About Digestive Diseases and Nutrition

Highly Ranked Specialty

Since its foundation nearly 40 years ago, the College of Medicine Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition has distinguished itself as a highly ranked specialty within the department of internal medicine. It provides state-of-the-art medical care in a multidisciplinary environment for patients with gastrointestinal or liver diseases and nutritional problems.

Important Role in Education

The division also plays an important role in the education of students, residents, and fellows and offers a variety of learning opportunities for continuing medical education of physicians and other health care professionals. The regionally and nationally recognized faculty members conduct many clinical and basic science research projects to further our understanding of gastrointestinal and liver diseases and help design better treatment for patients with these illnesses.

We pursue a comprehensive, academic approach to the field of gastroenterology with the provision of a full range of consultative services from the simplest to the most complex.  The division emphasizes close interaction with referring physicians and a sympathetic understanding of patients’ needs in the context of their disease. The division is well known for its patient care, clinical investigations, and basic research.

Clinical Activities

The faculty members have a major commitment to teaching and research in addition to their clinical activities. The division runs consultation services at the University of Kentucky Medical Center and the adjoining physically linked Veterans Affairs Medical Center. There are state-of-the-art computerized video endoscopy suites at both centers. The endoscopy suites regularly perform upper endoscopy, colonoscopy, and therapeutic endoscopic procedures.

A number of special procedures including biliary manometry, endoscopic removal of bile duct stones, biliary and pancreatic duct stent placement, esophageal stent placement, achalasia dilation, botulinum toxin injection therapy of achalasia, enteroscopy, capsular endoscopy, endoscopic ultrasonography, and laser therapy of gastrointestinal neoplasms are performed on a daily basis. The University of Kentucky Medical Center also has an active liver transplant program.

Gastroenterology Goals

The goals of the gastroenterology division are to provide excellent medical care to people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and liver, to teach gastroenterology, and to perform basic research to improve our understanding of digestive diseases.  Our website presents our faculty and their activities in more detail, and we hope it will provide you with an accurate picture of our
activities and interests.