Gastroenterology Approval Committees
The Approval Committees aim to maintain a composition that reflects the diversity and complexity of the physician and patient populations that certification serves. They comprise entirely practicing, board certified physicians with active certificates in their respective specialties.
Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment
Dr. Prather is a gastroenterologist and Professor of Internal Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. She is also Director of the Gastroenterology Fellowship Program. She is ABIM Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology.
Dr. Prather specializes in digestive disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, diarrhea, bowel incontinence, pelvic floor disorders and esophageal disorders such as achalasia, GERD and Barrett esophagus. She uses the latest treatment techniques, such as capsules that send data signals from inside the digestive tract to a recording device worn outside the body, capsules that record video as they travel through the digestive tract, and nonsurgical incontinence treatments such as injections and pelvic floor retraining.
Dr. Prather is a medical journal reviewer and a sought-after speaker on gastrointestinal issues. She is active in many professional organizations, including the American Medical Association, the American Gastroenterological Association and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
She completed her medical degree and residency at the University of Missouri at Kansas City and her fellowship at the Mayo Clinic.
As of June 2023, Dr. Prather reported no ongoing external relationships.
Dr. Kim is an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC). He is a transplant hepatologist specializing in the treatment of patients with acute and chronic liver disease, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. He is also the Program Director for the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-approved Gastroenterology Fellowship at USC and serves as the chair of the USC Keck School of Medicine Gastrointestinal/Liver Course.
Dr. Kim is ABIM Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology and Transplant Hepatology. He is an active member of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) where he serves as a member of the AASLD Maintenance of Certification Committee. He is also an active member of the American College of Gastroenterology and the American Gastroenterological Association.
Dr. Kim's clinical research interests include liver transplantation, living donor liver transplantation, cardiac diseases in liver patients and complications of portal hypertension. He has authored numerous chapters and articles in peer-reviewed journals on various topics in liver disease and liver transplantation.
Dr. Kim graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology from Yale University. He received his medical degree from Columbia University Roy and Diana Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. He completed his internship and residency training in internal medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. He completed a gastroenterology fellowship at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a transplant hepatology fellowship at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
As of October 2024, Dr. Kim reported no ongoing external relationships.
Dr. Martin is a Professor of Medicine, Mandell Chair in Gastroenterology and Chief of the Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Florida. He is Editor-in Chief of Liver Transplantation and editor of The Handbook of Liver Disease. He was previously a Councilor of the American Society of Transplantation.
He is a native of Dublin, Ireland, where he graduated from medical school at University College, Dublin. His training in internal medicine and gastroenterology was initially in Dublin and subsequently in Canada. He trained in hepatology as a medical staff fellow in the Liver Unit, National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.
As of May 2024, Dr. Martin reported the following external relationships.
Funding for clinical trial expenses, salary support and staff, paid to the University of Miami, from the following companies:
- Intercept
Dr. Vachhani is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, and Director of the Gastroenterology Fellowship Program at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Health System. He is ABIM Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. Dr. Vachhani has received many awards, including Leadership in Graduate Medical Education, Distinguished Clinical Care and the ABIM Item-Writing Task Forces Extraordinary Performance Award. His passion and commitment to teaching are evident in hundreds of superlative comments from all spectrums of trainees.
Dr. Vachhani's research has focused on the cystic neoplasm of pancreatic cysts and biliary anastomotic stricture post-liver transplants. Over the years, he has published extensively on therapeutic endoscopy while mentoring trainees. He has presented broadly at national meetings where fellows were mentored and introduced to scholarly activities. Dr. Vachhani is considered a "master clinician" and serves as an attending in the digestive health service, gastroenterology consults service, biliary and pancreatic inpatient service and fellows' continuity clinic. By collaborating with various subspecialties, he has been a source of referral for many local and regional gastroenterologists, particularly for complex cases that require an advanced therapeutic endoscopy skillset. He has been recognized among the "top docs" in Richmond and Virginia business magazines.
Dr. Vachhani received a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from B. J. Medical College in Gujarat, India. He completed internal medicine training at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and practiced internal medicine for one year before completing gastroenterology training at the same institute, which is renowned for its liver transplant program and strong advanced therapeutic endoscopy program. He spent another year training in advanced therapeutic endoscopy.
