Fellowship Program

Advanced Hepatology Fellowship

Anil K. Rustgi, MD
Chief of Gastroenterology

K. Rajender Reddy, MD
Professor of Medicine and Surgery
Hepatology Training Director

Thomas W. Faust, M.D., M.B.E.
Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine

The Division of Gastroenterology (GI) offers a 1 year Advanced Hepatology Fellowship. This fellowship is intended for individuals who have completed a 3-year Gastroenterology fellowship, and is structured to train the candidate in all aspects of hepatobiliary diseases, with a particular focus on liver transplantation. The University of Pennsylvania is a large, nationally recognized tertiary patient care-center with a Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology that is committed to excellence in basic and clinical research as well as superlative patient care. The Liver Transplant Programs have been growing and thriving with well over 120-130 orthotopic liver transplantations each year as well as a smaller number of living-related liver donor transplantations. The success of the transplant program is based on a marvelous working relationship between the surgical and medical services as well as excellent support of clinical laboratories, GI pathology and GI radiology. The Liver Transplant Center is a busy center that is fully staffed with transplant coordinators, nurses, social workers, hepatologists, surgeons and ancillary staff directed by Drs. Abraham Shaked and K. Rajender Reddy. Patients with hepatobiliary disease, both unassigned and those followed by HUP hepatologists, upon admission to the hospital are managed by an Inpatient Liver Service, comprised of an Attending Hepatologist, Gastroenterology and Hepatology Fellow, two senior residents and four interns. Hospitalized liver transplant recipients are managed on a surgical floor and in surgical intensive care unit beds dedicated to the transplant surgery patients. There is a dedicated clinic space for evaluating and managing patients with hepatobiliary diseases and the transplant data base,OTTR, is comprehensive and provides a valuable resourse for clinical care and research. There is an excellent Gastrointestinal Pathology section at HUP, directed by Dr. Emma Furth. Dr. Furth has tremendous experience in reviewing liver histology and assists greatly in the review of histology samples for patient care and research. In addition, the pathologists routinely attend the liver conference and GI/Liver Case conferences to formally review histology specimens and to add their expertise in the discussion of particular cases. The Radiology Department has an outstanding interventional program. It plays a major role in the management of patients with variceal bleeding in that it is well experienced,under the direction of Dr.Scott Trerotola,in the procedure of TIPS. Interventional biliary procedures are also done at regular intervals. Further there is a dedicated team that plays a major role in the screening and diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. We also have an integrated approach to hepatocellular carcinoma and the radiologists contribute enormously to their management.

Clinical training is also supplemented by interrelated didactic conferences:

• Clinical Journal Club
• GI Pathology
• Clinical Case Conference
• GI Grand Rounds
• Subspecialty Conferences (liver, GI motility/physiology, inflammatory bowel disease)
• Fundamental pathophysiology and clinical lectures every summer

Outpatient Clinic
All fellows have continuity clinic throught the fellowship under the auspices of faculty members. There are weekly conferences devoted to outpatient diagnostic and management issues. Additionally, fellows participate in specialized clinics to complement their research interests and projects in the second and third years.

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Application Process

To be considered for the Advanced Hepatology Fellowship, please submit the following:

• A cover letter
• An updated Curriculum Vitae
• A personal statement
• 3 letters of recommendation

Send all materials to:

Thomas W. Faust, M.D., M.B.E.
Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine
3 Ravdin
3400 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Telephone: 215-662-4306
Fax: 215-614-0160
Email: gifellowship@uphs.upenn.edu

K. Rajender Reddy, MD
Professor of Medicine and Surgery
Hepatology Training Director
3 Ravdin
3400 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Telephone: 215-615-3757
Fax: 215-614-0160
Email: gifellowship@uphs.upenn.edu

For Inquiries, please contact:
Fellowship Coordinator
Jeannine Moore
3 Ravdin
3400 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Telephone: 215-615-3757
Fax: 215-614-0160
Email: gifellowship@uphs.upenn.edu

Application deadline for 2010 fellowship is December 31, 2008.