Fellowship Structure
We tailor the structure of the Gastroenterology Fellowship at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center to meet to the needs of each fellow. This customization helps us successfully guide our fellows to the career paths that best align with their interests.
First Year
The first year of the training program is devoted to intensive clinical training in gastroenterology.
Inpatient
The entire first year is spent on the GI Consult Service at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital (Columbia University Irving Medical Center). One month of vacation time is required.
Outpatient
Patients seen in this clinic have a wide range of digestive and hepatology disorders. The fellows are responsible for following their own patients and for performing necessary procedures under the supervision of an attending physician.
Call
Weeknight home call at NYP-Milstein Hospital is divided equally between the four first year fellows. Weekend call at Milstein averages one weekend a month. There is no overnight in-hospital call.
Second and Third Years
The second and third years of the training program are, to a larger degree, tailored to fit the career interests of the individual fellow. There are four tracks to pursue: basic science track, clinical-investigation/Masters track, clinical track/master clinician, and clinical educator. Mandatory rotations include GI consult service at the Allen Hospital (three months total spread over second and third year), Transplant Hepatology (two months in the second year), and Nutrition Service (one month either second or third year).
Other clinical electives such as Motility, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Biliary/Advanced Endoscopy, Barrett's esophagus, Small bowel disease/Celiac Disease Center, GI genetics, and Bariatrics are also available. The requirements can be adjusted to facilitate long blocks of time devoted to basic science research for fellows with goals of becoming physician scientists. Those fellows in the clinical-investigation track apply to the Patient Oriented Research Program at the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health and obtain an MS during their fellowship training. On average up to two fellows can be supported to obtain the Master’s degree. The Master Clinician track is devoted to in-depth exposure to outpatient GI electives, and the clinical educator track provides additional involvement in medical education at the medical school and post-graduate level.
The Division has been awarded an NIH T32 grant. The aim of this program is to promote the development of promising physician scientists (MD and MD, PhD), postdoctoral fellows, or clinical investigators as independent investigators and future university faculty members in the area of digestive and liver diseases.
Outpatient Clinic
Half day of GI and Liver continuity clinic continues.
Call
Weeknight and weekend call at the Allen Hospital is evenly divided between the eight upper year fellows, averaging one weekend every other month.
Procedural Training
Fellows acquire proficiency in all basic GI procedures by the end of the fellowship (EGD, colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, PEG, hemostasis, and polypectomy). During the second and third years, fellows may gain exposure to advanced techniques and procedures, like ERCP, EUS, endoscopic mucosal resection, fine needle aspiration, stent placement for luminal strictures, EMR, and suturing. This experience may not result in certification, however, as these typically require a 4th year of training. The interventional GI program has two advanced fellows.
Research Mentorship
Over the course of second and third year, there is ample time dedicated to research blocks. One of the strengths of our division is a wealth of opportunities for research mentorship under the guidance of the following GI faculty.
Research Faculty
Research Faculty with Additional Primary Appointments
- Anil K. Rustgi, MD
- Govind Bhagat, MD
- Yiping W. Han, PhD
- Chin Hur, MD, MPH
- Benjamin Ohlstein, MD, PhD
Clinical Research
Conferences
Our fellowship program offers a variety of learning environments, including the following.
Tuesdays
- 12 pm Didactics
Weekly didactic lectures for GI fellows covering core curriculum
Wednesdays
- 7:30 am IBD conference
- 5 pm Subspecialty conference
IBD conference is held on alternating weeks. Monthly conferences, many of which are multidisciplinary, are held in a variety of subspecialties including Esophageal Motility/Barrett’s esophagus, celiac research, capsule conference, small bowel, and pancreas.
Thursdays
- 7:30 am GI Grand Rounds
GI Grand Rounds, often featuring internationally recognized experts in the field, is held on alternating weeks.
Fridays
- 12 pm Journal Club / Board Review
- 1:30 pm Pathology conference
Journal club is an excellent resource held twice monthly to dive in depth in study methodology. Board review alternates with journal club. At the weekly pathology conference, fellows and faculty present interesting or challenging GI and hepatology cases with the institution’s pathologists.