Gastroenterology

The Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program for Gastroenterologists is patterned on the American Board of Internal Medicine MOC program. There are, however, recent changes that the AGA implemented. Before we go there, let us first discuss the old MOC program. In the process of talking about the MOC program, we will touch the subject of continuing medical education (CME) and its role on MOC.

So basically, in order for a physician who holds certification in Gastroenterology maintains his or her certification, he or she must go through three steps: 1.) Schedule and Take a Secure Exam; 2.) Earn CME points; and 3.) Have a Good Standing License.

Secure Exam

The ABIM Gastroenterology MOC secured exam is designed to assess one’s knowledge and skills on the different areas of Gastroenterology. Your clinical judgment, ethical standards, and professionalism may also be judged based on this exam. ABIM believes that passing this test could be equated to competence in clinical practice; specifically in the practice of Gastroenterology.

The test questions are developed and constantly revised by a team of gastroenterologists both in the clinical area and academics. The test questions are revised and improved every year to make sure that both the questions and the answers are still in line with our current practice. The exam further tests your skills on the diagnosis of rare and common gastroenterology diseases. One focus of you gastroenterology CME activities should be to stay up to date with these clinical diseases, their management, and treatment. Thus the CME requirement in gastroenterology is aimed at both making you a more competent physician and preparing you for the secure exam in gastroenterology. Read the rest of this entry »

When an individual has a physical illness or ailment, the first place they usually go is their family practitioner. Many times a general internist can diagnose the problem and prescribe medication that will take care of it. Sometimes, however, an internist can not fix the problem and needs to refer the patient to a specialist. There are many different specialists and each deals with a different part of the body. A gastroenterologist is a type of specialist treats disorders of the digestive system.

The best way to find a specialist is to start with geographical proximity. When living in Boise, ID, the logical place to begin is to search Boise gastroenterologist in the phone book or on the internet. This way, an initial visit with a specialist can be scheduled and a treatment plan can be developed from there.

Before calling a gastroenterologist, it is important to know what type of disorders they treat. The digestive system encompasses the esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, and the rectum and anus. There are a number of things that can go wrong in these areas and there are also a number of treatments available. A common disorder is an ulcer. This is something that can commonly occur in the stomach and causes symptoms that can be mild like a burning sensation to the very serious bleeding ulcer. Another thing that people will often consult a specialist for is problems with the bowels or colon. Colon cancer can be a serious concern and individuals often will undergo a diagnostic colonoscopy to rule out problems. Read the rest of this entry »