EMJ Gastroenterology Features Interview with Dr. Drossman

 

The European Medical Journal explores Dr. Drossman’s career and future goals

 

An interview with Dr. Douglas Drossman as a key opinion leader was a featured piece in the October edition of EMJ Gastroenterology. 

The conversation was wide-ranging, covering Dr. Drossman’s extensive career as well as the projects and goals he remains committed to. 

“My goal is to not only increase learning,” Dr. Drossman shared, “but to also create a legacy by training others to continue our goals and objectives.” 

When asked what or who inspired him to enter the field of gastroenterology, Dr. Drossman spoke warmly of his mentors, George Engel and Don Powell. He later emphasized how important it is for medical students to have a mentor as they begin building their own careers. 

On the topic of neuromodulators, Dr. Drossman advocated for their use and value, saying “The key message is the awareness and legitimization of using neuromodulators.” He focused on the importance of both education and communication to remove the stigma associated with neuromodulator use. 

Dr. Drossman’s passion for improving the doctor-patient relationship was highlighted throughout the interview as the discussion touched on topics such as his book “Gut Feelings” (co-authored with Johannah Ruddy), and what he set out to achieve with The Rome Foundation. 

“Ultimately, we want to help patients. The overall mission is: ‘To improve the lives of people with disorders of brain-gut interactions.’ There are four objectives: to promote global recognition and legitimize BGBIs; advance the scientific understanding of their pathophysiology; optimize clinical management for these patients; and develop and provide educational resources to accomplish these goals.” 

A new publication by the Rome Foundation Working Team Committee will be featured in the Gastroenterology Journal in November. “A Review of the Evidence and Recommendations on Communication Skills and the Patient-Provider Relationship: A Rome Foundation Working Team Report” is a major effort by the Rome Foundation to disseminate critical knowledge regarding communication between providers and patients. It also offers extensive guidelines for providers to follow.   

The European Medical Journal is a highly regarded eJournal, developed in 2012 to provide expert insights into the ever evolving field of medicine and the advancements it achieves. Notable abstract-reviews and peer-reviewed articles are selected to be shared amongst their community of leaders in medicine. EMJ currently covers 18 different Therapeutic areas and is managed by European Medical Media. 

You can find the interview in its entirety on the EMJ website. The interview will also be in the printed quarterly edition of EMJ, available in November.