Staff Profiles

Joel E. Richter, M.D.

Chairman and Professor of Medicine
Department of Gastroenterology/Hepatology

I was recruited to the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in 1994 to lead one of the top Gastroenterology and Hepatology programs in the United States. All my faculty members see patients, are skilled endoscopists, and enjoy teaching medical students and housestaff, while keeping fulfilling careers in clinical research, outcome studies, or basic science research.

My personal commitment to teaching medical students and residents has a very high priority. I attend on our inpatient gastroenterology service for one month every July. This gives me the unique opportunity to enjoy the enthusiasm and fears as the interns begin their first year at the Cleveland Clinic. They see my bedside teaching approach, review GI pathology by viewing microscopic slides and surgical specimens from their patients, and are always reminded that we take care of people not just cases.

Other opportunities to teach the housestaff which I enjoy are the G.I. consult service, regular attendance at morning report, and our outpatient clinic where we always welcome residents and students. Additionally, I particularly enjoy helping residents with their research projects, reading their papers, and being available as a mentor. My door is always open for informal interactions.

The motto of the Cleveland Clinic is “World Class Care, Education and Research.” My colleagues and I in Gastroenterology take this commitment seriously and enjoy our interactions on a daily basis with the housestaff and medical students. You are the lifeblood of our Foundation. We are seriously committed to giving you the best residency experience in the United States.