A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, E. James Potchen received his bachelor's degree from Michigan State University, his medical degree from Wayne State University, his master's degree in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and his law degree from the University of Michigan. Prior to coming to Michigan State in 1975, Potchen held appointments at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, the James Picker Foundation, the Harvard Medical School, the Washington University School of Medicine, MIT, and The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. In 1975 he accepted the position of Professor and Chairman of the new Department of Radiology at Michigan State University. He also went on to hold appointments as Professor of Management, Professor in Lyman Briggs College, and Professor of Physiology at MSU where he retired from in 2011. In 1990 he was awarded the title of University Distinguished Professor. He is a Fellow in the American College of Radiology, American College of Physicians, American College of Chest Physicians and the American College of Legal Medicine. His major emphasis during his career was in studying the quality of human decision making in Medicine, Business and Law. His emphasis was on assessing decisions humans make and seeking to improve on the applications of technology to healthcare through improving the quality of decisions in the selections of alternative technologies and in their implementation.