Providing Noteworthy Speakers for Training in Your Communities
The goal of the ACG Edgar Achkar Visiting Professorship Program, is to bolster GI training programs with visiting professors which providing lectures, small group discussions, panel discussions, and one-on-one visits with trainees and faculty. You choose the speaker; the Institute covers the travel costs and honorarium. *APPLICATION NOW CLOSED*
Our interactive, case-based discussions allowed for a rich exchange of knowledge – particularly around the real-world application of evidence-based practices in IBD management. This initiative fosters academic exchange and supports the next generation of gastroenterologists through meaningful, in-person engagement.Anita Afzali, MD, MPH, MHCM, FACG
Visiting Professor at University of New Mexico
How It Works:
The purpose of these visits is to reach a diverse number of programs while aiming to maximize the impact of each visit by targeting GI training programs, which could also leverage an additional community event with local ACG member physicians, sometimes in conjunction with a local gut club. The programs offer expertise for a specific area of need at each institution.
Since the program’s inception in 2014, the Institute has supported more than 133 visits in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Canada.
Edgar Achkar Visiting Professorships with Components of Equity, Diversity & Ethical Care
The ACG Edgar Achkar Visiting Professorships provide onsite lectures and ground rounds as a resource for fellows-in-training. This may include an added component of creating awareness around issues and challenges of delivering equitable care, respecting diversity, and instilling ethical decision making in addition to a disease state topic driven visit.
Program Details
Rationale
Background
Goals
Model Schedule
(sample schedule, depends on local needs and availability)
Day 1:
5 pm Arrival at city
7 pm Dinner meeting at local restaurant or other venue for community
Day 2:
8 am Research symposium or presentation
9 am Visits with faculty and trainees
11 am Case presentations
12 pm Clinical lecture
1 pm Departure for airport
Topics would depend on the visiting professor’s interests and the local institution’s needs. Content would be educational and suitable for CME, should the institution choose to pursue it.
How It Works
Institutions are invited to complete the online application form and to upload a one-page letter of interest addressed to the ACG Institute Director. The letter should include a statement of need outlining the training program’s objectives and how this talk will advance GI training at the institution. The letter should also specify dinner presentation, as appropriate.
Evaluation Criteria
To choose the recipients, the Institute will assess the degree to which the proposed visit meets the objectives and goals of the ACG Edgar Achkar Visiting Professorship program. Applications from North American GI Training programs will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- The degree to which the training program documents and demonstrates an unmet need for the visit in their training program.
- The extent to which the proposed speaker(s) fulfill this unmet need.
- The commitment of the training program to promote the event locally. In particular, we expect the recipient institution to coordinate events in such a way as to include community GI practitioners, whether through a local gut club event or by inviting them to the GI grand rounds.
The ACG Institute aims to support visits to a diverse group of programs, with respect to program size, areas of faculty expertise, and geographic dispersion. We also seek to provide experts in a variety of disciplines in clinical gastroenterology. Our goal is to provide not only world class education, but also an intimate atmosphere for informal mentoring and role modeling. By bringing motivated trainees together with successful academic clinicians, we hope to encourage the development of the next generation of leaders in gastroenterology.
Application FAQs
Does ACG have a list or database of potential speakers?
If my institute received a visit, can we re-apply?
Does ACG pay for any group meals provided during the event?
Is it required to have a GUT Club type event?
We have applied previously, but have not received a visit. Any advice for this year’s application?
Is there a specific grant amount which the applying Institution will receive?
Will ACG reimburse retroactively for a visit that occurred before the award period?
What is the earliest dates the visits can begin?
