Education

Education is a critical mission of all GI organizations. While fellowship is a continuous source of continued medical education (CME), the national GI organizations are dedicated to providing education to Gastroenterologists at all career stages. The American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) offers weekly virtual Grand Rounds with expert commentary, while the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) has an app based platform in "GI Leap” that provides excellent resources for endoscopy education. The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Universe is the access point for Digestive Diseases Self- Education Program (DDSEP), among the most widely used board review resources (Table 1). All societies have their practice guidelines readily available on their websites as well as abundant opportunities to obtain CME credit. This offers an invaluable resource especially if a fellowship program doesn’t have faculty experts in a particular area (e.g., some programs might not have a liver transplant program or an anorectal manometery program).

Table 1 Educational resources
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Leadership

Leadership roles are important for professional growth, both for trainees and early career professionals. All societies offer a variety of committee positions, allowing engagement in each aspect of the organization. Greater contribution in this capacity can lead to roles of greater responsibility and eventual prominence within the ranks of an organization. Committees are ideal to develop leadership skills, partake in networking opportunities, and make a meaningful impact on the organization’s mission [1]. Formal leadership programs offer opportunities for refinement of professional skills and development of strategies for career advancement. The ACG Institute created a structured leadership program designed for early career faculty as part of the Early Career Leadership Program. With its success, a similar program for experienced and tenured track clinicians was devised for mid-career faculty, known as the Advanced Clinical Leadership Program. Similarly, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) championed the “Emerging Liver Scholars program,” which is geared toward professional development for residents with a passion for Hepatology (Table 2).

Table 2 Leadership
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Scholarship

Scholarly activity comes in various shapes and forms. All GI societies are dedicated to advance the scholarship mission for gastroenterologists at levels of their career. Scholarly work is also an integral part of fellowship and academic job opportunities. A variety of research awards are made available from each national organization. The ACG Institute prides itself on scholarships for digestive diseases, epidemiology, and diverse clinical research totaling nearly $30 million since its 1994 inception. The ASGE funds basic, translational, and clinical work focused on gastrointestinal endoscopy, exemplified by the ASGE Innovation Award among many others. The AGA bestows over $2 million in scholarships annually with a concentration on GI Malignancy, IBD, Eosinophilic Diseases as well as grants to DDW (Table 3). The AASLD has provided over $57 million since 2000 for innovative hepatology research, including travel grants and clinical research. In addition, there are dedicated research awards and grants that are granted to trainees, both residents and GI fellows.

Table 3 Scholarship
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The annual meetings of the GI organizations are also an excellent opportunity for trainees to present their research and scholarly work, not only allowing them an excellent platform but also opportunities to interact with leaders in the field. For instance, the ACG has a special meeting dedicated to trainees “The North American Conference of Gastroenterology Fellows (NACGF)” where selected fellows present their research and get valuable feedback on research skills from renowned researchers in the field.

Mentorship

Effective mentorship can be key to a successful career. Studies have shown this increases career satisfaction, job promotion, and peer-reviewed publications [2]. Those receiving adequate mentoring are more confident in their capabilities and inclined to seek advanced pursuits [2]. Sponsorship can be even more beneficial, as active promotion leads to opportunities that may otherwise not be possible for mentees. Involvement in national organizations offers opportunities for finding mentors in both formal and informal capacity. The ASGE Mentorship platform is designed for fellows and early career Gastroenterologists to cultivate relationships over at least 2 years, focused on a key career goal. The AGA mentorship program, Connections Corner, is conveniently accessed through the AGA Career Compass, a portal for many career development applications (Table 4). AASLD’s mentorship program, Mentor Connect, operates via Virtual Mentoring and offers both one-on-one mentoring and group mentoring sessions. The ACG mentoring program is available for both fellows as well as residents.

Table 4 Mentoring
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Apart from formal mentorship program, engagement in these organizations can be an excellent way to find mentorship. Committee service can allow for engaging with other colleagues and leaders across the country and can open door for mentoring relationships.

