The reasons gastroenterologists leave clinical practice for industry vary, but there appears to be a common thread: By working with pharmaceutical or medical device companies, they potentially can help far more patients than they could ever treat in person.
Austin Chiang, MD, MPH, was only four years out of training when the president of Medtronic’s gastroenterology division called him to discuss a chief medical officer position.
An assistant professor at Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, in Philadelphia, with fellowships in gastroenterology, bariatric endoscopy and advanced endoscopy, Dr. Chiang had never considered going into industry before that phone call.