Previous Visit Topics
| Anorectal Problems Artificial Intelligence in Endoscopy Barrett’s Esophagus Bile Duct Disorders C. difficile Chronic Liver Disease Colon Cancer Colonoscopies Colorectal Cancer Screening Diet and Irritable Bowel Syndrome Dietary Myths and Diverticular Disease Digital Health Disparities in Care, Fellows Clinics, Outpatient GI Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Dyspepsia Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection Eosinophilic Esophagitis Esophageal Disorders and Motility Ethical Issues in the Care of Patients with Liver Diseases Functional Bowel Disorders GERD GI Motility Disorders |
Health Information Outcomes Technology and Utilization Health IT in Improving Healthcare Delivery Hepatic Porphyria Hepatitis Treatment Update Hepatology & Transplant IBD & Management of Pregnancy / High Quality Care Inflammatory Bowel Disease Lower GI Bleeding NAFLD Nutrition, Microbiome, Immunology Obesity Pancreatic Disease Pancreatobiliary and Interventional Endoscopy Per-oral Endoscopic Myotomy QI Programs Robotic Endoscopy Small Bowel Bleeding The Effects of Sleep on GI Health Ulcerative Colitis Management Upper GI Motility and Endoscopic Ultrasound Video Capsule Training |
Past Speakers
For programs applying for an EAVP, you may consider other ACG members as speakers and/or list if you are open to ACG’s suggestions.
| Maria T. Abreu, MD Anita Afzali, MD, MPH, MHCM, FACG Adjoa N. Anyane-Yeboa, MD, MPH Charles N. Bernstein, MD, FACG Tyler M. Berzin, MD, FACG Carol A. Burke, MD, FACG Lin Chang, MD, FACG Aline Charabaty, MD, FACG Victor Chedid, MD, MS William D. Chey, MD, FACG Thomas M. Deas, Jr., MD, FACG Evan S. Dellon, MD, MPH, FACG Douglas A. Drossman, MD, MACG Francis A. Farraye, MD, MSc, MACG Martin L. Freeman, MD, MACG Lauren B. Gerson, MD, MSc, MACG (deceased) Seth Gross, MD, FACG Christina Y. Ha, MD, FACG Stephen B. Hanauer, MD, MACG David J. Hass, MD, FACG Jorge L. Herrera, MD, MACG Peter D.R. Higgins, MD, PhD, MSc Rachel Issaka, MD Prasad G. Iyer, MD, MS, FACG Sunanda V. Kane, MD, MSPH, FACG Michelle K. Kim, MD, MSc, PhD Kris V. Kowdley, MD, FACG Paul Y. Kwo, MD, FACG David A. Johnson, MD, MACG Brian E. Lacy, MD, PhD, FACG Jonathan A. Leighton, MD, FACG Edward V. Loftus, Jr., MD, FACG Millie D. Long, MD, MPH, FACG Paul Martin, MD, FACG Folasade P. May, MD, PhD, MPhil |
Girish Mishra, MD, MS, FACG Lauren D. Nephew, MD Linda Anh B. Nguyen, MD, FACG Mohamed O. Othman, MD Amy S. Oxentenko, MD, FACG John E. Pandolfino, MD, MSCI, FACG Sonali Paul, MD, MS Eamonn M.M. Quigley, MD, MACG G.S. Raju, MD, FACG Laura E. Raffals, MD, MS, FACG Satish S.C. Rao, MD, PhD, FACG Miguel D. Regueiro, MD, FACG Douglas K. Rex, MD, MACG Nancy S. Reau, MD, FACG Nicole E. Rich, MD David T. Rubin, MD, FACG Nicholas J. Shaheen, MD, MPH, MACG Prateek Sharma, MD, FACG Aasma Shaukat, MD, MPH, FACG Amandeep K. Shergill, MD, MS, FACG Mitchell L. Shiffman, MD, FACG Corey A. Siegel, MD, MS Ashwani K. Singal, MD, MS, FACG Lisa L. Strate, MD, MPH, FACG Roy M. Soetikno, MD, FACG Christina M. Surawicz, MD, MACG Sapna Syngal, MD, FACG Christopher C. Thompson, MD, MSc, FACG John J. Vargo, II, MD, MPH, FACG Marcelo F. Vela, MD, MSCR, FACG Christopher D. Vélez, MD Sachin B. Wani, MD Andrew Y. Wang, MD, FACG |
Locations of Previous EAVP Visits
Please review whether your institution has received a previous visit prior to submitting your application.
