Sunday, January 3, 2016

New York City Is Home To Many Qualified Bariatric Doctors

By Carl Green


Medicine is a wide discipline that has several subcategories, which are dedicated to the study of various medical conditions, disorders, and diseases that people suffer from. The branch of medicine that deals with the study of causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of obesity in people is called bariatrics. The medical practitioners who specialize in this branch of medicine are called bariatric physicians or bariatricians. The two terms are used interchangeably. New York is one of the states that have many highly qualified bariatric doctors.

The year 1965 is when the term bariatrics was coined. The term originated from the Greek language. When translated into the English language, the word gives the meaning of pertaining to treatment of weight. The profession comprises of different approaches to loss of weight including exercise, dieting, and behavioral therapy. There are other meanings associated with the term in the medicine profession too.

Overweight and obesity are continue to cause medical concern in the whole world, particularly developed states. Of all the American adult population, a third of the people have been estimated to be obese by the CDC. The problem is expected to get worse if the existing trend in obesity goes on. With the trend, by 2030, 44 percent of all Americans in all states will be experiencing some form of obesity. Therefore, more batricians are likely to be needed in the future. Obesity is said to exist if one has their body mass index often abbreviated to BMI placed above 30.

People with an BMI value of more than 30 have been found to be more susceptible to certain medical conditions. Such health conditions include chronic musculoskeletal problems, obstructive sleep apnea, asthma, heart disease, various forms of cancer, and diabetes mellitus. Because obese people are incapable of solving their own weight problem, they need the intervention of a bariatrician.

Treatment of obesity can be done using many different methods. First-line treatments usually include behavior therapy, anti-obesity drugs, exercise, and diet. These methods are not very effective and are known to have very limited success in the short-term while long-term success is outright poor. That leaves weight loss surgery as the main alternative left. Surgery has been determined to be relatively more effective than conventional treatment methods in both the short and long-term.

There are a lot of academic qualifications that need to be attained for one to become a bariatrician. A good starting point is graduating with an MD from an accredited school of medicine. Courses in medicine conclude with supervised clinical rotations for two years. Residency program comes afterward. Most residency programs take 3-7 years.

Licensure is mandatory for one to practice. Licensure follows residency and medical school in that order. To practice in America, practitioners must take and excel in the licensing exam. Board certification in obesity medicine comes after licensure. The board exam must be taken and passed. The certification board assists candidates with preparation by administering a certification review course and a workshop.

One can further their qualifications if they want. Professional organizations also accredit their members. Bariatrics still a young field and a lot of research is ongoing. Therefore, professionals must keep up with changes in order to be more effective at treating patients.




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