How Do I Get a Gastroenterology Fellowship?

There are numerous steps that a student must take before he or she may apply for a gastroenterology fellowship, which usually includes several degree programs, internships, and a lengthy residency with a hospital or other medical facility. Most of these programs have similar requirements regardless of the jurisdiction, but there are programs willing to make some exceptions in regards to residencies and experience. Students should begin researching gastroenterology fellowship programs as early as his or her first year of medical school. An extensive search of all available programs will enable the student to organize his or her courses and activities according to the necessary requirements needed to apply for a fellowship program.

A four year undergraduate program should be chosen based on the pre-medical courses that are available. Students are generally encouraged to focus on math, biology, chemistry, anatomy, and other courses that will prepare him or her for a medical career. Excelling in these subjects is extremely important and will help students get ready for any examinations needed to be accepted to medical school. Most medical schools require an admissions test in addition to excellent grades in undergraduate studies in order to register.

Students will most likely work to obtain a degree in internal medicine, because gastroenterology is a specialized field. Coursework is usually built around general medicine, and residency work is designed for students to be able to observe and train in his or her desired area of expertise. A gastroenterology fellowship differs from most programs because it is generally considered a requirement to become a gastroenterologist as opposed to being an additional course of training.

After graduating from medical school, students are required to complete a residency program. An internal medicine residency with a focus on gastroenterology usually takes several years and is the last requirement needed to be accepted into a gastroenterology fellowship. This particular fellowship generally lasts around three years, and allows students to concentrate on all aspects of the gastrointestinal system.

The primary purpose of a gastroenterology fellowship is to provide extensive experience opportunities in this specialized field. Students work with patients during the residency program, but usually in regards to general medicine and possibly several gastrointestinal cases. This fellowship is designed to train students in the various diseases and conditions of the gastrointestinal system by treating patients who suffer from these afflictions. Most medical schools and residency programs can help students apply to a fellowship program. Many of these fellowships are less competitive than other subjects because it is one of the necessary steps to become a specialist in the field.