Bahaaeldeen Ismail, MD, MSc

Dr. Bahaaeldeen Ismail is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. His medical journey began at Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt, where he earned his medical degree and a Master of Science in Clinical Sciences, followed by internal medicine residencies in both Egypt and the United States (University of Florida), followed by a gastroenterology fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic in Florida. This diverse international background informs his clinical approach, fostering a deep cultural competence and adaptability that benefits patients from varied walks of life. He is board-certified in both internal medicine and gastroenterology and has served on the UK faculty since 2017.

Clinically, Dr. Ismail specializes in general gastroenterology with a concentrated focus on esophageal diseases and motility disorders. He manages complex cases of reflux disease, swallowing disorders, achalasia, gastroparesis, and defecation disorders. To ensure comprehensive care, he established a multidisciplinary foregut and swallowing program that collaborates closely with foregut, bariatric, and thoracic surgeons, as well as speech pathologists and ENT laryngologists. Additionally, he maintains a specialized interest in small bowel enteroscopy for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, ensuring that patients with these conditions have access to advanced care close to home.

His current scholarly work focuses on esophageal physiology and motility disorders, as well as the responsible implementation of artificial intelligence—specifically natural language processing and computer vision—to enhance endoscopic diagnosis and documentation. He is an active member of several scientific societies, including the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG), American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE).