Director's Message

Welcome to the webpage of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. We are a large and diverse group with eclectic clinical and research interests with two major missions/objectives:

1. Innovative Solutions to Complex Clinical Problems

The GI division has been on the national forefront in this area with examples including neural stem cell research, gastric electrical stimulation and novel endoscopic procedures. This dedication to patient care and application of research advancements has led to our becoming a tertiary and quaternary referral facility for this region and beyond. Over half our clinical faculty (8 of 13) were listed as “Best Doctors in America” in 2003, with two also being honored by being placed on the “America’s Top Docs” List in 2003, 2004 and 2005. We are also very proud of our research faculty who are involved in cutting-edge and comprehensive research that ranges from endoscopic devices to gene chips.

2. To Train the Future Leaders of our Specialty

There are many excellent programs throughout the country that are doing a great job training clinical gastroenterologists for a career in practice. While we support these activities, we also believe very strongly that our mission at UTMB is somewhat different. Taking advantage of the rich intellectual resources of our faculty and programs, our aim is to train gastroenterologists for a career in academics so as to continue to enrich the field and ensure its healthy growth. Therefore our fellows not only enjoy excellent and well rounded clinical training but also enter a rigorous program. In this regard, since 2000 50% of fellows have pursued a career in academics.

We accomplish these missions through an integrated approach that links our researchers to our clinicians across the spectrum of gastroenterological and hepatic disease. This is schematically illustrated in the following diagram. We encourage you to explore these pages and learn more about us and what we do.