About the ACG

About ACG

The American College of Gastroenterology is a non-profit educational physician organization based in Bethesda, Maryland representing more than 11,000 clinicians from 75 countries. Founded in 1932 to advance the scientific study and medical practice of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the College promotes the highest standards in medical education and is guided by its commitment to meeting the individual and collective needs on clinical GI practitioners.

Through annual scientific meetings, scientific journals The American Journal of Gastroenterology and Nature Clinical Practice Gastroenterology & Hepatology, regional postgraduate training courses and research grants, the ACG provides its members with the most accurate and up-to-date scientific information on digestive health and the treatment of common and not-so-common GI disorders.

ACG's advocacy in the public policy arena and the work of the ACG's twenty-two committees have made tremendous strides with many premiere accomplishments to improve the future of clinical gastroenterology and the quality of care available to patients with GI conditions and diseases. The information exchange and training acquired through College membership provide physicians with the knowledge necessary to offer the most effective patient care and to meet the challenges of today's changing health care system.

ACG Mission Statement & Goals

The American College of Gastroenterology is committed to advancing the scientific study and medical practice of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The College promotes the highest standards in medical education and is guided by its commitment to meeting the individual and collective needs of clinical GI practitioners.

The College:

• Provides continuing medical education for clinicians through scientific meetings and publications
• Represents the GI clinician on national health care policy, ensuring the best interests of clinical medicine and patient care
• Encourages and provides support for clinical research in gastroenterologic disorders
• Provides education resources for patients with gastrointestinal disorders and their families
• Serves as a liaison with patient advocacy organizations for those with gastrointestinal and hepatic disorders

Education

The ACG provides a wide range of educational programs focusing on clinically oriented topics for the GI professional. From ACG's national meeting, the Annual Scientific Meeting and Postgraduate Course, to regional courses held as sole-sponsored ACG programs or in conjunction with state societies, online resources like the Self-Assessment Test and Self-Assessment Program, to the Education Universe, ACG's educational offerings are designed to assist members in their ongoing effort to improve the health of their patients with digestive disorders.

• ACG's Annual Scientific Meeting and Postgraduate Course. Held annually in October, the ACG Annual Scientific Meeting and Postgraduate Course is the premier GI clinical event of the year. The Annual Meeting offers the latest clinical information on key digestive health topics for the GI physician, plenary sessions and poster sessions that showcase research and provide a wealth of patient-related clinical data and experiences, industry exhibitions featuring the latest advances in gastrointestinal technology and therapeutics, and a Trainees' Forum that allows young physicians to explore career opportunities. ACG 2009 will take place October 23-28 in San Diego, California.
• Regional Courses. In 2009, ACG will offer seven regional courses, four in conjunction with state societies and three sole-sponsored ACG programs. The 2009 calendar is: March 6-7 in New Orleans, Louisiana; March 13-15 in New York City; March 27-29 in Las Vegas; April 17-19 in Captiva Island, Florida; August 28-29 in Kansas City, Missouri; and September 11-13 in Williamsburg, Virginia and Houston, Texas.
• Trainee-specific meetings. In addition to trainee-specific programming at the ACG Annual Meeting, ACG also offers a number of trainee-specific programs throughout the year: North American Conference of GI Fellows, ACG National Fellows Forum, 2nd Year Fellows Course, and Southern Region 1st Year Fellows Course. Information regarding these programs is announced to program directors and trainees throughout the year. Attendance to these programs is made through an application process. Contact the ACG office for more details.
• ACG Education Universe. The newest educational offering from the College, the ACG Education Universe is an online, self-directed CME program that provides a way for all gastroenterologists to access outstanding tools in preparing for the GI boards, recertification, or obtaining necessary CME credits outside of the ACG meetings. ACG's Self-Assessment Test and Self-Assessment Program are two of the online, premium services the College offers as part of our online CME program.

Research

The ACG Institute for Clinical Research & Education
The ACG Institute for Clinical Research & Education was founded in 1994 and has emerged as a major source of funding for patient care oriented gastroenterology research and an active and effective sponsor of educational programming for consumers and physicians alike. The primary mission of the Institute is to advance the field of clinical gastroenterology through education and research.

Consistent with that mission, the ACG Institute for Clinical Research & Education serves as a forum in which to build on the goals of the College. The Institute promotes research in clinical gastroenterology, educates physicians and the public, and provides resources to support the future needs of clinical gastroenterology, GI patients, as well as young clinical investigators who as they develop careers in academic gastroenterology, enrich knowledge and treatments in digestive diseases.

Clinical Research
Since its inception in 1994 and through 2008, the Institute has awarded over $9.0 million to 437 investigators in order to promote research directly related to the needs of clinical gastrointestinal practice.

The ACG Institute for Clinical Research & Education supports clinical gastroenterology research and faculty development awards each year. The goal of the ACG Clinical Research Award is to foster clinical breakthroughs in gastroenterology by supporting research that promises to improve patient care and strengthen practitioners' capabilities.

