To become certified in the subspecialty of gastroenterology, physicians must have:
Been previously certified in internal medicine by ABIM Satisfactorily completed the requisite graduate medical education fellowship training Demonstrated clinical competence in the care of patients Met the licensure and procedural requirements Passed the Certification Exam in Gastroenterology Gastroenterology fellowship training must be accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, or the Professional Corporation of Physicians of Quebec.
No credit will be granted toward certification in a subspecialty for training completed outside of an accredited U.S. or Canadian program.
Fellowship training taken before completing the requirements for the MD or DO degree, training as a chief medical resident, practice experience, and attendance at postgraduate courses may not be credited toward the requirements for subspecialty certification.
To be admitted to an examination, candidates must have completed the required training in the subspecialty, including vacation time, by October 31st of the year of examination.
Candidates for certification in the subspecialties must meet the Board's requirements for duration of training as well as minimum duration of full-time clinical training. Clinical training requirements may be met by aggregating full-time clinical training that occurs throughout the entire fellowship training period; clinical training need not be completed in successive months. Time spent in continuity outpatient clinic, during non-clinical training, is in addition to the requirement for full-time clinical training. Educational rotations completed during training may not be double counted to satisfy both internal medicine and subspecialty training requirements. Likewise, training which qualifies a diplomate for admission to one subspecialty exam cannot be double-counted toward certification in another subspecialty, with the exception of formally approved pathways for dual certification.
Therefore, the answer is no. You must complete a residency in internal medicine. Hence, GI is a sub-speciality of internal medicine not surgery.
