Why is GI so popular?

[NRAI2001]

It seems like everyother thread is about GI subspeciality. I was wondering (not trying to be sarcastic or anything) why is GI so popular?

WHat kinda of life style do GI physicians have? What kinda pay can they expect?

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[june015b]

It seems like everyother thread is about GI subspeciality. I was wondering (not trying to be sarcastic or anything) why is GI so popular?

WHat kinda of life style do GI physicians have? What kinda pay can they expect?

Cuz there are more new emerging tech involving GI (diagnostic, interventional GI), more sophisticated sub-sub specialities in hepatology, pancreatology, transplant medicine, and nutrition. GI is now going extraluminal GI tract (pancreas, tumor staging, radio implanting). There are new therapies emerging such as partial esophagectomy, bariatric surgery, anti-reflux surgery, etc.). The overall job prospect will con't to be great for the next decade or longer. Also, there are flexible life style with great compenssation/job satisfaction.

 

[NRAI2001]

Cuz there are more new emerging tech involving GI, hepatology/transplant, and nutrition (now going extraluminal GI tract (pancreas, tumor staging, radio implanting) and aggressive with local surgery such as partial esophagectomy, etc.). The overall job prospect will con't to be great for the next decade or longer. Also, there are flexible life style with great compenssation/job satisfaction.

Does the GI physician perform the local surgeries himself? Does he/she perform any other minimally invasive procedures?

 

[roygbasch]

Because, as one resident who went into GI put it, "There's gold in sh$t, boys"

 

[NRAI2001]

Because, as one resident who went into GI put it, "There's gold in sh$t, boys"

What is the average salary/income of a GI physician?

 

[what?]

the only reason is because they do a ton of procedures and makes **** loads of money because everything is just protocal now...such as gi exams, prostate, etc. for screening

 

[phllystyl]

Because, as one resident who went into GI put it, "There's gold in sh$t, boys"

Or as the Fatman called it, "The Bowel Run of the stars"

 

[novacek88]

In short, all the strengths of inteventional cardiology without any of it's weaknesses (hard lifestyle post-residency, difficult fellowship)

 

[doc05]

it's popular because you can make very good money and pretend you're a surgeon while enjoying a pretty sweet lifestyle.

 

[manning18]

Hello.
Here is my take on the popularity of GI; it's kinda sad, but I think it's true. Medical students' specialty choices are based, primarily, on a combination of: lifestyle, dollars and prestige. GI is popular, in my opinion, because it offers a nice lifestyle (reasonable hours, few true emergencies) and a high earning potential ($500,000 +). I recommend that you take a cynical attitude when someone says they are fascinated by the GI system. Remember, they deal with peoples' ****, vomit, farts, burps and other things for a living. The same person who "loves the GI system" when he or she is making $500,000 a year would rather survive off of his/her own **** and piss than have the same job for $100,000 a year.

 

[scootad.]

GI is so popular b/c everyone just loves staring at & sticking things into other people's asssholes

 

[novacek88]

Hello.
Here is my take on the popularity of GI; it's kinda sad, but I think it's true. Medical students' specialty choices are based, primarily, on a combination of: lifestyle, dollars and prestige. GI is popular, in my opinion, because it offers a nice lifestyle (reasonable hours, few true emergencies) and a high earning potential ($500,000 +). I recommend that you take a cynical attitude when someone says they are fascinated by the GI system. Remember, they deal with peoples' ****, vomit, farts, burps and other things for a living. The same person who "loves the GI system" when he or she is making $500,000 a year would rather survive off of his/her own **** and piss than have the same job for $100,000 a year.

The field that grossed me out more than GI, believe it or not, was derm. Man, you talk about nasty. I saw some of the nastiest fungus, rashes, acne....No thanks! It's not all about laser resurfacing some hottie's face.

 

[jpro]

GI is so popular b/c everyone just loves staring at & sticking things into other people's asssholes

You could not pay me enough to do GI.

 

[JudoKing01]

I don't know if I really should be posting on this board, since I haven't even been officially accepted to med school yet, but I am an OR nurse and have done quite a few colonoscopies and EGDs. I know that when I go through my rotations things might change, but as of now, I'm going to med school to be a GI doc.

Sticking things up peoples' arses isn't that nasty. The stuff you see from the scopes is so cool that it totally overshadows the weirdness of sticking a giant black tube with a light on the end up someone's arsehole. I guess that's just me though.

 

[tigress]

I'm curious...how many people actually go into GI because it fascinates them? My husband was hoping to go into GI long before he got to med school, and was quite pleased when he found out how lucrative it is (but not so pleased at how competitive it is!). He'd do it even if it wasn't a high paying speciality. Personally I don't get it, because it does gross me out, but hey to each his own.

On that note, just how competitive is it? I have to admit I don't know how fellowships work; do you apply in the beginning of your 3rd year of residency, or before that? And what does it take to get a GI fellowship? I know of two people who had to work for a year after their IM residencies before being accepted on a second try into GI...

 

[JudoKing01]

Well, like I said, I plan on doing it because I really find it interesting, but I haven't graduated from med school even, so I don't count really.

 

[dradams]

Good question, tigress. I'm interested in GI also. What does it mean when they say it is competitive? What does it take to get a GI fellowship?

 

[bariume]

Good question, tigress. I'm interested in GI also. What does it mean when they say it is competitive? What does it take to get a GI fellowship?

you may want to search the forums. If you look at the FAQ, there are links to several threads that discuss this.

