and other outdoor pursuits. He is also a big supporter of the charity organization Extra Life, which brings together gamers from around the world to raise funds for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.