Journal of Digestive Cancer Research

Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Cancer Research (대한소화기암연구학회)
권호 표지

The United States System for Training of Gastroenterologists in Oncology

  • John M. Carethers (Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan)
  • Received : 2014.04.02
  • Accepted : 2014.05.31
  • Published : 2014.06.30
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Abstract

Competency for practicing gastroenterology in the United States requires accredited training in Internal Medicine, followed by accredited training in gastroenterology and hepatology. The structured training encompasses a 3-year period after graduation with a medical degree for internal medicine, followed by a 3-year period for gastroenterology and hepatology. Within the gastroenterology training period, competency in oncology knowledge and procedural approaches to luminal and solid gastrointestinal organ cancers is required, whereas knowledge competency but not procedural competency is required in areas of advanced endoscopic procedures for cancer care. Only general knowledge, but not competency, is required for areas such as chemotherapy, which can be obtained with further optional training in a structured 2-year oncology fellowship program. Although there is no standardization to date for including full oncology training within a gastroenterology training program in the United States, there is great interest from gastroenterology professional societies to include a pathway for trainees within the gastroenterology training program.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the United States Public Health Service (DK067287 and CA162147). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. This manuscript was presented at least in part at the 2013 International Symposium of the Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Cancer.

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