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News Release

June 3, 2008

Contact: Chris DeFrancesco, 860-679-3914
e-mail: cdefrancesco@uchc.edu

UConn Introduces New GI Director

FARMINGTON, CONN. – John W. Birk, M.D., has joined the University of Connecticut Health Center as chief of the Division of Gastroenterology-Hepatology.

Birk treats a range of gastroenterological conditions, including upper GI tumors, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and hepatobiliary and pancreatic diseases, using advanced endoscopic techniques.

“Our therapies are constantly evolving, enabling us to more frequently turn to less invasive diagnoses and treatments,” says Birk, who offers endoluminal therapy, an endoscopic procedure, for GERD, and celiac nerve block, the injection of alcohol to destroy pain fibers, for chronic abdominal pain.

Birk comes to UConn from Stony Brook University Hospital in Stony Brook, N.Y., where he was medical director of endoscopy. Stony Brook is also where he completed a fellowship in gastroenterology and his internship and residency work in internal medicine. He earned his medical degree at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. He is board certified in internal medicine and gastroenterology.

“I hope to bring a new level of advanced care in gastroenterology for the people of central Connecticut,” Birk says.

Birk is recently married and lives in West Hartford.

Photo: http://today.uchc.edu/images/news/birk.jpg
Caption: Dr. John W. Birk is the University of Connecticut Health Center’s new director of gastroenterology.

UConn Health includes the schools of medicine and dental medicine, the UConn Medical Group, University Dentists, and John Dempsey Hospital. Home to Bioscience Connecticut, UConn Health pursues a mission of providing outstanding health care education in an environment of exemplary patient care, research and public service. More information about UConn Health is available at www.uchc.edu.

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