Gastroenterology is the medical subspecialty focused on diseases of the digestive system — including the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, liver, pancreas, and gallbladder. With the American College of Gastroenterology projecting a national gastroenterologist shortage exceeding 1,700 by 2030 and screening colonoscopy demand growing as USPSTF lowered the screening start age to 45, GI is one of the most actively recruited physician specialties.
Gastroenterology is a medical subspecialty of internal medicine requiring three years of internal medicine residency followed by three years of gastroenterology fellowship. Gastroenterologists are board-certified through the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), and they diagnose and treat diseases of the digestive system using a combination of outpatient consultation, diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy (EGD, colonoscopy), and (with subspecialty training) advanced endoscopic procedures.
Modern GI practice spans general outpatient gastroenterology with screening and diagnostic endoscopy (the largest segment), advanced endoscopy with EUS/ERCP/ESD, hepatology and transplant hepatology, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), GI motility, pediatric GI, and GI hospitalist medicine. Subspecialty fellowship training is available in advanced endoscopy, transplant hepatology, and IBD.
GI practice has consolidated significantly into PE-backed multi-state platforms (Gastro Health, US Digestive Health, GI Alliance, OneGI affiliates) and large independent partnership practices with substantial ASC ownership. The endoscopy ASC model — performing screening colonoscopy and EGD in physician-owned ambulatory surgery centers — drives much of the strong economics in independent GI practice.
GI recruiting spans general gastroenterology and several procedural and disease-focused subspecialties:
General Gastroenterology — Outpatient and consultative GI with screening and diagnostic colonoscopy and EGD.
Advanced Endoscopy (EUS/ERCP/ESD) — Fellowship-trained advanced endoscopists performing EUS, ERCP, and endoscopic submucosal dissection.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) — Fellowship-trained or practice-focused IBD specialists managing Crohn's and ulcerative colitis with biologic therapy.
Hepatology / Transplant Hepatology — Fellowship-trained hepatologists managing chronic liver disease and pre/post liver transplant care.
GI Motility — Subspecialty motility-focused gastroenterologists managing complex dysmotility, gastroparesis, and pelvic floor disorders.
Pediatric Gastroenterology — Subspecialty fellowship-trained pediatric GI physicians at children's hospitals.
GI Hospitalist — Inpatient-focused gastroenterologists handling consultation, urgent endoscopy, and ICU GI care.
The American College of Gastroenterology has documented a national gastroenterologist shortage projected to exceed 1,700 by 2030. Demand for screening colonoscopy continues to grow as USPSTF recommendations have lowered the screening start age to 45, expanding the eligible population by tens of millions. Hepatology demand is rising in parallel with NAFLD and viral hepatitis prevalence, and IBD case volumes continue to grow.
Subspecialty supply is particularly constrained for advanced endoscopy and transplant hepatology, with successful searches typically requiring 120–240+ days. PE consolidation has reshaped community GI practice economics, while ASC ownership remains a substantial revenue component in independent partnership groups.
GI compensation reflects strong procedural economics. General gastroenterologists typically earn $450,000–$600,000 in employed positions and $700,000+ in independent partnership groups with ASC ownership. Advanced endoscopists typically earn $500,000–$700,000, hepatologists $375,000–$525,000, and pediatric GI $250,000–$375,000.
MedicalRecruiting.com operates a dedicated gastroenterology recruiting practice serving hospitals, gastroenterology groups, multi-specialty groups, and academic medical centers across all 50 states. For a complete overview of our gastroenterology recruiting services — including the subspecialties we cover, the organizations we serve, our process, and current gastroenterology compensation benchmarks — visit our gastroenterology recruiters page.
For interim gastroenterology coverage during permanent searches, see our locum tenens services. To browse the full directory of medical specialties we recruit for, visit the specialties hub.
For gastroenterology candidates exploring opportunities, browse current openings on our jobs board, review gastroenterology compensation data on our physician salary comparison tool, and submit your CV through our candidate portal for visibility to our employer network.
The American College of Gastroenterology projects a national gastroenterologist shortage exceeding 1,700 by 2030, driven by aging population, expanded screening colonoscopy guidelines (USPSTF lowered start age to 45), and growing hepatology and IBD case volumes. Subspecialty supply is particularly constrained for advanced endoscopy and transplant hepatology.
Advanced endoscopy refers to subspecialty fellowship-trained gastroenterologists performing EUS (endoscopic ultrasound), ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography), and ESD (endoscopic submucosal dissection). These procedures are concentrated at academic centers and high-volume tertiary GI programs.
General gastroenterologists typically earn $450,000–$600,000 in employed positions and $700,000+ in independent partnership groups with ASC ownership. Advanced endoscopists typically earn $500,000–$700,000, hepatologists $375,000–$525,000, IBD specialists $400,000–$575,000, and pediatric GI $250,000–$375,000.
Visit our dedicated gastroenterology recruiters page for a complete overview of our GI recruiting practice, the subspecialties we cover, the organizations we serve, and current GI compensation benchmarks.