gastroenterologists are doctors who specialize in the gastrointestinal (gi) tract and upper abdominal organs. the gi tract is consists of the esophagus all the way down to the anus. the upper abdominal organs include the liver, gallbladder, pancreas and spleen. in addition to dealing with medical conditions associated with these organs, doctors in this speciality also perform endoscopies. this is where a camera is placed to visualize the esophagus and stomach (upper endoscopy) or the colon (lower endoscopy or colonoscopy). gastroenterologists that specialize in the liver is called a hepatologist. they are responsible for treating patients with liver failure or cirrhosis. they also treat patients with viral hepatitis (a,b,c) and many other forms of liver disease.