As of March 2024, Dr. Vachhani reported no ongoing external relationships.
Dr. Yarze is ABIM Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. Since 1994, he has been in private practice at the Gastroenterology Associates of Northern New York in Glens Falls, New York.
In 1991, Dr. Yarze worked as a gastroenterology staff consultant at the Guthrie Clinic in Sayre, Pennsylvania. While there, he received the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching from the Hahnemann Medical School. Dr. Yarze has previously served as the Medical Director of the Glens Falls Hospital GI Center and as the Quality Improvement Officer for Northern GI Endoscopy, an office-based ambulatory endoscopy unit.
Dr. Yarze presently serves on the Editorial Review Board for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Dr. Yarze is a volunteer teacher at Albany Medical College, where he is a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine. He previously served on the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) Standards of Practice, Healthcare and Public Policy, and the Budget and Financial Planning Committees. Dr. Yarze implemented and staffs a “free for service” gastroenterology clinic on his weekends off, which serves the uninsured in rural northeastern New York. He has contributed more than 185 articles, book chapters, letters and abstracts in peer-reviewed journals and books. Dr. Yarze is a fellow of the American College of Physicians, the American College of Gastroenterology, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the American Gastroenterological Association and the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.
Dr. Yarze matriculated into medical school prior to completing undergraduate studies in chemistry at Rutgers University and holds a medical degree from Rutgers Medical School. He completed his internship, residency and fellowship in gastroenterology at the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.
As of September 2024, Dr. Yarze reported no ongoing external relationships.
Traditional, 10-Year MOC Exam
Dr. Reau, who is ABIM board Certified in Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology and Transplant Hepatology, is Associate Director of Solid Organ Transplantation and Section Chief of Hepatology at Rush University Medical Center.
She previously served as Assistant Professor of Medicine at Rush University in Chicago from 2002 to 2005. She became an Associate Professor of Medicine in 2010, Medical Director of Hepatology Clinical and Translational Research in 2015, and then joined Rush University Medical Center in 2015.
Dr. Reau's research interest is in viral hepatitis, both in drug development as well as utilization. She is currently a member of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) steering committee for the hepatitis C special interest group and a member of the AASLD/Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) Practice Guidelines for hepatitis C and served as the chair of the AASLD public policy committee. She is a member of the American College of Gastroenterology women's training committee. She has been a member of the national board of directors of the American Liver Foundation (ALF) and served as the president of the Illinois chapter. She is currently co-chair of the National ALF Medical Advisory Committee and serves on multiple advisory boards including Medscape and Medivo.
Dr. Reau received her undergraduate degree at Oberlin College and medical degree cum laude from the Ohio State University. She completed internal medicine residency and a gastroenterology fellowship at the Ohio State University. She completed advanced transplant hepatology fellowship training at the Johns Hopkins Medical Center.
As of September 2024, Dr. Reau reported the following external relationships:
Service on data and safety monitoring boards for the following companies, with honoraria:
- Arbutus
Service on a research-related expert panel to provide consulting or advisory board for the following companies, with compensation as listed:
- AbbVie, serving on a national advisory board for clinical development in hepatitis C, receiving travel reimbursement and honoraria.
- Gilead, serving on a national advisory board for clinical development in hepatitis C, receiving travel reimbursement and honoraria.
- Salix, serving on an advisory board, receiving travel reimbursement and honoraria.
- VIR, consultant, receiving travel reimbursement and honoraria.
Industry-supported continuing medical education supported by the following, with compensation for travel expenses and honoraria:
- Focus Med, delivering lectures, receiving honoraria.
- Medscape, content development, receiving honoraria.
Work as an author or editor for the following company, with compensation as listed:
• UpToDate, receiving compensation as section editor.
Dr. Reau serves in significant roles with the following organization, receiving reimbursement or compensation as listed:
- The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, Counselor, receiving honoraria.
Dr. Kohli is an interventional endoscopist working at Providence Digestive Health Institute in Spokane, Washington. Prior to his current position, he served as the Director of Endoscopy at the Kansas City VA Medical Center in Missouri and as adjunct faculty for the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Fellowship Program at the University of Kansas School of Medicine.
