The United States System for Training of Gastroenterologists in Oncology

Competency for practicing gastroenterology in the United States requires accredited training in Internal Medicine, followed by accredited training in gastroenterology and hepatology. The structured training encompasses a 3-year period after graduation with a medical degree for internal medicine, followed by a 3-year period for gastroenterology and hepatology. Within the gastroenterology training period, competency in oncology knowledge and procedural approaches to luminal and solid gastrointestinal organ cancers is required, whereas knowledge competency but not procedural competency is required in areas of advanced endoscopic procedures for cancer care. Only general knowledge, but not competency, is required for areas such as chemotherapy, which can be obtained with further optional training in a structured 2-year oncology fellowship program. Although there is no standardization to date for including full oncology training within a gastroenterology training program in the United States, there is great interest from gastroenterology professional societies to include a pathway for trainees within the gastroenterology training program.