Gastroenterology Fellowship Program
University of Maryland/NIH Clinical Scholars Gastroenterology Fellowship Program
The NIDDK offers a fellowship in gastroenterology in a combined 3-year program with the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Training in this Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited program provides excellent research experience and clinical training for physicians who wish to pursue a career in academic gastroenterology and hepatology.
The NIDDK fellowship provides unique opportunities that are not readily available at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). NIDDK Fellows
- participate in numerous clinical research protocols in gastrointestinal (GI) and liver diseases
- have access to extensive NIH Clinical Center resources such as clinical and research conferences, journal clubs, visiting professor lectures, pathology, radiology, medical grand rounds, and NIH personnel and patients
Eligibility
Applicants must be board eligible in internal medicine prior to starting the program. This usually requires that the applicant is either currently enrolled or will have completed a 3-year residency in an approved internal medicine training program within the United States.
How to Apply
Applications to this program are submitted via the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and are handled through the University of Maryland Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. See the UMMC website for application details.
Contact Us
Beverly Niles
(301) 451-0659
Beverly.Niles@nih.gov
Program Structure
The ACGME-accredited fellowship is a 3-year program with multiple rotations. Fellows have the opportunity to participate in various research projects, publish, and present at national meetings. View recent examples in the Gastroenterology Fellowship Photo Gallery and list of Gastroenterology Fellow Publications.
Fellows receive daily feedback on individual cases and procedures along with written and informal feedback at the end of each rotation. Formal progress reviews occur with the program director every 6 months, at a minimum. Fellows are mentored by individual faculty members regarding research projects, didactic presentations, and long-range career goals.
Year 1
In the first year, fellows will complete 12 months of clinical training, including continuity clinic rotations at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) and the Baltimore VA Medical Center (BVAMC). The schedule is similar to the year 1 schedule for fellows in the UMMC program, with an emphasis on clinical gastroenterology and endoscopic proficiency. Endoscopic procedures are performed based on the assigned rotation. Night call is shared with the other fellows.
Rotations include:
- gastroenterology consultative rotations
- hepatology consultative rotations
- gastroenterology subspecialty rotations
- outpatient management, including weekly outpatient clinics
- emergency night and weekend consultations
Years 2 and 3
During the second and third years, fellows will spend 100 percent of their time with the Digestive Diseases Branch, NIDDK at the NIH Clinical Center where they will complete all gastroenterology ACGME clinical and research requirements. Fellows increase proficiency in endoscopic skills, clinical consultation, and clinical research investigation. At the conclusion of their third year, fellows typically graduate having completed 900-1000 endoscopic procedures.
Rotations include:
- NIH Clinical Center GI and Hepatology Consultation Services
- GI procedural training
- clinical research experience
- outpatient management, including weekly continuity clinic in GI and liver diseases
- emergency night and weekend consultations
Master’s Degree in Clinical Research
Interested fellows have the opportunity to earn a Master’s of Health Sciences in Clinical Research (M.H.Sc.). The Master’s program is designed for part-time study, which allows fellows to integrate the program into their clinical training.
Courses include research design and management, medical genomics, statistical analysis, and bioethics. Courses are taught by the faculty of the School of Medicine at Duke University with participation of NIH investigators in dedicated video conference classrooms at the NIH Clinical Center.
Faculty and Fellows
Learn more about Current and Recent Gastroenterology Fellows and the following affiliated clinical faculty.
- Stephen Wank, M.D., Chief, Digestive Diseases Branch
- Sheila Kumar, M.D., M.S., Director, Gastroenterology Fellowship Program
- Marc Ghany, M.D., Tenure Track Clinical Investigator, Liver Diseases Branch
- Theo Heller, M.D., Tenured Senior Investigator, Liver Diseases Branch
- Stephen P. James, M.D., Director, Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition
- Christopher Koh, M.D., M.H.Sc., Clinical Director, Division of Intramural Research
- Louis Korman, M.D., Attending Clinician, Digestive Diseases Branch
- T. Jake Liang, M.D., Chief, Liver Diseases Branch
- Jose Serrano, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Liver and Biliary Programs, Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition
- Robert D. Shamburek, M.D., Senior Clinician, Translational Medicine Branch, NHLBI