Transplant Hepatology Fellowship

Amol Rangnekar, M.D., Program Director

The MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute is one of the highest volume transplant programs in the United States. Over 5,100 liver, kidney, small bowel, colon and multivisceral transplants have been performed. The liver transplant program is one of the largest programs in the Mid-Atlantic region and one of the best in terms of patient and graft survival. Our outcomes are among the best in the country. Currently, we have 8 liver transplant and hepatobiliary surgeons and 8 transplant hepatologists. 

Overview

The MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital are proud to offer a one-year Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) fellowship in transplant hepatology. Training will follow the guidelines set forth to meet the milestone and competency requirements set forth by ACGME, the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), and the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS). Successful completion of fellowship will afford the fellow the opportunity to sit for the ABIM Certificate for Added Qualification (CAQ) in transplant hepatology and to serve as a United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS)-certified primary liver transplant physician. All applicants must have completed an ACGME-accredited fellowship in gastroenterology and be Board Certified or Board Eligible in gastroenterology.  Transplant hepatology training will be obtained within the MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. Transplant hepatology fellows will be exposed to a wide array of inpatient and outpatient clinical rotations, didactic experiences, and research pertaining to transplant hepatology and liver transplantation. Additionally, fellows will reap the benefits of a multi-disciplinary approach to care through collaboration with, but not limited to diagnostic and interventional radiologists, hepatic pathologists, hepatobiliary and transplant surgeons, nutritionists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and transplant coordinators. 

Curriculum

Transplant hepatology fellows will spend approximately 6 months on the inpatient hepatology consult service. The fellow will be exposed to pre- liver transplant patients with a broad array of acute and chronic liver diseases that arise as a consequence of viral, metabolic, and autoimmune disorders. Moreover, fellows will gain expertise in the management of patients with benign and malignant hepatobiliary tumors. Additionally, fellows will be exposed to patients with a variety of disorders that arise early and late after liver transplantation. During the inpatient experience, transplant hepatology fellows will learn the multidisciplinary approach to management of patients before and after liver transplantation. Fellows will perform a variety of procedures including but not limited to upper endoscopy, colonoscopy, and liver biopsy.

In addition to the inpatient experience above, fellows will gain expertise in managing patients with acute and chronic liver diseases in a variety of clinics including but not limited to general hepatology clinic, post transplant clinic, and pre-liver transplant evaluation clinic. Approximately 6 months will be devoted to outpatient rotations. Transplant hepatology fellows will be expected to present patients seen in transplant evaluation clinic at the weekly transplant selection committee meeting. Fellows will also perform endoscopic procedures and liver biopsies during their outpatient rotations.

One of the benefits of transplant hepatology fellowship at Georgetown is the variety of conferences that are offered.  Fellows are expected to attend weekly core curriculum, transplant selection committee, hepatobiliary radiology, pathology, transplant surgery, morbidity and mortality, and journal club conferences. Moreover, fellows can attend gastroenterology conferences applicable to the fields of hepatology, transplant hepatology, and liver transplantation. Additionally, fellows will be active participants in these conferences.

Transplant hepatology fellows are expected to work with a mentor on a clinical research project during the 1-year fellowship. The MedStar Transplant Institute has a variety of projects pertaining to liver transplantation and transplant hepatology. We anticipate that fellows will produce work suitable for publication in peer-reviewed journals. 

Core Faculty

• Amol Rangnekar, M.D. – Program Director
• Rohit S. Satoskar, M.D.
• Arul M. Thomas, M.D.
• Coleman I. Smith, M.D.
• Kathleen M. Nilles, M.D.
• Erinda Stefi, D.O.

Fellowship Application Process

Our program has adopted the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) recommendations for 2024-2025 Recruitment and will be accepting applications through AASLD match system. Starting with 2024 Academic Year, all applicants are asked to create an account submit their information through AASLD. Please use the following link for more information: AASLD Application Process (new window) 

MedStar will sponsor J1 visas only.

Important Dates 2024-2025 Academic Year

November 15, 2022   Program Entry. Institutions begin entering program information.

December 16, 2022  End of program entry. Last day for institutions to enter program information.

January 9, 2023   Applicants able to access website. Applicants will be able to review programs, register and enter rank order list.

March 10, 2023 EST Application deadline. Last date for applicant to complete Application Packet online. Letters of Reference due to the Match.

March 13, 2023    Applications available to programs. First date for programs to access applications.

May 3, 2023   Applicant rank order lists due/End of withdrawal period. Last date for applicant rank order lists to be submitted. Last date for applicants to withdraw from the Match.

May 5, 2023  Program rank order lists due/End program withdrawal period. Last date for institution rank order list to be submitted. Last date for institutions to withdraw programs.

May 17, 2023   Match Results Date. Results will be posted to this website. Institutions may view matches and download unmatched applicants list. Matched applicants may access matched program information. Unmatched applicants may download list of open positions.

For additional information please contact Transplant Hepatology Fellowship Program Administrator:

Lisa Townsend, Lisa.Townsend@gunet.georgetown.edu