Brown University and affiliated hospitals (Rhode Island Hospital, The Miriam Hospital, Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Women and Infants Hospital) offer a three year accredited training program in gastroenterology. The goal of the program is to prepare board eligible internists for a career in clinical or academic gastroenterology. The core program fulfills all training standards as mandated by the ACGME, ABIM, AGA, ACG and ASGE. The atmosphere is scholarly and provides a wide exposure to clinical gastroenterology and hepatology and to related clinical, translational and basic scientific research.

Career Development

Clinical Track:
The Gastroenterology Division provides a particularly strong background in hepatology, gastrointestinal motility, inflammatory bowel disease and gastrointestinal malignancy. In the first year of fellowship (PGY4) spend one month on the inpatient consult service at Rhode Island Hospital, one month on the inpatient consult service at the VA Medical Center and one month rotating through ambulatory outpatient and endoscopy blocks. This cycle is then repeated through the first year. The second (PGY5) year normally encompasses a six month to 12 month research experience to develop a research program. There are many choices with particular emphasis on the molecular basis of gastroenterological and liver diseases, translational and clinical programs in inflammatory bowel disease, and clinical research in hepatology including viral hepatitis and NAFLD. Extensive experience in specialized endoscopic techniques is available at the PGY6 level, including diagnostic/therapeutic biliary and pancreatic endoscopy, pancreatic, esophageal and colonic stent placement and endoscopic ultrasound. Over the course of their fellowship fellows routinely perform greater than 2,000 endoscopic procedures.

Electives: Up to six elective months are available in the PGY5/6 years. In recent years hepatology, inflammatory bowel disease, motility, pediatric gastroenterology, nutrition, radiology, pathology and liver transplantation.

Women’s Gastrointestinal Health: In the PGY5 year all fellows participate in a rotation at Women and Infants Hospital. This rotation is focused on gastroenterological and hepatological problems related to pregnancy, and other gender-specific areas, including pelvic floor dysfunction and gastroenterological aspects of gynecological oncology. http://www.womenandinfants.org/body.cfm?id=835&action=detail&ref=144

Physician Scientist Track:
This track is for fellows who wish to develop an independent research career, and is designed to provide individuals with both a strong clinical background and the opportunity to pursue extensive training in basic research that will advance the understanding of the molecular basis of gastroenterological and hepatological diseases. Up to 18 months devoted research time on is available within the three year fellowship.

Women’s Gastroenterological Health Track:
For physicians who wish to develop an academic career in women’s gastroenterological health, this position is available once every three years. After the common PGY 4 year, fellows will be training mainly at Women and Infants Hospital, developing the clinical and research skills to launch a career focused on women’s gastroenterological health. http://www.womenandinfants.org/gi

Division Conferences

Journal Club	Rhode Island Hospital	Twice Monthly
Radiology	Rhode Island Hospital	Monthly
Pathophysiology Seminar	Rhode Island Hospital	Weekly
Research Conference	Rhode Island Hospital	Monthly
Case Management	Rhode Island Hospital	Twice Monthly
GI-Surgical Conference	Rhode Island Hospital	Monthly
Pathology	Rhode Island Hospital	Weekly
Research Group Meeting	Liver Research Center	Weekly
Research Journal Club	Liver Research Center	Weekly

Faculty

There are ten full-time physician/scientists, and twenty-four clinical participating faculty members, and each brings a unique quality to the Program. There are many N.I.H.- funded research programs, including the molecular biology of viral hepatitis B and C, hepatocellular carcinoma, NAFLD, gene therapy of Gastrointestinal malignancy, gallbladder and esophageal smooth muscle physiology, esophageal motility disorders, H. pylori and gastric cancer. Additional expertise is in therapeutic and interventional endoscopy, inflammatory bowel disease, and in clinical research protocols.

Current Salary for 2007-2008

PGY-4	$52,678
PGY-5	$55,966
PGY-6	$61,447

Application Information

The Brown University Fellowship Program is a participant in the National Residency Match (for further Details see www.NRMP.org). Application for a position in the Brown gastroenterology fellowship is through the electronic residency application service www.aamc.org/students/erasfellow/start.htm

For inquiries relating the fellowship, contact schiott@lifespan.org.