The Digestive Disease Center at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) brings together diverse specialties involved in evaluating and treating digestive disease and disorders. A strong commitment has been made to provide informative and educational resources to health professionals wishing to enhance their careers or knowledge base, as well as to patients and their loved ones wishing to enhance their understanding of digestive health, digestive disease and procedures offered at MUSC. The MUSC Digestive Disease Center brings together the diverse specialties involved in evaluating and treating digestive disease. As could be expected, many digestive problems are managed appropriately by primary care physicians who are trained to deal with the most common ailments in cost-effective ways. However, when standard methods are not effective, or when symptoms point to a more serious condition, specialist consultation is more appropriate. Gastroenterologists are physicians who have taken special training in digestive disease. Nowadays, this means at least three years of specialized training beyond that needed to become a specialist in medicine itself (and all that occurring after graduating as a doctor). Whilst all gastroenterologists have competence in digestive diseases, some specialize even more, focusing on a particular digestive organ system. Gastroenterologists treat patients "medically" by doing appropriate investigations, giving advice about diet and lifestyle, and prescribing special medications. Many also investigate and treat digestive diseases using flexible telescopes (endoscopes) passed through the mouth or anus. These endoscopic procedures have replaced many traditional surgical operations. Patients with digestive diseases also need to consult surgeons in particular circumstances – obviously when an operation may be necessary. There are "general" surgeons, and others who specialize in digestive surgery. Like gastroenterologists, they may focus even more closely so that there are surgeons who specialize in esophageal surgery, hepato-pancreatico-biliary surgery, liver transplantation, and colorectal surgery. Many gastroenterologists and digestive surgeons focus primarily on the investigation and management of cancers, which unfortunately are still common in the digestive tract. In these endeavors, they are assisted by colleagues skilled in radiation and chemotherapy techniques.
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