PSG
Rumblings SPRING 2025
WINTER 2023
PENNSYLVANIA SOCIETY OF GASTROENTEROLOGY / NEWSLETTER
President’s Message / Karen Krok, MD, FAASLD, FACG President’s Message / David L. Diehl, MD, FACP, FASGE
@Klkrok @DavidDiehlMD
www.pasg.org
www.pasg.org
Be an advocate! The role of a physician extends beyond diagnosis and treatment; it encompasses supporting patients through every stage of their The Importance ofwas Mentoring healthcare journey. As March Colorectal Cancer Awareness month, I thought it appropriate to remind us how we need to continue to advocate for our patients physicians at one’s The PSG is launching a screeningattending everyday—from colorectal cancer and prevention to access to liver own training work very mentorship program GI medications for ourprogram transplant to obtaining muchfor needed patients with IBD – hard to train GI fellows, but this is we can improve and enhance their quality of life! Fellows and outcomes early career generally different from a mentoring GI physicians. We will relationship. One of the most significant forms of advocacy in our field is promoting early be reaching out to those detection of colon cancer through regular screening. Colorectal cancer remains I have been lucky enough to have of who would to oneyou of the leading causeslike of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Yet, it some important mentors in my participate in this project. is preventable with appropriate screening. When we remove a large polyp, we medical career. The first was should say to ourselves, “Today I did a good thing for this patient. This is why I assigned to me when I was a firstMany of usthese haveprocedures!” benefitted from am doing As part of our advocacy, we must emphasize the medical student. His name mentors. Perhaps of screenings us have for year importance of colonsome cancer all patient aged 45 and older. was Eugene “Skip” Felmar, MD and suffered for the lack ofora delay mentor Patients often neglect screenings due to fear, misinformation, or lack he was a Family Practice attending during our education of awareness. We haveoralltraining. heard all of the excuses and fears! Our role as in the San Fernando Valley area of Mentors can have a lifelong impact advocates is to educate patients and their primary care physicians on the Southern California. I enjoyed going on their trainees, but the relationship importance of early detection and to provide information about the various out to his office and shadowing him does not go in only one direction. screening methods available. closely while he saw outpatients, Mentors can get as much benefit and rounded on inpatients, and did office satisfaction can.for vulnerable Moreover, itas is their crucialmentees to advocate populations—such as those in procedures. Beyond gaining valuable Gastroenterology, like other of underserved communities orareas with limited access to healthcare—who may face insight into the practice of medicine, medical is akin to may a “guild”, barriers training to screening. This include working to bridge gaps in access, whether I found out why his nickname was where the experienced take the through community outreach programs, advocating for insurance coverage, or after he took me out on his novice under theirhealth wing to train to reduce“Skip” working with local systems logistical barriers. sailboat which he kept docked at them in the arts of their chosen the Los Angeles harbor. Skip Felmar field. All GI fellows, including us is ensuring that patients with Another critical aspect of advocacy liver diseases, became a role model for me, and way back when, trainers and particularly thosehad with cirrhosis, receive timely and appropriate care, including the mentor-mentee relationship was coaches were staff access tothat livertypically transplantation when necessary. mutually rewarding. gastroenterologists at our program. Many medicalofschools provide for is complex and challenging for many patients. The process liver transplantation Another highly impactful mentor mentor relationships, but they this is As our patients get sicker, willless require time away from work, more help from that I had was someone that I chose common GI training. Certainly, caregiversinand often require frequent doctor visits and hospital admissions. myself. Dick Kozarek, MD was (and In addition, some of these patients are often marginalized in our society. As
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INSIDE:
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PSG/SOCIAL: @PAGastroSoc
INSIDE
1 President’s Message
1 President’s Message 3 Practice Management 4 Advancing Early Stage 4 GI Supergroups Colorectal Cancer Management
6 Venue Shopping 7 Endoscopy Course 8 EMR or ESD? 8C areer Paths in GI 11The Roulette GI Hospitalist
13 Jeopardy Winners 12 Colorectal Cancer Awareness 14 Annual Meeting Highlights 14 You Matched 16 Board and Staff 16 Board and Staff