Stephen G. Abshire, MD, FACG

Dr. Abshire, originally from Kaplan, Louisiana attended Tulane University and the University of Southwestern Louisiana in Lafayette where he received his medical degree with honors in 1972. In 1975 he completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Tulane and returned to Kaplan to practice medicine. Dr. Abshire returned to New Orleans at Ocshner Medical Foundation and completed his Gastroenterology Fellowship in 1978. In 1978 Steve returned to Lafayette and founded the Gastroenterology clinic of Acadiana, where he continues to practice today.

He is also Medical Director of Lafayette General Endoscopy Center, which he founded in 1988. (It was then known as Saints Street Endoscopy Center.) The Center has moved to a new state-of-the-art endoscopy facility which it shares with its corporate partner, Lafayette General Medical Center.

During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Tulane University lost faculty members in the GI section and Dr. Abshire began teaching. He remains on staff today teaching new generations of gastroenterologists. He is a recognized leader in the capabilities and advantages of high definition endoscopy and the increase in polyp detection rate due to this technology. He is a published author and speaker on this subject.

Dr. Abshire is a member of the following professional organizations:

• The American College of Gastroenterology, Fellow
• The Lafayette Parish Medical Society
• Louisiana State Medical Society
• American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
• American Gastroenterological Association

When not practicing medicine and not being a father (three daughters and four grandchildren) and husband, he enjoys hunting and time at his farm in Vermillion Parish.

James N. Arterburn, MD, FACG

Dr. Arterburn, born in St. Paul, Nebraska received his undergraduate degree from Hastings College in Hastings Nebraska. In 1989, Dr. Arterburn received his medical degree in Internal Medicine from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He completed his fellowship in Gastroenterology at Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston in 1991. Dr. Arterburn joined the Gastroenterology Clinic of Acadiana in 2000 following his 9 year practice in Atlanta, GA. He became a partner in Saints Streets Endoscopy Center in 2002 which changed its name to Lafayette General Endoscopy Center and moved to the Burden Rheil Center next door to Lafayette General Medical Center in 2009.

Dr. Arterburn’s expertise of high definition technology at the center and his results finding increased polyp detection contributed to the research data collected at the center. This data resulted into a research project and publications regarding the study results.

Dr. Arterburn is also the Principal Investigator for Lafayette General Medical Center in gastroenterology research and development trial studies.

Dr. Arterburn is a member of the following professional organizations:

• American College of Gastroenterology
• American Gastroenterological Association
• American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Dr. Arterburn takes annual medical mission trips to Chenalho in the mountain region of southern Mexico. He practices Family Medicine to native Mayan Indians in this extremely rural area.

Jacob R. Karr, MD

Dr. Jacob Karr, a native of Houma, La, received his undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. In 2009, he received his medical degree from LSUHSC-Shreveport. After medical school, he completed his Internal Medicine residency at Tulane University. He then went on to complete a fellowship in Gastroenterology at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans, La where he received extensive training in all areas of Gastroenterology, including:

• Screening and Diagnostic Endoscopy/Colonoscopy
• STRETTA
• Barrett’s Esophagus Ablation
• ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography)

Dr. Karr is a member of the following professional organizations:

• American College of Gastroenterology
• American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
• American Gastroenterological Association
• Louisiana State Medical Society
• Lafayette Parish Medical Society

Dr. Karr married his wife, Kelly, in 2007. They have three children together, Olivia, Charlotte, and James. When not practicing medicine or spending time with his family, he enjoys exercising, cooking and the outdoors.

Eric P. Trawick, MD

Dr. Eric Trawick, a native of Vinton, LA, completed medical school at LSU-Shreveport, LA. During medical school, he demonstrated a strong work ethic and leadership skills in a many ways, including:

• Class President (2003-07)
• Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Medical Honor Society
• Recipient to the Aaron Selber, Jr Leadership Award
• Recipient of the Nathan Bernstein Scholarship Award for Academic Excellence

After medical school, Dr. Trawick completed his Internal Medicine Residency, Gastroenterology Fellowship, and Advanced Endoscopy Fellowship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN. While at Vanderbilt, he served on the Resident Advisory Committee and received the Richard P. Schneider Teaching Award. Dr. Trawick and his wife Sara welcomed three children during this time.

Dr. Trawick is unique, because he is the only physician in Southwest Louisiana who has completed an Advanced Endoscopy Fellowship. This full year of extra training allows him to provide an extended line of specialized GI services for patients. Dr. Trawick also brings his skills in:

• Barrett’s Esophagus Ablation
• Endoscopic Mucosal Resection
• Enteral Stenting
• EUS (Endoscopic Ultrasound)
• Therapeutic ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography)
• Over-the Scope Closure Devices

In addition to his practice at The Gastro Clinic, Dr. Trawick is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine-Gratis, responsible for training residents in Internal Medicine through the LSU-Lafayette.

For fun, Dr. Trawick and his wife love the outdoors, especially following their three children’s busy sporting activities.