Ghassan Al-Sabbagh MD: Medical School: What to Expect

Ghassan Al-Sabbagh MD received his Doctorate of Medicine from Damascus University School of Medicine in Syria. Like all medical students, he spent years in school and underwent a rigorous residency program before becoming a doctor. If you are considering becoming a doctor, here is what you can expect after enrolling in medical school.

It will take you four years to complete your education, plus you'll need to spend another three to seven years in a residency program. The first two years of your education you will spend in the classroom and participate in labs. You'll have to take basic science classes, including pathology, anatomy, microbiology, biochemistry, and pharmacology. This is also the time you will learn how to interview and examine patients. During the first two years, you’ll also take between four and five courses that various in disciplines. By the end of the second year, you’ll be ready to take the first step of the USMLE.

The third and fourth years of medical school you will gain clinical experience. This is the time you will do rotations at hospitals and clinics that are affiliated with your school. You will be required to spend time assisting the residents. The residents you work with will depend on which specialty you've chosen to study. At the end of the fourth year, you'll need to take and pass, the second step of the USMLE.

After getting through the four years of medical school, you’ll earn you’ll Doctorate of Medicine degree. You will still need to pass the board exam and spend time completing your residency program. Ghassan Al-Sabbagh  has been a practicing doctor for more than thirty years, opening a gastroenterology private practice in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Ghassan Al-sabbagh: Symptoms, Treatments, and Prevention of Gallstones

Ghassan Al-sabbagh is a hepatologist and gastroenterologist from North Carolina. Ghassan Al-Sabbagh MD received higher education in biliary disease from 1998 to 1999. Biliary disease is defined as “any pathology affecting the gallbladder and its conduits”.

 A common condition of the gallbladder is gallstones lurking inside one’s gallbladder, which are hard deposits. A gallbladder is a small organ that is responsible for storing bile, a digestive fluid made in the liver. Some people have asymptomatic gallstones, meaning they have no symptoms at all. However, the symptoms may be: pain in the abdomen, fever, nausea, vomiting, clay colored stools or a yellowish tint in skin or eyes, indicating jaundice.

Several procedures of different types are performed for the diagnosis of gallstones. The tests include:

Abdominal CT scan

This is an imaging test taking pictures of one’s abdominal region and liver.

Ultrasound

This can be done to produce images of the abdomen. It is a preferred method to confirm the gallstone disease.

Gallbladder Radionuclide scan

This is a scan, in which a specialist injects into veins, a radioactive substance; and this scan takes around one hour to complete. This substance travels through blood to liver and gallbladder and highlights blockages or infections.

Blood tests

Blood tests can be done to measure bilirubin in the blood and to determine the functioning of the liver.

There are various treatment options used for the removal of stones or improvement in condition, which are:

Medications

Drugs can be prescribed to dissolve cholesterol-caused gallstones. However, medications can take a lot of time or years in the elimination of gallstones.

Surgery

It is the first option considered by a doctor. A common surgery known as laparoscopic gallbladder removal may be performed. It is a procedure in which a surgeon inserts a small lighted device by making incisions in the abdomen, in order to remove the gallbladder.

Ghassan Al-sabbagh Md stresses that a gallstone cannot be prevented, however the risk of having one can be reduced by eating a balanced diet, drinking lots of water every day in order to keep the body hydrated, and not skipping any meals. Rapid weight-loss can also increase the risk of gallstones, therefore, one should try to lose weight slowly and gradually.

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