Transplant Hepatology Fellowship

Northwestern Medicine (NM), through its primary teaching site, Northwestern Memorial Hospital (NMH), offers premier Liver Transplant (LT) and Hepatology programs, both distinctive and yet inexorably linked. While the Hepatology program is administratively contained within the Department of Medicine (DOM), it functions operationally within the Division of Solid Organ Transplant (SOT).

The LT program has numerous assets: (1) demonstrating continued success with both high volume (~ 180 LTs per year; ~ 15% are living donor) and excellent patient outcomes aligned with national norms; (2) numerous faculty thought-leaders; (3) unique partnerships across the country and internationally; and (4) strong collaborations with a number of highly-regarded subspecialties such as Gastroenterology (GI), Interventional Radiology (IR), Oncology and Transplant Infectious Diseases (TID).

In particular, the faculty have diverse interests and attachments to research (clinical, translational, and basic sciences), education (trainees, continuing medical education), national specialty organizations and industry. The faculty will serve as mentors and role models in all aspects of academic life and professional practice.

We believe in and strongly support a collegial work environment with our colleagues and staff members. In such an environment enhanced patientcare, scientific collaboration, mentorship and deep friendships can all flourish. 

This is an ACGME-accredited fellowship (1-2 positions/year) after which the fellows are eligible for Transplant Hepatology (TH) Board Certification.

Exhaustive detail can be found in the Handbook [PDF]

Educational Program

Our program is accredited by the ACGME and the McGaw Medical Center Graduate Medical Education (GME) office.

The education of the fellow will occur through extensive clinical experiences with direct feedback from the faculty for cognitive, procedural and overall professional improvement. The fellows will have access to: (1) an online standardized curriculum (meeting requirements for board review testing) and an iterative reading list in Hepatology and Liver Transplant; (2) participate in multiple weekly conferences & lectures; and (3) weekly meetings with the Program Director for 1:1 education, feedback and overall wellness assessments.

Fellowship Experience

The fellowship offers breadth, depth and mentorship in all aspects of hepatology and liver transplant. Beyond clinical experiences, publishable scholarly activity is available and easily attainable. Advanced research performance, e.g. through training grants, is possible as well.  We strongly support a collegial work environment amongst the faculty, fellows and staff. Fellows are exposed and engaged with the vast array of programs intersecting in our space (sub-specialties, national academies and committees, industry). The Program will empower the fellow to take any career pathway they choose.

The fellowship is 12 months in duration and divided into in- and outpatient services (alternating monthly. Vacation is 20 working days. All experiences are supervised by Hepatology and/or Transplant faculty, with graduated autonomy as competency increases.

Outpatient

The outpatient months mainly comprise Pre- and Post-LT clinics. The post-LT Hepatology clinic serves as a continuity clinic. A Hepatology clinic is also included to maintain broad hepatology knowledge and refine expertise. In the latter half of the academic year, subspecialty rotations, Pediatric TH and Transplant Infectious Diseases, will be engaged (2 weeks each).

Inpatient

The Hepatology primary service contains pre-LT (eligible and/or listed for LT) and long-term (>1m) post-LT patients. The day-to-day work of this service is carried out by residents, whom the fellow will oversee, assist and educate. The fellow has operational control over this service and will briefly present all patients at daily multidisciplinary rounds (proper resident rounds occur separately). The Hepatology consult service (non-LT related issues) is managed by the consult GI fellow. The TH fellow is encouraged to observe these rounds to solidify and augment their own hepatology knowledge. For pre- and post-LT ICU patients, the fellow may indeed be the primary consultant (schedule permitting, otherwise defaulting to the consult GI fellow).

Procedures

Procedural competency in endoscopy (EGD, colonoscopy) is expected by the time of entry to the fellowship; however, endoscopy half-days are dispersed throughout the week to maintain and augment skills. In general, while on inpatient services, the Hepatology consult service GI fellow performs all procedures. Competency in liver biopsy interpretation (at least 200) will easily be achieved. Fellows will participate in at least 1 deceased donor liver procurement and 3 liver transplantations.

Wellness

Wellness is an essential component of the fellowship experience; satisfied by: (1) weekly interactions with the Program Director; (2) formal assessment meetings semi-annually; and (3) monthly wellness social events.

Although formal research is not required, fellows must complete one intramural quality improvement (QI) project during the fellowship. Publishable scholarship is strongly encouraged, with a goal of at least three publications. Numerous research opportunities are available due to the faculty's diverse interests and active research programs.

The structure of the fellowship schedule allows ample time for fellows to complete a successful QI project and engage in scholarly work, supported by the program's emphasis on academic productivity.

The fellowship comprises one academic year for one to two fellows. Availability of positions is in part determined by internal applicant trajectories.

The fellowship can be completed through the following pathways:

• Traditional Pathway: A three-year GI fellowship (either at Northwestern or externally) followed by a one-year TH fellowship.
• Integrated Pathway: A two-year GI fellowship followed by a one-year TH fellowship, all completed at Northwestern.

Upon completion, fellows will be board-eligible for TH.

Requirements

TH fellows, at time of matriculation, must be board-eligible or board-certified in Gastroenterology. The fellowship is accessible through and completes the following pathways: traditional (totaling 3 year GI fellowship (internal or external to NM) +1 year), or integrated (totaling 2 year GI fellowship +1 year, internal to NM). Availability of positions is in part determined by internal applicant  trajectories.

External applicants should utilize the AASLD Transplant Hepatology Fellowship Application System AASLD's Transplant Hepatology Fellowship Application (aasldapp.org); requirements are listed there precisely. In general, this includes: (1) CV; (3)  three letters of recommendation (1 from the Program Director); (4) personal statement; and (5) USMLE Step scores.

Internal applicants, via the traditional or integrated pathways, must demonstrate high performance and otherwise meet NW GI fellowship milestones of professionalism and competency. Thus, matriculation is conditional upon the assessment of the GI and TH Program Directors, with the assent of the Hepatology faculty. 

2025-26. Active.

2026-27. 2 positions open.

2027-28. 1 position open.

External Applicants

External applicants should utilize the AASLD Transplant Hepatology Fellowship Application System AASLD's Transplant Hepatology Fellowship Application.

This application includes:

1. CV
2. Three letters of recommendation, including one from the program director
3. A personal statement
4. USMLE Step scores

Internal Applicants

Internal applicants, whether through the traditional or integrated pathways, must demonstrate high performance and meet the GI fellowship's milestones in professionalism and competency. Matriculation into the TH fellowship is contingent upon evaluation by the GI and TH Program Directors, with approval from the Hepatology faculty.