Gastroenterology is the field of medicine that focuses on the study of the digestive system and disorders affecting organs from the mouth to anus. Gastroenterologists are doctors who are specialized in examining, diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases and disorders related to digestive system organs.
A 5-year medical degree [MBBS], recognized by the General Medical Council, and a 2-year foundation course of general training in Gastroenterology are the basic requirements for an individual to be a Gastroenterologist. Additionally, the following are the specialties or extra qualifications required to be a Gastroenterologist:
Gastroenterologists and Proctologists are similar, but not the same. Gastroenterologists perform non-surgical procedures related to the complete digestive system. Proctologists specifically focus on the lower digestive system and perform corrective surgeries to repair the colon, rectum or anus. They perform surgeries that can involve the removal of parts of organs, or the removal of whole organs, like the gallbladder.
No, Gastroenterologists do not perform surgeries. They can perform diagnostic procedures such as endoscopy, colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopies, biopsies, etc.
Some of the areas of application of Gastroenterology:
Some of the non-surgical procedures performed are:
Gastroenterologists diagnose and treat a variety of diseases related to the digestive system organs. The following are some of the medical conditions they treat:
You can consult a Gastroenterologist either online or offline. However, depending on the availability of the doctor and the convenience of the patient, pre-booking may be required for consultation.
A patient who is diagnosed with the digestive disorder should visit Gastroenterologist once a month. However, a healthy person must visit Gastroenterologist once in 5-6 years to check the condition of the digestive system.