COMMENTARIES
Practical Teaching
Cases: A New
Section for
Trainees and
Young GIs
O ver the past 10 years, the
“Clinical Challenges and Im-
ages in GI” section of Gastroenterology
has consistently received high marks
from the readership because of its di-
versity of novel cases with associated
images. The journal receives >30
submissions each month from around
the world. We select 4 cases for pub-
lication in each issue of the journal as
well 6 cases that are published exclu-
sively on line.
We are now pleased to announce
the launch of a new offshoot of “Clin-
ical Challenges and Images in GI,”
entitled “Practical Teaching Cases.” The
purpose of this new section is to pro-
vide 1 or 2 informative patient cases
each month that test the knowledge
of interested readers and provide an
up-to-date synopsis of possible diag-
nostic and therapeutic options posed
by the case. The focus of the practical
teaching cases section will not be rare
cases with great images (as is seen
in “Clinical Challenges and Images in
GI”), but rather more common clinical
scenarios that are part of the knowl-
edge base of our specialty. We devel-
oped this section in recognition of the
growing need to provide standardi-
zed, high-quality, educational activities
that are easily accessible and useful to
our readership. There are already
multiple practice guidelines, topic re-
views, and clinical updates published
Gastroenterology 2015;149:266
and presented by the American Gas-
troenterological Association, Ame-
rican College of Gastroenterology,
American Society for Gastrointestinal
Endoscopy, American Association for
the Study of Liver Diseases, and
other professional societies to help
practitioners keep abreast of the
never-ending developments in gas-
troenterology and hepatology. At the
same time, the American Board of In-
ternal Medicine, Accreditation Coun-
sel for Graduate Medical Education,
and other regulatory bodies are re-
quiring increasing evidence of on-
going educational activities such as
Maintenance of Certification hoping, to
ensure a minimum level of competency
in the diagnostic and therapeutic areas
of our specialty. We believe that the
“Practical Teaching Cases” section will
be both interesting and fun for our
readership.
Authors can submit cases in a semi-
templated format with associated
radiologic, histologic, and/or endo-
scopic images that pose a diagnostic or
therapeutic dilemma with educational
value. Authors will include a single
multiple choice question and answer.
We are hopeful that both trainees
and faculty, particularly faculty in GI
fellowship training programs, will sub-
mit cases that help to teach the prin-
ciples of modern GI practice and
consultation. The discussion section of
each “Practical Teaching Case” reviews
why possible options were incorrect
and cite up to 3 recently published
practice guidelines, original articles,
or position statements for interes-
ted readers that support the correct
answer. Each case will be categorized
into the organ system/clinical area of
GI/hepatology practice that they em-
phasize (esophagus, stomach, small
bowel, pancreas, hepatobiliary, gall-
bladder, colon). In the future, we will
collate the cases into an indexed and
retrievable electronic format that pra-
ctitioners can access as part of their
preparation for certification and recer-
tification examinations or use at local
teaching conferences.
The first “Practical Teaching Case” is
presented in this issue of Gastroenter-
ology (see page 300). Submit your ar-
ticles via Editorial Manager.
Instructions for Authors can be found
on Gastroenterology’s website. We
welcome your input and feedback for
further suggestions to improve this new
section of the journal. You can easily
contact us at gastro@gastro.org. We
would like to thank Laura Flecha from
the American Gastroenterological As-
sociation staff who works closely with
us to oversee this section of the journal.
ROBERT J. FONTANA
GRACE H. ELTA
Division of Gastroenterology
Department of Internal Medicine
University of Michigan Medical School
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Reprint requests
Address requests for reprints to: Robert Fontana,
MD, Division of Gastroenterology, Department
of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan
Medical School, 3912 Taubman Center, Ann
Arbor, Michigan 48109-0362. e-mail:
rfontana@med.umich.edu.
Conflicts of interest
The authors disclose no conflicts.
© 2015 by the AGA Institute
0016-5085/$36.00
http://dx.doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2015.06.023