Providers

Dr. John Pennings received his MD degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School, which was followed by a general surgery residency at Emanuel Medical Center in Portland, Oregon, an institution noted for excellence in trauma and critical care. He went on to complete a fellowship in advanced laparoscopic surgery and endoscopy at Oregon Health Sciences University. He was one of the first eight fellows in the nation to complete this highly specialized training.

During this training, Dr. Pennings helped to develop new surgical techniques for esophageal, gastric and colon surgery, and was responsible for educating other surgeons in these new, minimally invasive surgical techniques. Dr. Pennings has also pursued advanced training in bariatric (weight loss) surgical techniques, surgical and endoscopic management of reflux disease, Barrett’s esophagus and non-surgical management of hemorrhoids.

In his twenty year career as a community general surgeon, he founded Minimally Invasive Surgery Northwest, Surgical Bariatrics Northwest, Optifit, and currently is the founder and director of The Northwest Digestive Center.

Dr. Pennings has served in leadership roles as chairman of the department of surgery at Kootenai Medical Center and as chairman of the board of directors at Northwest Specialty Hospital. As part of his involvement at Northwest Specialty Hospital, he oversaw the development of a comprehensive bariatric surgery program and was awarded Center of Excellence in Bariatric Surgery status by the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. He is board certified by the American College of Surgeons, a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a fellow of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons, and an active member of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons. He is committed to surgical excellence and compassionate patient care.

Dr. Pennings is trained in the entire spectrum of benign and malignant digestive diseases. He has completed accredited fellowship training programs. Fellowship training is beyond what is required in standard residency training and is the highest level of surgical training attainable. Dr. Pennings has completed this rigorous training in order to become the highest level expert in the medical and surgical aspects of gastrointestinal diseases.

Dr. Michael W. James is a highly experienced and board-certified gastroenterologist with a distinguished career spanning over three decades in both civilian and military healthcare settings. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Carroll College in Helena, MT, in 1986, and went on to receive his Medical Doctorate from Vanderbilt University Medical School in Nashville, TN, in 1990.

Dr. James completed his residency at Kessler Medical Center, Keesler AFB in Biloxi, MS, in 1993, followed by a prestigious fellowship at Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB in San Antonio, TX, from 1995 to 1997.

Throughout his career, Dr. James has held numerous significant positions, including serving as a Staff Gastroenterologist at St. James Hospital in Butte, MT, from 2021 to 2024, and at Kootenai Clinic in Coeur d'Alene, ID, from 2013 to 2021. He also worked at North Idaho GI from 1999 to 2013, where he took on the role of Medical Director at the Endoscopy Center from 2008 to 2010.

Dr. James' military service includes a decade-long tenure in the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1990 to 1999, where he served as Staff Internal Medicine at Keesler Medical Center, Biloxi, MS, and later as Chief of Gastroenterology at David Grant Medical Center, Travis AFB, Fairfield, CA.

He holds a medical license in Idaho and is board certified in Gastroenterology. Dr. James is currently enrolled in the Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment (LKA) program to maintain his certification and stay abreast of the latest developments in his field.