Training for a career in hepatology: which path to take?

Hepatology has matured significantly over the past two decades, and most gastroenterologists now believe that it is a distinct subspecialty. An unmet public health need exists for professional expertise in the care of patients with liver diseases. However, our current training programs are struggling to adequately recruit and train physicians with the appropriate expertise in advanced and transplant hepatology. This review briefly summarizes the recent discoveries and developments in clinical hepatology, describes the past and current training paradigms, and suggests potential pathways to improve the number and quality of physicians trained in advanced and transplant hepatology.