Kenneth J Vega, MD, FACP, AGAF Dr., Vega was born and raised in The Bronx, NY. He graduated from Drew University in 1984 with a major in Zoology and Cornell University Medical College in 1988. Upon graduation, Dr. Vega completed internship/residency in Internal Medicine at the Boston City Hospital in 1991 and fellowship training in Gastroenterology at Temple University in 1995. After fellowship, Dr. Vega has been on the Gastroenterology faculty at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School, University of New Mexico, the University of Florida/Jacksonville, the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and National Jewish Health, as Chief, prior to his arrival at Augusta University-Medical College of Georgia in 2018. Presently, he is Professor of Medicine and Chief, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Augusta University-Medical College of Georgia. In addition, Dr. Vega retired, in 2013, from the US Army National Guard at the rank of Colonel following 3 overseas deployments providing medical support for Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. He is the author of more than 70 original articles, reviews and book chapters as well as presented original research at local, regional, national and international scientific meetings. Dr. Vega's research focuses on gastrointestinal reflux disease, Barrett’s esophagus, esophageal stem cells, esophageal motility, and epidemiology of gastrointestinal cancers along with ethnic/gender disparities in gastrointestinal diseases, treatment and outcome.