Pediatric Gastroenterology Fellowship

First Year Curriculum

First year subspecialty residents undergo an intense immersion into inpatient pediatric gastroenterology. Our fellows complete a nine-month inpatient rotation that help them progress toward competency in patient care. Inpatient responsibilities include the care of patients on the pediatric GI service, providing consults to patients on other services and managing high-risk transports from and to other institutions.

Additionally, first-year fellows utilize a variety of resources to gain comprehensive knowledge in pediatric gastroenterology such as online journals, general scientific journals and textbooks, attending journal club and other internal conferences, and taking the annual in-service exam in pediatric GI offered by the ABP.

Second and Third Year Curricula

Second and third-year subspecialty residents have one block of inpatient service and one block of clinical elective each year. The second and third years also have liver clinic one month per year. Elective courses include:

• Liver disease
• Motility Clinic

The third-year resident may take this motility elective again if consistent with career plans.

Diagnostic & Therapeutic Procedures

The second year and third year fellows continue to perform endoscopic procedures when on-call or during inpatient service months.

Third year pediatric GI residents who would like additional training in diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy may choose to complete an elective month were they spend 5 days/week performing all scheduled procedures in the endoscopy suite and operating room at UNC Chapel Hill.

After the second year, the fellow will show competency in the skills learned the first year, and after the third year mastery of skills.

Continuity Clinic

Pediatric GI residents of all levels have a half-day of mentored continuity clinic per week at NC Children’s Hospital or one of our satellite clinics. Under attending supervision, subspecialty residents are responsible for the continuing care of patients with acute and chronic gastrointestinal problems and provide consultation on a wide variety of new and follow-up patients.

Liver Disease Clinic

Sub-specialty residents of all levels are required to have one month of outpatient liver disease clinic per year, supervised by a hepatologist. Additionally, there are rotations available at Duke University to gain additional exposure to the liver transplant program.

First Year Research

First years have a one-month block in February to identify an area of academic interest, choose a research mentor, initiate preliminary research activity (present the background of the proposed research and generate specific hypotheses) and identify a Scholarship Oversight Committee.

Second and Third Year Research

Our program trains academic gastroenterologists. The research experience of the pediatric GI training program at UNC Chapel Hill is designed to teach the fundamentals to pursue a career in academic medicine after graduation. The pediatric GI residents may choose a clinical, translational or basic science research project.

Second and third year subspecialty residents have 18 months of fully protected time without other duties (except for half a day continuity clinic and attendance to didactic sessions) to devote to their scholarly endeavor. Our fellows acquire the necessary skills through a combination of mentoring, tutorial teaching, course work, on-line tools, conferences and seminars.

UNC Chapel Hill offers virtually limitless opportunities for scholarly training. Our fellows may choose a mentor within the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology or outside the Division, depending on career interests. Nonetheless, the Program Director closely monitors the resident’s experience, from choosing a mentor, a research environment, and ensuring appropriate support for the pediatric GI resident.

A substantive scholarly product is required to graduate from the program. Examples include:

A peer-reviewed publication in which the fellow played a substantial role
An in-depth manuscript describing a completed project
A thesis or dissertation written in connection with the pursuit of an advanced degree (e.g. MPH, Masters in Clinical Research)

A progress report for projects of exceptional complexity, such as a multi-year clinical trial
With help from a mentor, the second year fellow writes a research protocol, submits it for scientific review, addresses the comments; submits the protocol for IRB review or Animal Care Committee review and address contingencies, with the goal of having the protocol approved by the appropriate regulatory body in the first three months of the research experience. The fellow learns appropriate lab techniques, data collection and analysis, and statistical methodology to complete the project. Scientific language writing and grant writing is also taught.

At the end of the third year, the fellow is competent in all areas of scholarly research.

Current Fellows

	Prathipa Santhanam, MBBS 3rd Year Fellow Undergrad: Anglo-Chinese Junior College, Singapore Medical school: P.S.G. Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, India Residency: Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
	Seth Morrison, MD 2nd Year Fellow Undergrad: Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington Medical school: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Faculty of Health Sciences, Israel Residency & Chief Resident: University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine, Tulsa, OK

Graduates

Erica Brenner, MD Completed Master of Science in Clinical Research during fellowship Hometown: Ithaca, New York Undergrad: Syracuse Universityem> Medical school: SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY Residency: University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill Post Fellowship: Inflammatory Bowel Disease Fellowship at UNC

Michael Rogers, DO, MPH Undergrad: Davidson College Medical School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Virginia Campus Residency: Eastern Virginia Medical School/The Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters Completed Master of Public Health degree during his fellowship Awarded 2020 Walter Tunnessen Award for Best Clinical Science Research at the UNC Department of Pediatrics Day of Scholarship Post Fellowship Graduation: Pediatric Hepatology Fellowship, Cincinnati Children's Hospital

	Francisco Sylvester, MD Professor of Pediatrics Division Chief Program Director Find-a-Doctor Profile Research Profile
	Sabina Mir, MD Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Associate Program Director Find-a-Doctor profile

Katie Pattison
Division Administrator & Fellowship Coordinator
Email: katiepa@email.unc.edu
Phone: 919-966-8358
Fax: 919-966-8641

Francisco Sylvester, MD
Professor of Pediatrics
Program Director & Division Chief
Email: fsylvester@med.unc.edu
Phone: 919-445-0257

Sabina Mir, MD
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Associate Program Director
Email:mir@med.unc.edu
Phone: 919-962-5976

Mailing Address
247 MacNider Building, CB# 7229
333 S. Columbia Street
UNC School of Medicine
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7229