John I Allen, MD, MBA, AGAF
Professional Background
Dr. Allen graduated with honors from Rice University in Houston, Texas, in 1973. At Rice, he held numerous swimming records and received the Bob Quinn Award for Outstanding Scholar Athlete. He attended medical school at the University of New Mexico, graduating in 1977. His internship, residency and specialty training in gastroenterology were completed at the University of Minnesota. After his fellowship ended in 1980, Dr. Allen joined the academic faculty in the Department of Medicine at the University of Minnesota, where he achieved the honor of becoming an Associate Professor of Medicine. While at the University he published numerous papers about nutrition, alcoholic liver disease and colon cancer.
Dr. Allen joined Minnesota Gastroenterology in 1991. There, he continued his clinical research about colon cancer prevention and cancer genetics in conjunction with scientists at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Allen continues to speak nationally and internationally about colon cancer and quality performance in gastroenterology. He has published over 50 articles on various aspects of gastroenterology research and practice and is currently editing a book on quality in colonoscopy.
In 1999, Dr. Allen returned to school and in 2001 received his MBA from the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis. He became a Managing Partner for the practice, and then Medical Director. He currently is the Medical Director for Quality and focuses on improving quality of care for patients who come to the practice.
From 2007-2009, Dr. Allen served as the Chair of the Board of the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement, a regional organization that works to improve health care in Minnesota and surrounding states.
In 2007, Dr. Allen was selected to Chair the Clinical Practice Committee of the American Gastroenterological Association, and in 2009 was elected to be the Private Practice Counselor to the AGA Governing Board. In this position he is involved directly with national health care reform as it relates to gastroenterology.
2010 will mark Dr. Allen’s 30th year as a practicing gastroenterologist. He is board-certified by the American Boards of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine.