Dr. Atilla Ertan earned his medical degree in 1963 from the University of Ankara Medical School in Turkey. Following completion of his fellowship in gastroenterology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in 1971, he worked at the University of Ankara Medical School until 1980. From 1980-91, he was Professor Medicine at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans where he was named Chief of the Gastroenterology Section from 1984-90 and interim Chairman of Medicine from 1989-90. From 1990-2000, Dr. Ertan held the position of Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Gastroenterology Section at The Methodist Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine. Now, he is Professor of Medicine in Gastroenterology and Hepatology Division at the University of Texas Health and Science Center Medical School and Medical Director of the Digestive Disease Center and Gastroenterology Center of Excellence, at the Memorial Hermann Hospital, Texas Medical Center.
Dr. Ertan has achieved national and international recognition as an outstanding clinical scientist, educator, researcher, and administrator in the field of gastroenterology. He has published over 150 articles in peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, and books and has received numerous awards and honors. Most recently, Dr. Ertan was chosen out of 250,000 Turkish Americans for his outstanding contributions to Society to receive Turkish American of the Year Award by the Assembly of Turkish American Association in Washington D.C. Other honors include the Medicine Science Award of 1992 by the Turkish Science and Technology Research Assembly, 1996 Best Physician Award by the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America, and 2003 Distinguished Clinician Award by the American Gastroenterology Association (AGA). In October 2003, Dr. Ertan received the Master in Gastroenterology Award from the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) for his dedicated work with patients and his innovative research efforts. Dr. Ertan also has been named to the Top Doctors List in Houston and in the US since 1995.
Dr. Atilla Ertan has been active in various national and international gastroenterology societies. For many years, he served on the AGA’s Education Committee (1994-97), the International Liaison Committee (1999-2003), the ACG’s International Relations Committee (Chair, International GI Training Subcommittee, 1994-98) and the Educational Affairs Committee (Chair 1999-2001) He currently serves on the editorial board of six different medical journals.