Proctologist or a Gastroenterologist: Where to go?

In the field of GI and colon and rectal issues, there is a distinction between two different types of medical professionals: a colorectal surgeon, also known as a proctologist, and a gastroenterologist.

These two classifications are defined by both the kind of practices performed and the education received for expertise in the GI tract, small intestine, colon, rectum and anal canal.

While a GI doctor might come to mind first, the two specialists are trained for different kinds of care.

A Gastroenterologist  has training after medical school for the use of endoscopes and colonoscopes and may be board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Gastroenterologists diagnose and treat digestive conditions with medication and endoscopic procedures, but they do not perform surgery. When a condition such as complicated hemorrhoids, diverticulitis or colorectal cancer needs an operation, a colorectal surgeon is the specialist who performs it.

A Proctologist, or a colorectal surgeon, on the other hand has approximately 6 years of training after medical school. They are board certified by the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery, usually after certification by the American Board of Surgery, and can also be members of The American College of Surgeons. Colorectal surgeons (proctologists) are well-versed experts in all parts of the gastrointestinal tract, including the intestines, the colon, the rectum and the anal canal. Colorectal surgeons work specifically to not only determine disease, but perform surgical procedures to treat cancer, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, hemorrhoids, fissures, fistulas, to name a few.