Gastroenterology Career Trends
Embarking on a career in gastroenterology as a new physician is akin to navigating the intricate pathways of the human digestive system itself—complex, challenging, yet profoundly rewarding. This field not only demands a deep reservoir of knowledge and a steady hand but also a compassionate heart ready to ease patient anxieties about sensitive health issues.
For the aspiring gastroenterologist, the early years are a time of immense growth, where each patient encounter sharpens your expertise and every challenge faced enriches your professional journey. Whether it's mastering the latest endoscopic techniques or staying abreast of breakthroughs in digestive health, the path you've chosen is one filled with endless opportunities for making a significant impact on your patients' lives.
As you stand on the threshold of this exciting career, remember, your dedication to healing is about to transform countless lives, including your own. As an additional resource, our whitepaper, Supply, Demand, and Recruiting Trends in Gastroenterology, shares some insights from the employer’s perspective on completing your required education and training as well as certain characteristics for success in your early career.
Gastroenterology Education and Training
It’s no secret that education and training requirements to become a gastroenterologist are rigorous and lengthy. After completing a four-year college degree and then four years of medical school, graduates must complete a three-year residency training program in internal medicine. During this time, they work alongside experienced gastroenterologists and receive professional mentorship.
After finishing residency, physicians must complete a three-year fellowship to receive more specialized training in the field. This includes training in endoscopy, which is a nonsurgical procedure doctors use to examine the GI tract. Some gastroenterology trainees will complete a fourth year in transplant hepatology, interventional endoscopy, inflammatory bowel diseases, or other areas of focus.
Interventional endoscopy is a sub-specialty of gastroenterology that focuses on advanced endoscopic techniques for the treatment of pancreatic, hepatobiliary, and gastrointestinal disease which may include endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, endoscopic ultrasound-guided diagnostic and interventional procedures, and advanced resection techniques including endoscopic mucosal resection and endoscopic submucosal dissection. Additionally, the performance of endoscopic bariatric procedures is also performed by some advanced endoscopists.
Hepatology, or hepatobiliary medicine, encompasses the study of the liver, pancreas, and biliary tree, and is traditionally considered a sub-specialty of gastroenterology, while proctology encompasses disorders of the anus, rectum, and colon and is considered a sub-specialty of general surgery.
Once training is completed, physicians must pass a specialty certification exam for gastroenterology. The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) certifies physicians in gastroenterology upon successful completion of the exam as does the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery (ABCRS).
Key Traits of Successful Gastroenterologists
Even with a wide-array of sharpened medical skills on your side, there are several intangible, or “soft skills,” that will help you navigate your early career toward sustained success—in both patient and colleague interactions:
- Communication: Gastroenterologists should be able to clearly describe complex diseases and treatments in language patients can understand. They must also communicate effectively with nurses and other medical staff.
- Empathy: Gastroenterologists should be able to understand what their patients experience and identify with their concerns.
- Problem-Solving Skills: Gastroenterologists must assess patients’ symptoms, choose the appropriate tests to run, interpret those test results and then determine the best treatment plans. They need to continually come up with solutions to challenging gastrointestinal problems.
- Leadership: Gastroenterologists may lead a team of medical staff and contribute to business decisions that affect their practice or affiliated hospital.
AMN Healthcare: Your Trusted Career Partner
AMN Healthcare has been empowering the workforce for nearly 40 years as an industry staffing leader. As your physician staffing partner, we are equipped to meet your unique needs and elevate your career with virtually limitless job possibilities at the nation’s most esteemed facilities. Partnering with us will deliver the flexibility and support you need to find the jobs that match your ambitions—giving you the freedom to choose where, when, and how you work as you navigate your healthcare career.
Whether you are a brand new gastroenterologist or looking for your next career opportunity, AMN Healthcare and our expert recruitment team is here to help with all of your needs. Click the link below to learn more about our exciting GI jobs and get started on your path to career growth.
