San Diego, CA (May 20, 2019) — Hashem B. El-Serag, MD, MPH, AGAF, will begin his term as the 114th president of the AGA Institute at Digestive Disease Week® (DDW 2019).
Dr. El-Serag is former editor-in-chief of AGA’s journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. He currently serves as chair of the department of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, following a decade leading and expanding Baylor’s gastroenterology and hepatology section. He is one of the few academic gastroenterologists serving as a chair of a department of medicine in the U.S.
Originally Palestinian, Dr. El-Serag became a U.S. citizen in the early 2000s, after medical school in Libya. He completed his training at community hospitals in the U.S. His path from Benghazi to Baylor is described in the May issue of Gastroenterology by Baylor colleague Dr. Fasiha Kanwal.
“I firmly believe that the success I achieved in the United States would not have been possible anywhere else in the world, and it is as much a testament to the accepting society and medical system as to whatever intrinsic ability or skill I have,” notes Dr. El-Serag.
The major focus of Dr. El-Serag’s scholarly work is the epidemiology and clinical outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma. Much of the modern literature on this topic is comprised by his more than 100 publications. Since 2014, Dr. El-Serag has been named by Thompson Reuter as among the top 1% of clinical scientists.
Hashem “is an innovative scientist, a compassionate physician, and a gifted educator. He is a relentless advocate of science and training, with an astute political sense — all key to influencing and shaping policy,” says Dr. Kanwal.
Dr. El-Serag’s term as AGA president concludes May 2020. Follow him on twitter at @SeragHashem.
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Rachel Shubert
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About the AGA Institute
The American Gastroenterological Association is the trusted voice of the GI community. Founded in 1897, the AGA has grown to more than 16,000 members from around the globe who are involved in all aspects of the science, practice and advancement of gastroenterology. The AGA Institute administers the practice, research and educational programs of the organization. www.gastro.org.
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About Digestive Disease Week®
Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) is the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery. Jointly sponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT), DDW takes place May 18-21 at the San Diego Convention Center. The meeting showcases more than 5,000 abstracts and hundreds of lectures on the latest advances in GI research, medicine and technology. More information can be found at www.ddw.org.
