Gastroenterologists are specialists in diseases of the digestive system, also known as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. They diagnose and treat diseases of the intestines, stomach, esophagus, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and bile ducts. A person who wants to become a gastroenterologist must devote at least 13 years to their studies. The student can take math, biology, and chemistry courses as an undergraduate.
A student who wants to become a gastroenterologist will go to medical school for four years after earning an undergraduate or postgraduate degree. The student receives a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree after completing medical school. After receiving his or her medical degree, the doctor will begin a three-year residency in general internal medicine. The doctor can choose to specialize in gastroenterology after completing residency by enrolling in a gastroenterology fellowship.
This fellowship is a two- to three-year intensive study program in which the student learns about digestive tract diseases. Students learn how to care for patients in various medical settings, diagnose and treat patients with digestive tract medical conditions, perform colonoscopies and other endoscopic procedures, and give patients disease prevention advice. They’ll also learn how to perform advanced medical procedures like stretching the esophagus and intestines, removing polyps, and stopping GI bleeding.
Students are eligible to take the gastroenterology certification exam once they have completed their training. The American Board of Internal Medicine is in charge of this exam. Physicians who pass the exam in the field of gastroenterology are considered Board Certified. Additionally, the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery can certify them.
A physician who chooses to specialize in gastroenterology will deal with a wide range of diseases affecting the digestive tract. He or she will treat a variety of medical conditions, including liver disease, hiatal hernias, hemorrhoids, gallbladder disease, heartburn, cancer, abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, and a variety of other health issues. All of these issues have to do with how the body digests food.
Because gastroenterologists deal with patients on a daily basis, anyone interested in becoming one must have excellent interpersonal skills. Because people who visit a gastroenterologist are sick and concerned about their health, the doctor must have a soothing bedside manner and be able to put patients at ease. Because many of the diseases that a doctor diagnoses are treatable or curable, a doctor who pursues this field of medicine can have a rewarding career.