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Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Advance digestive and liver health through clinical innovation, research discovery, and interdisciplinary collaboration to shape tomorrow’s care and knowledge.

The Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) provides clinical, research, and educational services in all aspects of gastroenterology and hepatology medicine for patients located throughout South Carolina and the Southeastern United States. Our peers and our patients continue to rank the Department of Medicine programs among the best in the nation. In 2024, MUSC Health Charleston was once again recognized as high-performing in gastroenterology and GI surgery by U.S. News & World Report.

Education & Training

The Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology offers a variety of fellowship programs for physicians looking to advance their careers.

Research & Scholarship

With robust clinical trials, the division includes an NIH-funded Digestive Disease Research Core Center, one of 17 nationwide, driving collaborative research in digestive and liver diseases.

Clinical Experience

We offer expert, comprehensive care for digestive and liver conditions through our team of nationally recognized specialists.
FY24 9,045 New patient visits
FY24 25.6k Outpatient encounters
CY24 143 Liver transplants
FY24 $4.7M Research funding

Advancing GI impact in numbers

Upcoming Events

Aerial view of the Charleston peninsula

2026 Gastroenterology & Hepatology Update

Join us for the annual 2026 Gastroenterology and Hepatology Update conference on September 26 at The Mills House Hotel in Charleston, SC.
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Garth R. Swanson, M.D.

Division Director and Professor, Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Garth R. Swanson, M.D., serves as division director and professor in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology within the Department of Medicine at the MUSC College of Medicine. A physician-scientist specializing in inflammatory bowel disease, he combines patient care with basic, translational and clinical research focused on intestinal barrier function, circadian biology and environmental factors that influence disease activity.

His laboratory investigates how circadian misalignment, alcohol consumption and related biological pathways affect intestinal permeability and outcomes in people with inflammatory bowel disease. His research has received support from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Dr. Swanson has also developed multidisciplinary inflammatory bowel disease programs, led the Crohn’s and Colitis Center at Rush University and helped establish a digestive disease biorepository containing more than 38,000 samples.

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Contact the Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology

MSC 702
Strom Thurmond Gazes Cardiac Research Institute
30 Courtenay Dr, Ste 249
Charleston, SC 29425

Phone: 843-792-2536

Fax: 843-876-7232

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