Dr. Kohli has served in multiple volunteer roles with ABIM, including as a member of a standard-setting panel, member and pod leader of the Gastroenterology Item-Writing Task Force, and member of the Gastroenterology Traditional, 10-Year Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Exam Approval Committee. He is a member of the ABIM Gastroenterology Board. Dr. Kohli also serves on the Standards of Practice Committee at the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy where he is involved in developing guidelines and best practices for clinicians. He has been recognized for his outstanding public service and professionalism by the Veterans Health Administration and is a recipient of the Saul Zuckerman Humanitarianism in Medicine Award for outstanding scholarship and compassion. He has authored over 60 research papers and has received multiple awards for his leading-edge clinical research.
Dr. Kohli received his medical degree from Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh, in India, and completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. He then completed fellowships in gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he also served as Chief Fellow. He then went on to complete an advanced endoscopy fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona.
As of September 2024, Dr. Kohli reported the no ongoing external relationships.
Dr. Lichtenstein is the Director of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy at Boston Medical Center and Associate Professor of Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine. He is ABIM Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology.
Dr. Lichtenstein is a recognized educator in endoscopic approaches for diagnosing and managing gastrointestinal hemorrhage, pancreaticobiliary tract disorders and gastrointestinal malignancies. He supervises gastroenterology fellowship training in advanced endoscopic procedures and is responsible for evaluating and implementing new endoscopic technologies at Boston Medical Center.
Dr. Lichtenstein is an active member and current fellow of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), the American College of Gastroenterology and the American Gastroenterological Association. He has been recognized in The Best Doctors in America, Boston Magazine’s “Best Doctors of Boston” and Castle Connolly's Guide to America's Top Doctors. He is the former Chair of the Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Section of the Annual Scientific Program Committee for Digestive Disease Week, and Chair of the Assessment and Certification Task Force that introduced a series of Skills Training Assessment Reinforcement educational programs for ASGE. He has also served on the ASGE Research, Standards of Practice, International, Web Education, Technology and Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Self-Assessment Program Committees. In addition, he was a past president of the New England Endoscopy Society.
Dr. Lichtenstein received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He completed residency training in internal medicine at Duke University Medical Center and received fellowship training in gastroenterology at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston. He later served as Chief Medical Resident at Duke University Medical Center and subsequently received advanced interventional endoscopy training at Duke University Medical Center and Brigham and Women's Hospital.
As of April 2025, Dr. Lichtenstein reported the following external relationships:
Service on data and safety monitoring boards for the following companies, with honoraria:
- Boston Scientific, for service on the Clinical Events Committee.
- SafeHeal, for an endoluminal bypass sheath study.
Consulting on design of new drugs or devices, clinical trials, the use of specific agents or other research-related activities for the following company, with compensation for travel expenses and honoraria:
- Olympus, for consulting for device development.
Industry-supported continuing medical education supported by the following, with compensation for travel expenses and honoraria:
- Olympus, for a fellows’ endoscopy course with hands-on training.
Dr. Shoreibah is a physician and academic leader in the field of internal medicine, with specialized expertise in transplant hepatology. Currently serving as an Associate Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Dr. Shoreibah holds the position of Director of the Hepatology Section, in which role he leads research initiatives and fosters the development of the next generation of medical professionals. Passionate about maintaining the highest standards of patient care, Dr. Shoreibah has contributed to ABIM as a member of the Item-Writing Task Forces, including roles as an item-writing mentor and member of the selection committee.
Dr. Shoreibah's dedication to ABIM's mission to enhance healthcare quality through certification aligns seamlessly with his personal philosophy. Through his multifaceted contributions to academia, patient care and professional development, Dr. Shoreibah remains steadfast in the commitment to advancing the field of internal medicine for the betterment of patient outcomes and healthcare excellence.
After completing residency training in internal medicine at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, Dr. Shoreibah pursued fellowship training in hepatology, gastroenterology and transplant hepatology at the University of Alabama Medical Center. He is ABIM Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology and Transplant Hepatology.
As of February 2025, Dr. Shoreibah reported no ongoing external relationships.