Tradition and advancement are two concepts that may appear to be antagonistic but actually are complementary for building a history of excellence and progress. Tradition implies a legacy transmitted from generation to generation, a basis that gives meaning to connection and identity. On the other hand, advancement represents the capacity to adapt, innovate, and progress, marking the path toward the future. These values have been the core of the Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología (AMG) throughout its 90 years of existence.
The history of the AMG dates back to July 16, 1935, when the outstanding physician, Abraham Ayala González, together with a group of 17 young, enthusiastic gastroenterologists, Alfonso Acevedo Olvera, Salvador Ávila, Francisco Bassols, Rafael Blanc, Armando Bustos Naudé, Carlos Coqui, Alberto Cancino, Jorge Flores López, Leonides Guadarrama, Soledad Luna de Gamboa, Enrique Madrigal, Raúl Meurine, Ignacio Millán, Guillermo Montaño, Pablo Ortega, Mario Quiñones Huertero, and Alfonso Rojas, founded the Association in the Hospital General de México. This act not only signified the birth of an institution committed to medical excellence but also laid the foundation for the diffusion of knowledge in gastroenterology in our country.
As part of this commitment, the AMG created an official medium for the dissemination of knowledge: the Revista de Gastroenterología de México (RGM). The first volume of this journal was published on September 15, 1935, under the direction of Dr. Abraham Ayala González, with Dr. Alberto Cancino as editor (Fig. 1). Since then, the RGM has been an essential pillar for the medical community, consolidating itself as an academic and scientific reference in the specialty. In its first issue, the RGM published three original articles, all written by Mexican physicians, that reflected the concerns and challenges of gastroenterology at that time: “Aseptic anastomoses in gastrointestinal surgery”, “Should gastroduodenal ulcers be treated medically or surgically?”, and “The diagnosis of chronic appendicitis”. Those works represented a promising beginning, focused on local necessities and the strengthening of the specialty in a national context. Today, the RGM has evolved significantly, as exemplified by this first issue (Issue number 1) of Volume number 90, 2025, whose contents include original articles, not only from Mexico, but also from Chile, Colombia, and many other parts of the world. This change reflects the journal’s development into an international forum, promoting and disseminating high-quality knowledge in gastroenterology.
The RGM and AMG have continued to be examples of advancement over the span of 90 years. The RGM is one of the oldest publications of the specialty, even older than Gastroenterology (January 1, 1949), the journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), and has been published uninterruptedly. Over the years, it has undergone numerous transformation processes, remaining current, active, and modern. As pointed out by Dr. Antonio de la Torre, in his editorial “A Tower of Paper Spanning Eighty Years” published during the journal’s 80th anniversary celebration, this would not have been possible without the collective effort of presidents, editors, associate editors, committees, and editorial teams, given that “throughout the journal's existence, each editor or editorial group has contributed an element of improvement”.1
In the last ten years, the editors-in-chief, Max Julio Schmulson, José María Remes-Troche, Mario César Peláez, Jesús Kazuo Yamamoto-Furusho, Aldo Montaño-Loza, Alejandra Noble Lugo, and currently, José Antonio Velarde Ruiz Velasco and Enrique Coss-Adame, have advanced, maintained, and sustained the level of the RGM, attaining the highly coveted impact factor, an unprecedented achievement. Our message to the future generations of editors of the RGM is: Keep this legacy alive! Make the impact factor not merely a number but a guiding inspiration, to continue promoting quality research, collaboration, and innovation. Remember that each citation is a recognition of the excellence and relevance of the content the editors publish. This commitment is vital for the journal to continue being a benchmark in gastroenterology worldwide.
Ninety years after its founding, the AMG proudly conserves its tradition, while remaining at the vanguard of activity. The association’s website is modern and attractive (https://www.gastro.org.mx/) and monthly webinars are coordinated and carried out in collaboration and partnership with different national and international associations, such as the American Gastroenterological Association, the American College of Gastroenterology, the Sociedad Española de Patología Digestiva, and the Asociación Española de Gastroenterología, among others (https://www.gastro.org.mx/convenios). In addition, the development of young associates is actively promoted, through training scholarships and programs that foster their professional growth. The AMG has also ventured into the digital era with the creation of a Dissemination Committee that produces extremely successful podcasts, such as “Gastroperlas”, and reaches patients through educational capsules called “Gastrotips”. In addition, it has published guidelines, consensuses, and clinics, as well as technologic tools, such as the Guidelines and Consensuses App, and in the near future, the Gastro 24/7 platform.
The AMG has also strengthened research collaboration through the creation of the Research Collaboration Network and an Epidemiology Network. Regarding the latter, The Mexican Registry for the Study of Helicobacter pylori stands out as the first collaboration of different Mexican institutions, that at present, has resulted in Mexico’s having the highest number of patients in the Latin American Registry. We are, and must continue to be, a point of reference for Latin American Gastroenterology. In the past decade, the AMG has faced significant challenges, one of which was the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the suspension of in-person activities during 2020-2021. Nevertheless, our Association was resilient, reinventing itself and maintaining its academic activities through digital media. The presidents, Dr. María Eugenia Icaza-Chávez, Dr. Marco Lira-Pedrín, and Dr. Ricardo Raña Garibay, possessed the physical and emotional strength needed to successfully navigate that difficult period and they deserve special recognition. Thanks to them and all the members, once the in-person activities were resumed, the AMG continued to flourish, reaffirming its commitment to excellence and innovation.
Today, upon celebrating 90 years of history, we call on the next generations of gastroenterologists to continue building this legacy with passion and commitment – that tradition be their guide and advancement their goal. The Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología not only is a testament to what we have achieved but also a reminder that collective work, vision, and dedication are the paths to the future. As Dr. Abraham Ayala González said 90 years ago: “I sincerely wish the Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología a long and prosperous life”.
Dr. José María Remes-Troche
President of the Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología 2025
FinancingNo sponsorship of any kind was received to carry it out this article.
See related content at DOI: 10.1016/j.rgmxen.2024.04.010, von Muhlenbrock C. Clinical description of adults with eosinophilic esophagitis treated at a Chilean university center. Rev Gastroenterol Mex. 2025;90:8-14.