| University of Alabama at Birmingham (AL) University of South Alabama (AL) Creighton University/St. Joseph’s Medical Center (AZ) Mountain Vista Med Ctr in assoc. w/ Midwestern Univ (AZ) University of Arizona College of Medicine -Phoenix & Phoenix VA Health Care Sys & Banner Univ Med Ctr Phoenix (AZ) Mayo Clinic Scottsdale (AZ) UC Irvine (CA) LAC+USC/USC Keck School of Medicine (CA) University of California, Davis (CA) UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Gastroenterology Fellowship Training Program (CA) California Pacific Medical Center (CA) Loma Linda University (CA) University of Alberta CANADA (AB) McMaster University CANADA (ON) University of Colorado (CO) University of Connecticut (CT) UCONN Health (CT) George Washington University (DC) Howard University (DC) AdventHealth Orlando (FL) University of Florida (FL) Cleveland Clinic Florida (FL) University of Miami Miller School of Medicine (FL) University of South Florida (FL) Emory University School of Medicine (GA) Augusta University/Georgia Medical College (GA) University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics (IA) Advocate Lutheran General Hospital (IL) Cook County Hospital (IL) Northwestern University (IL) University of Illinois – Chicago (IL) Rush University Medical Center (IL) University of Kansas Medical Center (KS) LSU New Orleans (LA) LSU Shreveport (LA) University of Massachusetts T.H. Chan School of Medicine (MA) University of Massachusetts T.H. Chan School of Medicine – Baystate Health (MA) Tufts Medical Center (MA) Mercy Medical Center (MD) National Institutes of Health (MD) Providence-Providence Park Hospital and Medical Center/MSU-CHM (MI) Wayne State University/Detroit Medical Center (MI) Beaumont – Botsford Campus (MI) Genesys Regional Medical Center (MI) University of Michigan (MI) University of Minnesota/ VA Medical Center (MN) Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine (MO) Saint Louis University (MO) The University of Mississippi Medical Center (MS) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (NC) University of North Carolina at Blue Ridge (NC) Atrium Health (NC) Wake Forest School of Medicine (NC) Creighton University (NE) University of Nebraska Medical Center (NE) Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine (NJ) Cooper University Hospital (NJ) University of New Mexico (NM) Nassau University Medical Center (NY) Mount Sinai Beth Israel, St. Luke’s, and West (NY) Mount Sinai West and Morningside (NY) NYU School of Medicine (NY) New York-Presbyterian/ Weill Cornell Med Ctr (NY) Northwell Lenox Hill (NY) SUNY Downstate Medical Center (NY) North Shore University Health System (NY) Maimonides Medical Center (NY) SUNY Upstate, Syracuse (NY) Westchester Medical Center (NY) The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center (OH) MetroHealth Medical Center (OH) University Hospitals Case Medical (OH) Cleveland Clinic (OH) University of Oklahoma (OK) Oregon Health Sciences University (OR) Thomas Jefferson University (PA) Allegheny General Hospital (PA) Geisinger (PA) St Luke’s University Hospital (PA) Lehigh Valley Health Network (PA) Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center (PA) University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (PA) Brown University (RI) Vanderbilt Medical Center (TN) Ascension St. John Hospital (TX) Dell Medical School at UT Austin (TX) Methodist Dallas Medical Center (TX) Brooke Army Medical Center (TX) Texas Tech University Health Sciences Ctr El Paso (TX) Houston Methodist Hospital (TX) UT Southwestern (TX) Baylor College of Medicine (TX) Univ of TX Health Sci Ctr at San Antonio (TX) Virginia Commonwealth University (VA) University of Virigina (VA) Medstar Georgetown (VA) Walter Reed Medical Center (VA) West Virginia University (WV) |
2026 ACG Edgar Achkar
Visiting Professorships
*Linda B. Anh Nguyen, MD, FACG
UT MD Anderson Cancer Center
February 26-27
*Michael T. Dolinger, MD
Brown University
March 12
Brian E. Lacy, MD, PhD, FACG
University of North Carolina
March 24-25
Anita Afzali, MD, MPH, MHCM, FACG
University of Mississippi Medical Center
March 31
*Neil H. Stollman, MD, FACG
Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital
May 13
*Christina Y. Ha, MD, FACG
University of Vermont Medical Center
June 16
University of Cincinnati
September 14-15
Sonali Paul, MD, FACG
Creighton University – Omaha
September 30
Sapna Syngal, MD, FACG
Loyola University Medical Center
October 5-6
*Adam S. Faye, MD, MS
University of Wisconsin
November 3
*visits requested topics related to Equity, Diversity, and Ethical Care
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