Gastroenterology Essay Paper
These specialists primarily diagnose and treat GI diseases in both men and women.
They perform endoscopic procedures, in which they use specialized instruments to view the GI tract and make a diagnosis. They don’t perform surgery. In some cases, they may work closely with a GI surgeon. They primarily work in clinic or hospital settings.Gastroenterology Essay Paper
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The GI system:
digests and moves food
absorbs nutrients
removes waste from your body
Gastroenterologists can treat any part of this system.
Although the GI system includes the mouth, these specialists generally don’t provide care or services here. Instead, dentists and dental specialists focus on the health of the oral cavity.
Other parts of the GI system include the:
pharynx
esophagus
stomach
small intestine
large intestine
liver
gallbladder
pancreas
salivary glands
tongue
epiglottis
rectum
anus
Proctologists also treat diseases of the rectum and anus.Gastroenterology Essay Paper
What is gastroenterology?
Gastroenterology is a specialized area of medicine that focuses on the GI tract. Some gastroenterologists treat general diseases of the GI. Others focus on a particular type of gastroenterology.
Some possible areas of emphasis are:
hepatology, which focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the liver, gallbladder, biliary tree, and pancreas
pancreatic disease
transplantation
inflammatory bowel disease, or chronic inflammation of your digestive tract
gastrointestinal cancer
endoscopic surveillance
reflux esophagitis, which is commonly due to gastroesophageal reflux disease
Education and training requirements
To become a gastroenterologist, you must earn a four-year college degree. Afterward, you have to complete four years of medical school. After graduating from medical school, you need to complete a three-year training program, called a residency, in internal medicine. During this time, you work alongside experienced gastroenterologists and receive professional mentorship.
After you complete your residency, you must complete a two- or three-year fellowship to receive more specialized training in this field. This includes training in endoscopy, which is a nonsurgical procedure doctors use to examine the GI tract.Gastroenterology Essay Paper
Once you’ve completed your training, you must pass a specialty certification exam for gastroenterologists. The American Board of Internal Medicine certifies you upon successful completion of the exam.
What conditions do gastroenterologists treat?
These specialists treat a number of conditions affecting the GI system. This can include:
acid reflux
ulcers
IBS
hepatitis C
polyps, or growths, which typically occur in the large intestine
jaundice, or a yellowing of the skin
hemorrhoids
bloody stool
pancreatitis, or a rare disease causing inflammation of the pancreas
colon cancer
Check out: Irritable bowel syndrome vs. inflammatory bowel disease »
What procedures do gastroenterologists perform?
These specialists perform a range of nonsurgical procedures. This can include:Gastroenterology Essay Paper
endoscopic ultrasounds to examine the upper and lower GI tract, as well as other internal organs
colonoscopies to detect colon cancer or colon polyps
endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography to identify gallstones, tumors, or scar tissue in the bile duct area
sigmoidoscopies to evaluate blood loss or pain in the bowel
liver biopsies to assess inflammation and fibrosis
capsule endoscopies to examine the small intestine
double balloon enteroscopies to examine the small intestine
When should you see a gastroenterologist?
Your primary care doctor may refer you to this specialist if you:
have unexplained blood in your stool
have unexplained difficulty swallowing
are experiencing abdominal pain
If you’re over the age of 50, you may also want to meet with a gastroenterologist for preventive care. Men and women over the age of 50 have an increased risk for colon cancer.
If you’re in this age group, you should get screened regularly. If you have a relative with colon cancer, you should ask your doctor about when to start getting screenings.Gastroenterology Essay Paper
Registered nurses administer medical care to sick or injured individuals to help achieve health and prevent disease (Exploring Health Care Careers 818). A registered nurse is a nurse who has graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in nursing and has graduated from a nursing program at a university or college and has passed a national licensing exam titled the NCLEX. They care for the sick and injured in hospitals and other healthcare facilities, physician offices, private homes, public health agencies, schools, and camps. General responsibilities can include dressing wounds, providing emergency care, administering medications and injections, maintaining records, and offering health counseling (Field 52). Registered nurses are…show more content…
Registered nurses must be licensed in the state in which they work. Nurses may be licensed in more than one state either by taking another NCLEX examination or by endorsement of a license issued by another state (Field 53). Experience needed for success in the nursing field is acquired in the clinical experience obtained in nursing school. Volunteering in a hospital is encouraged before pursuing a nursing career to ensure that nursing is the field in which you want to become a member. Career fairs are often held in high schools, vocational schools, colleges, and hospitals so interested students can explore the career options in nursing (Farr, and Shatkin 329). Approved education and clinical experience is required by employers because several abilities are required to be a successful registered nurse. An individual working in the nursing field must learn special medical skills, understand pharmaceutical language and information, and be able to communicate with patients and coworkers. Ill patients are often frightened by their sickness. The most important personality traits of a good registered nurse are compassion, sympathy, empathy, and caring.Gastroenterology Essay Paper
A Gastroenterologist must first complete a three-year Internal Medicine residency. He or she is then eligible for additional specialized training (fellowship) in Gastroenterology for two to three years. This means a total of 5-6 years of additional specialized education after medical school.
The fellowship is a hands-on intense and rigorous programme that gives the opportunity to the trainee to learn directly from nationally recognized experts and work to get a detailed understanding of gastrointestinal diseases.
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Starting from evaluation of patients to caring for them in the office as well as in the hospital is part of the training. Training involves learning endoscopy (upper endoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy), endoscopic biliary examination (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography or ERCP), endoscopic mucosal resection or EMR, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) etc.Gastroenterology Essay Paper
Along with endoscopy they are also trained in performing advanced endoscopic procedures such as polypectomy, esophageal and intestinal dilation and hemostasis. They are taught how to interpret imaging and pathology results in order to make appropriate recommendations to treat conditions.
The fellowship is overseen by national societies like the American Board of Internal Medicine, the American College of Gastroenterology, the American Gastroenterological Association, and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
After completion of the fellowship the gastroenterologists are qualified to take the Gastroenterology board certification test administered by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Once they have successfully completed this examination they are “Board Certified.”
Renewal of certification
Gastroenterologists renew their board certification through the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) via the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program.Gastroenterology Essay Paper
For this gastroenterologists need to schedule, take and pass the secure ABIM Gastroenterology Maintenance of Certification Examination as well as earn 100 points in Self-Evaluation of Medical Knowledge and Self-Evaluation of Practice Performance.
In the latter test they are needed to earn a minimum of 20 points of medical knowledge and 20 points of practice performance. The remaining 60 points may be from either medical knowledge, practice performance or both.
The ABIM Gastroenterology Maintenance of Certification Examination evaluates the knowledge and clinical judgment in relevant areas of practice. Exam questions are developed by a team of gastroenterologists in practice and in academic medicine. The computer-based examination is offered twice a year – in spring and fall. Gastroenterology Essay Paper