Sheldon Taub, MD, a gastroenterologist at Jupiter (Fla.) Medical Center with 45 years of experience, joined Becker’s to discuss the rewarding yet increasingly complex path of pursuing a medical career. Editor’s note: This response has been edited lightly for clarity and length. Question: If a student asked you today whether they should pursue a career in medicine, how would you advise them — and what experiences have shaped that perspective?
Author: Abhay Panchal
UCLA has received a $25 million commitment from alumna and former UCLA Foundation chair Shirley Wang and her husband, Walter, to establish the UCLA Walter and Shirley Wang Center for Integrative Digestive Health, one of the nation’s first programs to offer truly holistic gastrointestinal care. Opening later this year, the center will bring together gastroenterologists, GI psychologists, specialized dietitians and integrative health practitioners—using evidence-based approaches such as diaphragmatic breathing, mindfulness and self-compassion training—alongside nutrition and psychology services, all coordinated by dedicated care managers.
Geneoscopy co-founders Andrew Barnell, MBA, and Erica Barnell, M.D., Ph.D., have been named finalists for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2025 Heartland Award, which honors leaders of high-growth, innovative companies in the Midwest. Under their leadership, St. Louis–based Geneoscopy has developed ColoSense®, an FDA-approved, non-invasive colorectal cancer screening test based on stool-derived RNA biomarkers, and is expanding its pipeline into inflammatory bowel disease diagnostics.
A study published in March 2025 in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention offers important insights for the future of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, particularly in how the cost-effectiveness of new noninvasive tests could reshape current practices. Here’s an overview of the research.The Study’s Design. Using a simulated model of 100,000 average-risk 45-year-old adults, the research compared three novel screening options—multitarget stool RNA (mt-sRNA), multitarget stool DNA 2.0, and cell-free DNA tests—against guideline-recommended methods like colonoscopy, fecal immunochemical testing, and stool DNA testing.
ResearchAndMarkets forecasts that the global gastrointestinal diagnostics market will grow from an estimated US$4.9 billion in 2024 to US$5.8 billion by 2030, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.8%. Endoscopy remains the largest test segment (projected to reach US$1.6 billion by 2030), while blood‐based diagnostics also continue to expand.
In this article, Dr. James M. Dahle highlights how most physicians enter practice with little to no training in personal finance, which often leads to unchecked spending, missed income opportunities, and lifelong money stress.
The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a False Claims Act lawsuit in Boston federal court accusing three of the country’s largest insurers—CVS Health/Aetna, Elevance Health and Humana—of running a massive kickback scheme between 2016 and 2021. According to the complaint, the insurers paid hundreds of millions of dollars in “marketing,” “co-op” or “sponsorship” fees to brokers—eHealth, GoHealth and SelectQuote—in exchange for steering Medicare beneficiaries into the insurers’ Medicare Advantage plans. The DOJ alleges that brokers prioritized plans offering the highest kickbacks (and even avoided enrolling less-profitable patients, such as those with disabilities) rather than acting in their clients’ best…
GI Alliance, a physician-led multispecialty management services organization owned by Cardinal Health, has acquired two leading urology practices to build out an integrated specialty platform: These purchases mark GI Alliance’s first move beyond gastrointestinal care into urology, aiming to deliver more coordinated, patient-centered services. The Urology America deal is set to close by June 2025, while the Potomac Urology acquisition is already complete. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Management Service Organizations (MSOs) were originally created to help physician practices with administrative tasks like billing and HR. However, they’ve increasingly become tools for private equity firms, insurers, and corporations to control medical practices—often bypassing state laws that prohibit non-physicians from owning or directing medical care. MSOs now not only provide services but also buy up practices, consolidate networks, and influence clinical decisions—all while claiming not to “own” the practice. This can result in higher costs, reduced physician autonomy, and patient care that may prioritize profits over health.
CVS Health’s Caremark PBM struck a major deal with Novo Nordisk to give Wegovy preferred formulary access over Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, shifting market momentum in the GLP-1 weight loss drug space. Starting July 1, Wegovy will cost less for Caremark clients, while Zepbound may see limited coverage. The move could drive volume for Wegovy, CVS Pharmacy, and Caremark’s weight management program. Novo Nordisk shares rose 2%, while Eli Lilly’s dropped over 11%. Eli Lilly downplayed the deal, emphasizing its focus on direct consumer relationships over PBM contracts.