Training and Skill Advancement

Among the biggest advantages of national organizations is the ability to offer unique experiences which complement the skillset of GI clinicians both cerebrally and endoscopically. The ASGE First Year Fellows Course is an introduction to commonly used techniques in Gastroenterology, while ACG’s 2nd year Fellows Course is a selective program demonstrating more complex techniques and case centered discussion (Table 5). Furthermore, ASGE’s Advanced Lesion Resection program and Therapeutic EUS for Advanced Endosonographers Event are courses designed specifically for Early and Mid-Career Gastroenterologists. Exchanging knowledge, whether nationally or internationally, provides insight into expert opinion and promotes a sense of collaboration among institutions. ACG’s prestigious Edgar Achkar Visiting Professorship allows for accomplished Visiting Professors to discuss topics of their expertise at GI fellowship programs where those expertise are limited (Table 5). The AASLD Global Outreach Initiatives provides input to the Global Outreach Committee regarding collaborative efforts and Hepatology related needs throughout the world. Moreover, with the progression of technological innovation comes the power of novel prototypes to enhance endoscopic technique and improve patient care. The AGA Center for GI Innovation and Technology is a key resource for partnership between industry and physician innovators when developing new technologies in GI. It holds the AGA Tech Summit yearly and funds the AGA Innovation Fellows Program for trainees to learn about the latest GI innovations.

Table 5 Training and skill advancement
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Advocacy

The national organizations have advocacy initiatives to work with the Congress for issues such as prior authorization and Medicare coverage. The ACG National Affairs Action Network works to address federal policy and patient advocacy, while ASGE Advocacy accomplishes similar goals with ‘Take Action Initiatives.’ AGA members can become a Congressional Advocate to learn about public policy through correspondences with Congress (Table 6). AGA Political Action Committee is the bipartisan political arm that helps with raising funds for political candidates whose interests align with AGA. Involvement in advocacy initiatives allows an excellent opportunity for trainees to know the important challenges out field is facing and can be rewarding to work on things that can make an impact for our patients and colleagues.

Table 6 Advocacy
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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Studies have shown the inequity among men and women with regard to ranks of professorship [3] and survey studies reveal that women are less likely than men to self-promote, although this is necessary for leadership positions [4]. The finding is also exhibited with URM, many of whom are less likely to progress to roles of importance in medical school [5]. Recent guidance outlines steps that when implemented at early educational stages, can incorporate diversity and inclusion activities into training [6]. Moreover, in works evaluating female-focused professional organizations, benefits included academic advancement, scholarly work, and peer support. [7].

The ACG developed the Health Equity Research Award for faculty studying healthcare disparities, while AASLD established an analogous award for fellows. Furthermore, the AGA designed the FORWARD Program for URM physician scientists, while the Future Leaders Program offers a leadership curriculum for URM (Table 7). The ASGE’s LEAD program provides structured mentoring and cultivation of professional skills for women in Gastroenterology. Lastly, AGA’s Women’s Leadership Development Conference supports a network of allyship throughout the country while fostering female empowerment (Table 7).

Table 7 Diversity, equity, and inclusion
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Building Your Tribe

In addition to the formal programs mentioned above, there are several organizations within GI that promote a sense of community and belonging within the GI society. Oftentimes they work closely with the larger GI societies and will frequently hold meetings during the national GI conferences. Women in Endoscopy (WIE) and Scrubs N’ Heels are associations which are dedicated to empowering women in medicine and provide excellent opportunities for mentorship and developing leadership skills. The Association of Black Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists (ABGH) is an organization dedicated to provide opportunities and mentorship to other Black gastroenterologists and trainees and fosters the mission for diversity and equity in GI. Similarly, Rainbows in Gastro is a society that is committed to building a the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBTQ) friendly community and for advocacy for trainees, physicians, and patients who identify as LGBTQ + .

Patient Care

Our GI organizations have excellent resources for patient education. Topics range from colonoscopy education to IBD care in pregnancy and even the relation of COVID to Digestive Diseases. In addition, easy to read brochures are provided by ASGE while other informational videos are also produced by AGA, all to ensure that patients are given adequate resources to be informed about their health.

Networking

National meetings (DDW, ACG Annual Meeting, The Liver Meeting) are great ways to connect with mentors and colleagues, with the added benefit of social media gatherings. Organizations such as WIE and Black in Gastro typically hold receptions during these conferences as well. Moreover, Hands-on courses and regional meetings offer great prospects of interacting with well-known experts. However virtual webinars, Grand Rounds, and invited lectures are also ripe with opportunity to exchange ideas and connect with colleagues. Indeed, most activities which promote some form of interaction (whether in-person or virtual) provide networking opportunities from which all can benefit.

Have Fun

Lastly, involvement in GI organizations is a way to find our “work family.” Gastroenterology is a lively and dynamic specialty that offers a plethora of activities to fulfill any member’s needs. While these gatherings represent opportunities for discovery and growth, perhaps the most meaningful experiences are the relationships which are formed [8]. Through the numerous engagements offered by these societies, there is an opportunity to cultivate long-lasting connections and friendships. Involvement in GI organizations allows us a platform to connect with colleagues across the country and find peer-mentors, exchange ideas or even just vent.