Educational Requirements for a Gastroenterologist

A gastroenterologist is a doctor who has specializes in the gastrointestinal tract, which involves the stomach and small intestine. These doctors help people who have stomach problems such as ulcers, cancer, or heart burn. They use small cameras inserted into through a patient's mouth to diagnose problems.

The education requirements to become a gastroenterologist take up to 14 years to complete. After completing high school you will need to go to a university and earn your bachelor’s degree, which takes four years. Upon receiving a bachelor's degree, you will continue on to four years of medical school. Keep in mind there are entrance exams for medical school, and acceptance is competitive. You will need to submit letters of recommendation, which demonstrate your character, leadership qualities and outside activities. Some schools have students come in for interviews and meet with an admissions committee.

Once accepted into medical school, students spend a large part of their time in laboratories and lecture halls, with the final year of school spent in rotations of various specialties in order to gain experience in the field. After medical school you should plan on a three year residency program in internal medicine, followed by a three year program in gastroenterology.

Upon completion of your school and residencies, you must acquire your state medical license. After this long road, a gastroenterologist can expect to start their career making $250,000. After being in practice for a while some make up to $500,000 a year.