Hello @joyful1,

If you are in need of a colonoscopy, a gastroenterologist is the preferred specialty as they perform more colonoscopies than any other specialty, and have years of additional training in scoping procedures. Studies have shown that gastroenterologists have a higher rate of colon polyp detection.
If a gastroenterologist finds a polyp during a routine colonoscopy, he or she will remove it and take a biopsy. If the biopsy comes back positive for cancer, then the patient is referred to the colorectal surgeon to do the actual surgical removal of that portion of the colon.

Here are a few additional guidelines from the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) https://patients.gi.org/gi-health-and-disease/your-doctor-has-ordered-a-colonoscopy-what-questions-should-you-ask/
– Is the doctor performing your colonoscopy a Gastroenterologist?
– How many colonoscopies has the doctor performed?
– How many perforations has the doctor had?
– How often does your doctor complete the colonoscopy?
– Can the doctor remove polyps from your colon?

We cannot give medical advice or provide referrals on Connect; if you would like to make an appointment at Mayo Clinic, Arizona please call 480-301-8484. You can also request an appointment online, here: https://www.mayoclinic.org/forms/us-resident-appointment.