Congratulations to everyone who matched in a GI and hepatology fellowship. The three years dedicated to this specialty will pass swiftly. It is crucial to prepare and organize a study schedule early on. Here are three tips for strategically preparing for the GI and hepatology board during the fellowship training:
1. Engage in guideline reading in the first year
Start reading guidelines from reputable organizations such as the ASGE, American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) and American Gastroenterological Association (AGA). The AGA training in-service exam will highlight areas for improvement, and then address them by studying relevant topics in textbooks such as Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease.
2. Select board study resources in the second year
The second year is the time to choose your primary source for long-term board study. Consider highly recommended resources like the "Acing the GI Board Exam" series (by Brennan Spiegel, MD, MSHS, and Hetal Karsan, MD) and the William H. Steinberg Board Review in Gastroenterology and Best Practices Course.
3. Utilize time in the third year
In the third year, with more available time, take advantage of it to study for the board. Continue using your preferred board review resource. Evaluate your knowledge using the ACG Self-Assessment test or GESAP X, ASGE's premier self-assessment program designed to increase your knowledge and decision-making skills in 10 specific areas of diagnostic and therapeutic gastroenterology and endoscopy.
Ahmed Swi, MD, an advanced endoscopy fellow at the University of Missouri at Columbia and a member of the ASGE Membership Engagement Committee.