The Life of a Gastroenterologist
Medterms.com defines a gastroenterologist as "a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, including the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, pancreas, liver, gallbladder, and biliary system." Gastroenterologists are highly trained medical professionals who can treat a person suffering from digestive illnesses and can perform tests to diagnose an illness. The life of a gastroenterologist involves applying essential skills learned and performing activities typical for a gastroenterologist.
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When a Gastroenterologist Can Help
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A gastroenterologist can assist patients who suffer from digestive health conditions. This means that when gastrointestinal (GI) organs such as the stomach, intestine, liver, pancreas and gallbladder are not functioning properly, a gastroenterologist will be able to help in giving a diagnosis and prescribing the proper treatment.
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Roles of a Gastroenterologist
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Gastroenterologists guide nurse practitioners (NPs) or physician assistants (PAs). Sometimes, they work together by listening to patients' health problems, performing diagnostic tests, replying to patients' questions, and recommending the best treatment for a particular illness. Often, the role of a gastroenterologist is to help put patients at ease when they receive their diagnosis.
Training to be a Gastroenterologist
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To practice as a gastroenterologist, you must complete four years of medical school, three years of internal medicine residency, and a two to four-year internship in gastroenterology. The internship ensures that a gastroenterologist is qualified to diagnose and treat disorders of the digestive tract.
During the internship, doctors learn about disorders of the GI tract, including but not limited to screening for ulcer, gallbladder and bile duct disease, cellular and molecular physiology, endoscopy, ethics, medical economics, geriatric gastroenterology, liver disease and pathology, inflammatory diseases and infections of the intestines, motility and functional illnesses, nutrition and obesity, pediatric gastroenterology, radiology, research, surgery, and esophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas, small intestines, and colon cancers.
Illnesses Treated by Gastroenterologists
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With extensive training in diseases of the digestive tract, gastroenterologist may be able to diagnose and treat common conditions, including color and stomach cancer, viral hepatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, gallbladder, liver, heartburn, reflux, and peptic ulcer diseases, food intolerances, chronic vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, belching and flatulence, pancreatitis, appendicitis, nutritional deficiencies and obesity.
Tests Performed by a GI Doctor
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Colonoscopies and upper-GI endoscopies (EGD) are the most common tests performed by a gastroenterologist. A colonoscopy is performed to examine the large intestine for cancer and an endoscopy is performed to evaluate or diagnose problems, such as difficulty in swallowing, pain in the stomach, bleeding, ulcers, tumors, inflammation, and problems with the gallbladder, pancreas and bile ducts. They may also administer blood and iron tests and liver biopsies to check for liver disease such as hepatitis.
Salary
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According to Salary.com, the average base salary for a gastroentorologist in the United States is $315,038 a year. When bonuses and benefits are included, the total compensation that a gastroenterologist earns in a year can total to $413,098. This number, however, also varies depending on the credentials and the years of experience the doctor has.
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