Senior House Officer

Medical Gastroenterology Senior House Officer — Job Description

Job Title: Senior House Officer (SHO) – Medical Gastroenterology
Department: Gastroenterology / Medicine
Reports to: Consultant Gastroenterologist / Clinical Lead

Key Responsibilities

• Assess, diagnose, and manage patients presenting with gastrointestinal and liver-related conditions.
• Take detailed medical histories and perform comprehensive clinical examinations.
• Develop and implement appropriate investigation and treatment plans under consultant supervision.
• Manage common gastroenterological emergencies, including:
  • Upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding
  • Acute pancreatitis
  • Acute liver failure and decompensated chronic liver disease
  • Cholangitis and obstructive jaundice
  • Inflammatory bowel disease flares
  • Gastrointestinal infections
• Review and manage gastroenterology inpatients and provide appropriate follow-up.
• Participate in ward rounds, outpatient clinics, multidisciplinary meetings, and departmental teaching.
• Assist consultants with procedures such as upper GI endoscopy, colonoscopy, paracentesis, and other gastroenterological procedures, according to competence and local policy.
• Recognise deteriorating patients and initiate appropriate emergency management.
• Request and interpret relevant laboratory tests, imaging, endoscopy reports, and other investigations.
• Communicate effectively with patients and relatives regarding diagnosis, investigations, treatment, and discharge planning.
• Maintain accurate and timely clinical documentation and discharge summaries.
• Work collaboratively with nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, and other healthcare professionals.
• Participate in the medical on-call and out-of-hours rota.
• Contribute to clinical audit, quality improvement, research, and departmental education.
• Maintain professional standards, patient confidentiality, infection-control practices, and appropriate safeguarding procedures.