The University of Arizona College of Medicine offers a three-year gastroenterology fellowship program combining clinical training, education and research opportunities at the University Medical Center, Tucson VA Medical Center and the UPH Hospital. Two first-year positions are available at the PGY-4 level. The Gastroenterology Fellowship program is fully accredited by the ACGME.
Program Overview
Clinical training is provided at the University Medical Center, the Tucson VA Medical Center and UPH Hospital. The combined program offers access to approximately 750 beds, a diverse patient population, renowned faculty and many opportunities for research. Time is spent consulting on inpatients as well as performing inpatient and outpatient endoscopic procedures. Outpatient clinical training consists of half-day clinics at each hospital. Instruction is also provided in esophageal and anorectal motility as well as pH and impedance studies. Trainees work in state of the art endoscopic centers that are involved in ongoing research projects and the assessment of new devices. Opportunities exist for more focused training in a fellow’s specific area of interest during the third year of the fellowship, including clinical research. Online interactive resources of the professional societies are used to complement training and monitor progress.
Conferences:
Fellows participate in conferences within the GI section as well as multi-disciplinary conferences:
- GI grand rounds- once a week
- Pathology conference- once a week
- Journal club- once a week
- Research conference- once a month
- Board review/ group study- once a week
- Liver transplantation meeting- once a week
- Colon cancer multidisciplinary conference- once a week
- Biliary-pancreatic cancer multidisciplinary conference- once a week
Research
The faculty of the GI Section is involved in a variety of clinical, translational and basic research projects in the digestive tract, liver and pancreas. The faculty work closely with the Arizona Cancer Center, the only NCI designated cancer center in the southwest, which also has a GI SPORE (one of five NCI funded Specialized Programs in Research Excellence in the nation). The University of Arizona has top rated researchers and unparalleled resources in optical sciences and biomedical engineering. The following list gives a selection of research interests of current GI faculty members.
- Barrett’s esophagus – from biomarker prediction of neoplastic progression to endoscopic ablation of high grade dysplasia and early adenocarcinoma.
- Clinical and translational research on the prevention and early detection of colorectal cancer. This includes high throughput studies using human biospecimens to study the molecular pathology and genetic epidemiology of colorectal cancer, phase III chemoprevention studies for its prevention and comparative effectiveness research on methods for colorectal cancer screening.
- Mechanisms of gastro esophageal reflux in a state of the art physiology/motility lab equipped with cutting edge devices that can assess GI physiology and study sleep, refractory GERD and noncardiac chest pain.
- The basic research laboratory of the Liver Research Institute is interested in genetic and molecular mechanisms by which liver cells protect themselves from toxic injury. The mechanisms include the structure, expression, and regulation of the activities of enzymes such as the Glutathione transferases. Glutathione transferases comprise a family of inducible and highly expressed enzymes that detoxify harmful chemicals from normal cellular metabolism, food, and drugs.
- Clinical research activities of the Liver Research Institute include trials to evaluate the performance of FDA-approved and prospective drugs for the treatment of Hepatitis C. Various categories of drugs under investigation include viral protease inhibitors, cytokines, and drugs to support blood platelet levels. Additionally, a trial to evaluate a vaccine against Hepatitis C is underway.
- Several trials to evaluate drugs for the treatment of NASH, non-alcoholic steohepatitis, and for the prevention of Hepatic carcinoma (a type of cancer) are also being conducted.
- Use of novel optical and spectroscopic methods to detect early cancer and other diseases. Methods employed include high contrast imaging, confocal microscopy, mucosal reflectance, targeted cellular autofluorescence, light scattering spectroscopy, 2-photon microscopy, photo- acoustic imaging and targeted lipid microspheres.
Time is provided for research during the fellowship and within the first twelve months the trainee is expected to identify a mentor, a project or projects and work on it during their fellowship, from conception to publication and presentation. All fellows are required to present and publish on their research project(s).
Prerequisites for Application
- Graduate from a medical school recognized by the ACGME or Graduate of foreign medical schools who have a valid certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates.
- All fellows must have proof of passing all parts of the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE), Part I, Part II and Part III.
- Either board certification in internal medicine or proof that the candidate will be board-eligible in internal medicine by the time he/she starts the fellowship.
- US citizen, permanent resident or J-1 visa status only.
GI Fellowship Application Process
Applications should be through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS), and will be part of the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). Please provide all information requested by ERAS, including the following:
Three (3) letters of recommendation, a letter/evaluation from the Department Chair or Training Program Director, a personal statement, current CV and a copy of medical diploma are required.
The following timeline acts as a guide to the application and selection process.
- November: applicants can electronically apply to programs (through ERAS)
- December - January: applications reviewed by program
- January 31: application deadline
- January- March: applicant interviews
- April: The Match Rank Order List (ROL) opens for programs and applicants
- June: notification of match results
Advanced Interventional Endoscopy Fellowship.
A one year non-accredited fellowship in advanced interventional procedures that includes training in ERCP, EUS, enteral stents and other interventional procedures is offered to physicians who have already completed an accredited fellowship in Gastroenterology and are Board Eligible/Certified in GI. One position is available. Interested applicants should contact the program coordinator, Lucia Contreras, for further information.
For further information contact:
Lucia Contreras
Program Coordinator, Sr.
(520) 626-1574
FAX: (520) 626-0826
lucia@deptofmed.arizona.edu
