Contact : 205-759-2920

March is colorectal cancer awareness month.


Click here to learn more about colorectal cancer from the
American Gastroenterological Association

G.I. Associates of West Alabama, P.C. is the premier subspecialty gastroenterology practice for Tuscaloosa and surrounding communities in West Alabama. Our mission is to provide expert subspecialty services to Tuscaloosa and West Alabama community. Our doctors are fully board certified in gastroenterology and maintain a current knowledge medical news, technology, and gastroenterology procedures. Our staff and business office invite you to contact us and make an appointment today!

The procedures that we provide include Colonoscopy, ERCP, Esophageal Motility Disorders, Flexible Sigmoidoscopy, Small Bowel Capsule Endoscopy, Small Bowel Enteroscopy, Endoscopic Ultrasounds, and Upper GI Endoscopy.

We invite you to our website to meet our doctors, learn about the procedures that are available, and get current news & events.

Donnie R. Smith, MD
Donnie R. Smith, MD

Dr. Smith graduated from the University of Alabama School of Medicine in 1980. He works in Tuscaloosa, AL and specializes in Gastroenterology. Dr. Smith has hospital privileges at DCH Regional Medical Center.

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W. Gardner Rowell, MD
W. Gardner Rowell, MD

Dr. Rowell graduated from the University of Alabama School of Medicine in 1982. He works in Tuscaloosa, AL and specializes in Gastroenterology. Dr. Rowell has hospital privileges at DCH Regional Medical Center.

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C. Donald Howe, MD, PharmD
C. Donald Howe, MD, PharmD

Dr. Howe graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine at Memphis in 1987. He works in Tuscaloosa, AL and specializes in Gastroenterology. Dr. Howe has hospital privileges at DCH Regional Medical Center.

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S B Sundar, MD
S. B. Sundar, MD

Dr. Sundar graduated from Madras Medical College, Chennai. He has received the Patients' Choice Award (2012, 2014) and the Compassionate Doctor Recognition Award (2012, 2014).


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J Dewayne Tooson, MD
J. DeWayne Tooson, MD, FACP, FACG, CPE

Dr. Tooson specializes in gastrointestinal bleeding, colon cancer prevention, and inflammatory bowel disease. Dr. Tooson serves on the clinical faculty of the University of Alabama School of Medicine. He also serves as chief administrative officer of North River Surgical Center. Dr. Tooson has hospital privileges at DCH Regional Medical Center.

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Jennifer Palmer, MD
Jennifer R. Palmer, MD

Jennifer Palmer, MD joined GI Associates of West Alabama in August 2015. She received her undergraduate from Louisiana State University and went on to medical school at Louisiana State University at Shreveport. She completed internship and residency at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her fellowship was performed at University of Texas at Houston. She is board certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. She is a member of American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) and American Society for Gastroenterology Endoscopy (ASGE). She is the Director of Endoscopy at DCH Regional Hospital in Tuscaloosa. She performs upper endoscopy (EGD) and colonoscopy, but also specializes in diagnostic Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).

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Michael L. Palmer, MD
Michael L. Palmer, MD

Dr. Palmer works in Tuscaloosa, AL and specializes in Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine. Dr. Palmer has privileges at DCH Regional Medical Center.

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Priya Patel, PA-C

Priya is a board certified physician assistant at G.I. Associates of West Alabama.

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Collen Valdez, PA-C
Colleen Valdez, PA-C

Colleen is a board certified physician assistant at G.I. Associates of West Alabama.

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Jesslyn Whitehead, PA-C

Jesslyn is a board certified physician assistant at G.I. Associates of West Alabama. Jesslyn obtained her master's degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

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Treatments and Procedures

G.I. Associates of West Alabama can perform the following gastrointestinal treatments and procedures:

Endoscopic Ultrasound
Upper GI Endoscopy
Small Bowel Enteroscopy
Small Bowel Capsule Endoscopy
Flexible Sigmoidoscopy
Endoscopic Ultrasound

What is an Endoscopic Ultrasound? Endoscopic ultrasound, also known as EUS or endoscopic ultrasonography, is a test that gastroenterology specialists can use to diagnose problems of the gastronintestinal (GI) walls and surrounding organs like the liver, pancreas,…

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Upper GI Endoscopy

What is upper endoscopy? Upper endoscopy lets your doctor examine the lining of the upper part of your gastrointestinal tract, which includes the esophagus, stomach and duodenum (first portion of the small intestine). Your doctor will use…

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Small Bowel Enteroscopy

What is a small bowel enteroscopy ? A small bowel enteroscopy allows a physician to navigate the entire small bowel from either an oral or rectal approach, enabling them to perform both diagnostic and therapeutic techniques within the…

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Small Bowel Capsule Endoscopy

What is Capsule Endoscopy? Capsule Endoscopy lets your doctor examine the lining of the middle part of your gastrointestinal tract, which includes the three portions of the small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, ileum). Your doctor will give you…

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Flexible Sigmoidoscopy

Flexible sigmoidoscopy is a routine outpatient procedure in which the inner lining of the lower large intestine is examined. Flexible sigmoidoscopy is commonly used to evaluate gastrointestinal symptoms, such as abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, or changes in…

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