 

[Discobolus]

I'm just a lowly rising M3 (done with second year, studying for the boards, wards in a month), but so far I'm genuinely interested in the GI tract. One of my classmates fathers is a gastroenterologist and he has been somewhat of a mentor for me in this area. From working with him I know the lifestyle and pay are very good and those factors are very appealing, but I actually find GI interesting, I think it is really the "guts" of medicine, pun intended.

Of course it may just go back to my embryonic layers and somatotypes theory. I'm a fat boy (endomorph) and I'm interested in specialties involving organs derived from the endoderm (GI and endocrine)

 

[SmallTownGuy]

I'm just a lowly rising M3 (done with second year, studying for the boards, wards in a month), but so far I'm genuinely interested in the GI tract. One of my classmates fathers is a gastroenterologist and he has been somewhat of a mentor for me in this area. From working with him I know the lifestyle and pay are very good and those factors are very appealing, but I actually find GI interesting, I think it is really the "guts" of medicine, pun intended.

Of course it may just go back to my embryonic layers and somatotypes theory. I'm a fat boy (endomorph) and I'm interested in specialties involving organs derived from the endoderm (GI and endocrine)

Can you elaborate on exactly what part of the intestines/esophagus/stomach interest you?

 

[Discobolus]

I think it boils down to the fact that I find the GI tract to be a very elegant processing and extraction machine. For essentially the same reasons I'm somewhat interested in nephrology as well. People think you are dealing with "poop", but in my (very limited) experience this is pretty much a non-issue if the patient had a good prep. I've also had my share of minor GI problems and that contributes to the interest as well.

Can you elaborate on exactly what part of the intestines/esophagus/stomach interest you?

 

[SmallTownGuy]

I think it boils down to the fact that I find the GI tract to be a very elegant processing and extraction machine. For essentially the same reasons I'm somewhat interested in nephrology as well. People think you are dealing with "poop", but in my (very limited) experience this is pretty much a non-issue if the patient had a good prep. I've also had my share of minor GI problems and that contributes to the interest as well.

Very good response! I must admit that I was skeptical that someone could be really interested in bowels and such, but I guess beauty is in the eyes of the beholder!

Good luck to you!

 

[june015b]

It seems like everyother thread is about GI subspeciality. I was wondering (not trying to be sarcastic or anything) why is GI so popular?

WHat kinda of life style do GI physicians have? What kinda pay can they expect?

I suggest to check out few literature and also check out AGA, AASLD, and
ASGE. The whole field is growing and changing very fast. Remember GI also includes hepatology, transplantation (pancreas, liver, small bowel),
nutrition, ID in Liver/GI, immunology (i.e., treat IBD with chemo/modulator like infliximab, etc.), proctology, etc.

Interventional GI is only one part of of many GI's. It's true that the interventional GI endoscopists nowdays do some of what the surgeons did 5-10 years ago. Endoscopic bariatric surgery ($$ nutrition), partial esophagectomy for cancer using endoscopic cutting and suturing devices, transluminal and extra-luminal procedures including EUS-guided LN
biopsy-staging of cancer, implanting radioactive seed for pancreatic cancer, endoscopic anti-reflux surgery (fundoplication), are very few of many things
developed or under development in interventional GI. Magnifying endoscopes, chromoscopes, small bowel scopes, endoscopic cutting/suturing devices are already available
commercially. GI's also treat IBD with immunomodulator/Chemo like "infliximab" (bills like a procedure $$). A good thing about GI is you can tailor your lifestyle and work based on your interest. If you don't like to do endoscope, you don't have to. You can be specialized in other areas like pancrea, liver, transplant, or nutrition. If you like eveything, you can do all.

 

[JudoKing01]

Endoscopic bariatric surgery ($$ nutrition), partial esophagectomy for cancer using endoscopic cutting and suturing devices...

Whaaaaa?

 

[novacek88]

I suggest to check out few literature and also check out AGA, AASLD, and
ASGE. The whole field is growing and changing very fast. Remember GI also includes hepatology, transplantation (pancreas, liver, small bowel),
nutrition, ID in Liver/GI, immunology (i.e., treat IBD with chemo/modulator like infliximab, etc.), proctology, etc.

Interventional GI is only one part of of many GI's. It's true that the interventional GI endoscopists nowdays do some of what the surgeons did 5-10 years ago. Endoscopic bariatric surgery ($$ nutrition), partial esophagectomy for cancer using endoscopic cutting and suturing devices, transluminal and extra-luminal procedures including EUS-guided LN
biopsy-staging of cancer, implanting radioactive seed for pancreatic cancer, endoscopic anti-reflux surgery (fundoplication), are very few of many things
developed or under development in interventional GI. Magnifying endoscopes, chromoscopes, small bowel scopes, endoscopic cutting/suturing devices are already available
commercially. GI's also treat IBD with immunomodulator/Chemo like "infliximab" (bills like a procedure $$). A good thing about GI is you can tailor your lifestyle and work based on your interest. If you don't like to do endoscope, you don't have to. You can be specialized in other areas like pancrea, liver, transplant, or nutrition. If you like eveything, you can do all.

I would encourage you to learn more about GI. Many of the procedures you listed are not actively performed by GI's. For example, endoscopic bariatric surgery is still performed bybariatric surgeons or a general surgeon who went on to complete a fellowship. I don't know of any GI doc that would be comfortable performing this surgery or assuming the risks involved with this surgery. GI is a great field but don't make it something it isn't. A lot of people go into GI because they don't want to actively perform surgery. They do a lot of procedures but they are not surgical procedures.