The Screening No One Wants to Talk About, with Dr. Renee Williams

Let’s face it, no one says, “I can’t wait to have a colonoscopy!” But with advances in the procedure and easier prep solutions – as well as less-invasive options – there really is no reason to wait to schedule this screening. To mark Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, we are joined by Dr. Renee Williams, a Gastroenterologist and Associate Professor of Medicine at NYU Langone, who wants everyone to know that colon cancer is preventable, treatable and beatable! Dr. Williams explains risk factors, symptoms and the importance of prevention. She also walks us through the procedure and even shares her own, very candid experience about her first screening.

 

The Takeaway

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Guest Bio Renee Williams, MD, MHPE, is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Within the Department of Medicine, she is the Associate Chair for Health Equity and the Director of the Saul Farber Program in Health Equity. Institutionally, she is Graduate Medical Education Pillar Lead for NYU Langone’s Institute for Excellence in Health Equity. Her interests include health disparities in colorectal cancer screening and medical education with a focus on simulation education. She is a member of the Association of American Medical Colleges’ MedEdSCHOLAR Steering Committee, Co-Chair of the New York Citywide Colorectal Cancer Coalition (C5) Risk assessment and Screening Committee, and section editor for the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy’s GESAP (Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Self-assessment Program). She also served on the Board of Trustees for the American College of Gastroenterology from 2018 to 2024.