Benjamin Niland, M.D.Academic title: Assistant professor of internal medicine; interim division director, gastroenterology; director, section on motility, gastroenterology
Joined the USA College of Medicine faculty: 2019 following completion of my fellowship training here at South
What does your position in the USA COM/USA Health entail?
I care for patients as part of my clinical duties as a gastroenterologist as well as provide leadership of the gastroenterology division, which includes day-to-day clinical operations, recruitment of new faculty, expansion of new programs, management of the GI motility service line, participation in scholarly activity, and involvement in the education of medical students, residents and GI fellows.
What is your favorite or most rewarding part of your position?
The most rewarding parts are having the ability to make a positive change in the lives of patients, and seeing the growth and development of young, future leaders in their field of work.
What research or other initiatives are you involved in?
Current initiatives involve an open-access endoscopy pathway to decrease barriers for patients in need of colon cancer screening, an acute care pathway for patients in need of more urgent outpatient GI evaluation, expansion of the GI fellowship, recruitment of GI physicians and advanced practice providers, development of the GI motility service line including new procedures and protocols to offer new services to our community. Research interests include esophageal disorders, GI motility, functional GI disease, and colon cancer screening.
What is your advice for medical students?
Develop the curiosity and skills to be a lifelong learner in your field (because your profession will require it).
Learn the business and politics of medicine as it is not always covered comprehensively in your formal education, yet it will likely be important at some point in your career.
You may have heard of “The three A’s” of being a good physician: affability, availability and ability. Your education will tend to focus on ability, but I find the other two are also very important.
Keep your other interests outside of medicine, and don’t let school or career consume you as a person.
What are your hobbies/interests outside of work?
My wife and three young daughters are the center of my life outside of work. I enjoy golfing, hunting, fishing, and cooking out whenever I get the chance. I am a big sports fan. We are originally from Louisiana and enjoy getting back to those Cajun roots when we visit family and friends.