The ACG Junior Faculty Development Award is a two-year award designed to support a junior faculty member or mid-career clinical investigator of outstanding promise to establish an independent, productive career in gastroenterology or hepatology. Funded originally at $30,000 a year for each of two years, in 2005 the Institute increased the award to $75,000 a year for each of two years.

The College is proud of the successful track record of its funded investigators. ACG's ongoing support of clinical GI research, in the face of the declining availability of federal funds, provides crucial support to talented researchers who are often at critical points in their careers.

Enhancing Patient Care through Physician Education
The ACG Institute is proud of the many excellent educational initiatives it sponsors to educate physicians, patients and the public about important advances in digestive health

Recent educational programs and materials for practitioners have included Obesity: Do You Know Your GI Risks?, Pregnancy in Gastrointestinal Disorders, and a poster, Colon Cancer: Your Can Prevent It. The College offers most or all of these resources online so members may download them.

Promoting Digestive Health Awareness through Public Education
The ACG Institute is making a difference in the lives of millions of Americans by sponsoring major public awareness campaigns that inform consumers on what they need to do to better manage their digestive health.

The Institute has made a major financial commitment to supporting patient education on colorectal cancer screening and prevention. Educating patients about the Medicare colorectal cancer screening benefit, and ensuring that American adults over 50 understand the importance of screening and early detection of colon cancer has been a primary focus of the Institute's educational mission. With the introduction of the Colorectal Cancer Prevention Action Plan in 2004, the ACG Institute has made a significant contribution to research efforts aimed at improving colonoscopy and to enhancing public awareness of the lifesaving benefits of colorectal screening.

The College is committed to providing accurate, unbiased and up-to-date health information to the public. The ACG Web site (www.acg.gi.org) provides access to educational resources for patients and their families spanning the broad range of digestive diseases and conditions - both common and not-so-common. Organized by disease, state and organ system, these educational materials, developed by ACG physician experts, are offered for the information and benefit of patients and the public.

Public Policy

The College represents the interests of clinical gastroenterologists and the patients they serve before the United States Congress and key federal agencies, such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Successful ACG initiatives include Congressional passage of the initial Medicare colorectal cancer screening benefit in 1997 followed by expansion of the benefit to include colonoscopy for average-risk patients in 2000.

One recent initiative includes the Campaign to End Obesity. ACG is working to raise awareness among the public and policy-makers on the effects of obesity on GI disease and the GI complications that may result from bariatric surgery. As part of this effort, the College co-chairs the Campaign to End Obesity's health care reform working group, which seeks to achieve policy changes in the health care system to ensure quality care for the nation's growing population of obese and overweight citizens. You can learn more about the Campaign to End Obesity at www.obesitycampaign.org. ACG recently endorsed comprehensive anti-obesity legislation, “The Obesity, Prevention, Treatment and Research Act of 2008.” You can read the letter at: http://www.acg.gi.org/members/nataffairs/ObesityBingaman.pdf.

Publications

• The American Journal of Gastroenterology
  Published monthly since 1934, the Journal is the College's official peer-reviewed journal. The goal of the Journal is to publish scientific papers relevant to the practice of clinical gastroenterology. It features original research, review articles and consensus papers related to new drugs and therapeutic modalities. The ACG Editorial Board encourages submission of original manuscripts, review articles and letters to the editor from members and non-members.
• Nature Clinical Practice Gastroenterology & Hepatology
  Published monthly in print and online, this journal provides timely interpretations of key developments in medical research, translating the latest findings into clinical practice. The journal includes editorial and opinion pieces, highlights from the current literature, commentaries on the application of recent research to practical patient care, comprehensive reviews, and in-depth case studies. You'll find coverage on pathology, diagnosis, and treatment of disease of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, pancreas, gall bladder, and biliary tract, such as functional GI disorders, inflammatory diseases, cancer, infection and nutritional disorders.
• ACG Update Newsletter
  This bi-monthly newsletter chronicles the activities, meetings and events sponsored by the College and serves as a forum for ACG members and Fellows to exchange information regarding socioeconomic and practice management issues.
• ACG SmartBrief
  ACG SmartBrief, emailed twice weekly to ACG members, provides summaries of the latest news in gastroenterology. You'll find news coverage of Clinical Updates, Legal & Regulatory, Practice News, Business & Market Trends, Patient Perspectives and more.
• ACG Digestive Health SmartBrief
  ACG Digestive Health SmartBrief is a patient-oriented weekly e-newsletter that ACG members can sign up for to offer their patients. The patient newsletter provides physician-reviewed articles highlighting scientifically sound, reliable digestive health news, articles on healthy living, clinical trials taking place in the U.S., and ACG patient information. The newsletter is free to both members and patients.
• This Week Legislative Updates
  This members only communication is distributed periodically to keep ACG members informed of important legislative developments in Congress, the federal regulatory agencies such as the Centers for Medicare/Medicaid Services and the Food & Drug Administration, and to solicit member involvement in legislative issues.