As a medical student, do you ever wonder what it's like to specialize in pediatric gastroenterology? Meet AMA member Jeremy Screws, MD, a pediatric gastroenterologist and a featured physician in the AMA's “Shadow Me” Specialty Series, which offers advice directly from doctors about life in their specialties. Check out his insights to help determine whether a career in pediatric gastroenterology might be a good fit for you.
The AMA's Specialty Guide simplifies medical students' specialty selection process by highlighting major specialties, detailing training information and providing access to related association information. It is produced by FREIDA™, the AMA Residency & Fellowship Database®.
Learn more with the AMA about the medical specialty of pediatric gastroenterology.
“Shadowing” Dr. Jeremy Screws
Specialty: Pediatric gastroenterology.
Practice setting: Multispecialty group.
Employment type: In private practice at Hattiesburg Clinic, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Hattiesburg Clinic is part of the AMA Health System Member Program, which provides enterprise solutions to equip leadership, physicians and care teams with resources to help drive the future of medicine.
Years in practice: 19.
A typical day and week in my practice: On Mondays, I see patients in the clinic in the morning and perform procedures in the afternoon. Because I serve as the lead physician informaticist for the clinic, the middle of the week looks a little different. Tuesdays begin with clinic and then transition to IT meetings in the afternoon.
Wednesdays are flipped. I spend the morning in procedures and the afternoon in the clinic. Thursdays are similar to Tuesdays, with IT meetings in the morning and the clinic in the afternoon. Fridays are dedicated entirely to the clinic.
The most challenging and rewarding aspects of pediatric gastroenterology: Chronic abdominal pain in children is commonly associated with social factors. These contributing issues, such as family stress, school anxiety or trauma, aren’t always something I can address within the confines of a clinic visit.
One of the most rewarding aspects is helping patients get past chronic gastrointestinal symptoms. Especially after someone has been struggling for a long time, seeing them regain a sense of normality and improve their quality of life is incredibly fulfilling.
The impact burnout has on pediatric gastroenterology: Pediatric gastroenterologists provide care for chronic pain, and our specialty involves caring for children with complex, ongoing medical concerns. These long-term relationships can be fraught with moral injury and learned helplessness. Over time, this can erode resilience if it is not addressed.
How Hattiesburg Clinic is reducing physician burnout: We work closely with the AMA and its Joy in Medicine® Health System Recognition Program and ensure resources and attention are proactive. As a physician-owned organization, Hattiesburg Clinic actively involves its physicians in decision-making processes. Physicians participate in various committees, such as those focusing on marketing, information systems and value-based care, ensuring their voices influence organizational direction.
There are also programs to strengthen interpersonal relationships among physicians, including physician dinners.
Additionally, the clinic has optimized its EHR, achieving Epic Gold Stars Level 10 recognition for its efforts to enhance usability and reduce administrative load.
How my lifestyle matches, or differs from, what I had envisioned: Back in medical school, I didn’t have a clear picture of what my lifestyle would look like. Since transitioning to this job, I have been busier than I expected during the week, but my weekends and after hours are much more open.
In the last few years, after suffering from burnout myself, I have been more careful to separate work and home life, which has significantly improved my work-life balance.
Skills every physician in training should have for pediatric gastroenterology but won’t be tested for on the board exam: Resiliency and social IQ are more important than expansive knowledge. These skills aren't measured on board exams, but they are crucial for building trust with patients and families, navigating complex social dynamics and managing the demands of long-term care. Your interpersonal skills will often matter more than the number of facts you can recall.
One question physicians in training should ask themselves before pursuing pediatric gastroenterology: Can you delay income and a personal life for several years? This specialty, like a number of other subspecialties, requires extended training but it can be incredibly rewarding.
Additional advice I would to give students who are considering pediatric gastroenterology: Pediatric gastroenterology is one of the best pediatric subspecialities because you cover so many domains, including acute and chronic care, procedures and changes in the field of research.
As we are learning more about the early development of the gut microbiome, we have the opportunity to make a lasting impact on patients' health, from early childhood to adulthood. However, trainees may not realize how much chronic care is involved in this field. You must be prepared to work long term with patients who have complex, multifaceted challenges that require a team approach over time.
