Subspecialty Careers: Transplant Hepatology
The Discipline
The word hepatology is derived from the Greek word hepato, meaning "liver".
Training
Transplant Hepatology training involves one year of additional clinical training after completion of both residency in internal medicine and fellowship training in gastroenterology. Candidates must also complete the following procedural requirements: performance of at least 30 percutaneous liver biopsies, including allograft biopsies; interpretation of 200 native and allograft liver biopsies; and knowledge of indications, contraindications, and complications of allograft biopsies. For more on training requirements, visit the ABIM's Web site: www.abim.org/certification/policies/imss/thep.aspx.
Certification
The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) and the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) jointly developed the Transplant Hepatology Certification Program. Before becoming certified in Transplant Hepatology, physicians must be ABIM certified in internal medicine and maintain a current, underlying certificate in gastroenterology. For more on certification requirements, visit the ABIM's Web site: www.abim.org/certification/policies/imss/thep.aspx.
Training Positions
For the 2013-2014 academic year there are 39 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited training programs in Transplant Hepatology with 35 trainees.
Major Professional Societies
- American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD
- International Liver Transplantation Society (ILTS)