Transplant Hepatology Fellowship
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine's Transplant Hepatology Fellowship provides advanced training in liver disease, focusing on managing decompensated cirrhosis, hepatobiliary cancers and post-transplant care. Fellows engage in complex clinical cases and procedures, including endoscopy and biopsy, and benefit from numerous educational conferences.
Our Liver Transplant Program performs over 100 transplants annually, with 10-15 percent from living donations, and maintains patient outcomes that meet national standards. We are one of the few U.S. centers offering specialized Hispanic and African-American transplant programs.
Our Hepatology faculty are leaders in research, education, national organizations and industry, dedicated to our mission of providing excellent patient care, generating substantive research and training future academic leaders. We proudly serve Chicagoland and the Midwest, with a focus on underserved populations.
About the Fellowship
Program Details
This clinical fellowship is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and the McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University. It emphasizes key competencies, including interpreting liver biopsies, observing organ procurement and transplantation and completing a quality improvement project. Fellows have ample opportunities for scholarly activity, with the potential to engage in publishable research and advanced projects, such as those supported by training grants.
Our program fosters a collegial work environment among faculty, fellows and staff, with continuous multimodal feedback to promote growth, safety and well-being. Monthly wellness events further support fellows' overall health.
The fellowship provides extensive clinical experience, with direct faculty feedback to enhance cognitive, procedural and professional development. Throughout the program, fellows have access to:
- An online standardized curriculum aligned with board review requirements and a comprehensive reading list in Hepatology and Transplant
- Participation in multiple weekly conferences and lectures
- Weekly one-on-one meetings with the program director for guidance, feedback and wellness assessments
Clinical Experience
This 12-month fellowship alternates between inpatient and outpatient services on a monthly basis, with 20 working days of vacation. All experiences are supervised by Hepatology & Transplant faculty, with increasing autonomy as the fellow's competency grows.
Outpatient
Outpatient months focus on pre- and post-liver transplant (LT) clinics, with the post-LT clinic serving as a continuity clinic. Fellows also participate in a general Hepatology clinic to maintain broad expertise. In the second half of the year, subspecialty rotations in Pediatric Transplant Hepatology and Transplant Infectious Diseases (two weeks each) are included.
Inpatient
The inpatient Hepatology service involves managing pre-LT and long-term post-LT patients. Fellows oversee and educate residents, manage the service and present cases during daily multidisciplinary rounds. The fellow also engages with the consult service for general hepatology and LT patients with non-graft issues. For pre- and post-LT ICU patients, the fellow may serve as the primary consultant, schedule permitting.
Procedures
Fellows are expected to have procedural competency in endoscopy (EGD, colonoscopy) at the start of the fellowship, with endoscopy half-days throughout the week to maintain skills. The consult GI fellow typically performs inpatient procedures, but the fellow will achieve competency in interpreting liver biopsies (at least 200). During the second half of the fellowship, fellows will participate in one deceased donor procurement and three recipient surgeries.
Wellness
Wellness is a key focus of the fellowship, supported through weekly meetings with the program director, formal biannual assessments and monthly wellness social events to ensure fellows' well-being.
Research
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.
Eligibility
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
At the time of matriculation, Transplant Hepatology (TH) fellows must be board-eligible or board-certified in Gastroenterology.
Application Process
External Applicants
External applicants should utilize the AASLD Transplant Hepatology Fellowship Application System AASLD's Transplant Hepatology Fellowship Application.
This application includes:
- CV
- Three letters of recommendation, including one from the program director
- A personal statement
- 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.