Education / Graduate Medical Education / Prospective Fellows / Gastroenterology Fellowship Program / Curriculum

Curriculum

Rotations

Curriculum By Year

Below is a summary of each year’s curriculum. Please see the full curriculum document for granular and detailed explanations.

Year One

In year I, each first-year fellow will spend 7 months on Consult Service (during which they do inpatient consults and procedures), 4 1/2 months of protected endoscopy rotation to facilitate endoscopic skills, and two weeks of motility elective. There is also a two week research elective at the end of the year, to begin preparation for research during second year. By the end of the first year, the fellows have been able to meet the requirements for competency in the basic endoscopic core procedures of Gastroenterology.

All fellows participate in one half-day clinic session with the same attending preceptor for 4-6 months, before rotating with another faculty member (general GI and IBD attendings). In addition, there is a (faculty supervised) fellow long-term continuity clinic which provides a panel of patients for whom the fellow is the principal (consultant) care provider for 3 years.

Year Two

In year II, 6 months are set aside for the fellow to participate in a dedicated research project, and 5 months are set aside for participation in a Transplant Hepatology rotation. The Transplant Hepatology rotation is a saturated outpatient and inpatient experience in pre- and post-liver transplant assessment and management with our Transplant Hepatology attendings. There is also a two week nutrition elective.

Second-year fellows are sponsored to attend the annual national Digestive Disease Week conference held in May.

The fellow will also be sponsored to attend any additional scientific meetings to which he/she has had a paper accepted for presentation. During year II, educational activities, call duties, and clinic duties continue. The fellows continue to participate in an attending preceptor clinic (hepatology or general/IBD) for one half-day session per week, and continue their weekly long-term continuity clinic.

Second years read capsule enteroscopies with attending preceptors. They also are in charge of all of the didactic and case conferences.

Year Three

In year III, the fellows perform a supervisory role on the Consult rotation. The supervisory role is principally clinical oversight and guidance to the first-year fellows, teaching of the first-year fellows and rotating medical residents and students, and participation in procedures. The experience is designed to allow for a deeper exploration of clinical issues, with the expectation that more time is available for assisting the first-year fellows in medical literature reviews. The remainder of the year is devoted to endoscopy, including advanced procedures and techniques, 2 weeks to revisit motility, and 2 months of structured elective time (one 2-week colorectal surgery elective, the others to be chosen by the fellow in consultation with Program Director). There is a Comprehensive 2-week clinical experience in colorectal surgery and anorectal diseases during the third fellowship year. This involves two weeks of in-person clinical time with Colorectal Surgery faculty both in the clinical office and procedure suite settings, as well as opportunities to shadow in the operating room.

These electives ideally allow the fellow to uniquely enhance and develop competencies in a manner that enriches their clinical training. All senior fellows receive training in the techniques and interpretation of motility studies. During year III, educational activities, call duties, and clinic duties continue. The senior fellows participate in an attending preceptor clinic (pancreaticobiliary or IBD) one half-day session per week, and continue their long-term continuity clinic exposure.

Advanced Procedures

We do not have a fourth-year advanced endoscopy fellow. Training in ERCP or EUS is not part of the core training during GI fellowship. Our program will provide exposure to these advanced therapeutic procedures to each fellow.