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University of California, San Francisco |  |
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 PostGraduate Training Program
The Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) has had an NIH-funded training program in Pediatric Gastroenterology/Nutrition since 1973. The program allows trainees the opportunity to work with members throughout the UCSF campus and affiliated institutions (e.g., UC Berkeley), utilizing the immense resources and faculty of this world-renowned university.
Clinical training activities in pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology, nutrition, and (including an Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program and Liver and Intestinal Transplantation Services) are centered at the University Hospital (UCSF Children’s Hospital). The Program also provides coverage in gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition at San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH), UCSF/Mt. Zion Hospital, and consultative services for other local community hospitals. Multidisciplinary ambulatory specialty clinics are held at UCSF and at regularly scheduled outreach specialty clinics conducted in various locations throughout northern and central California.
Melvin B. Heyman, MD, MPH Philip Rosenthal, MD John Snyder, MD Sue Rhee, MD Patrika Tsai, MD, MPH
Neera Gupta, MD, MAS
M. Michael Thaler, MD Nonacademic support staff includes Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and Clinical Nurse Specialists (specialized in parenteral and enteral feeding, nutrition and liver transplant), feeding therapists, clinical nutritionists, and full-time social workers. A Staff Research Associate and two Research Nurse Study Coordinators assist with clinical research programs.
The program offers up to 5 training positions, 3 of which are funded by a NIH Training Program grant in Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. The research activities of the Program are funded by grants to individual investigators in the Program and their various Departments and Research Institutes at UCSF. A partial list of available faculty including potential research mentors is available upon request.
This program is Board Certified by the ACGME and is classified as a PL-4 program providing 3 or 4 years of training. The curriculum is oriented toward physicians preparing for academic careers in pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition. The program aims to promote scientific and teaching experience and necessary clinical skills to prepare the trainee for an academic career in pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition. Considerable flexibility is offered to allow for differences in background, interests, and experience of individual trainees and to tailor the training program to meet the needs and desires of each trainee. This also facilitates admission of qualified trainees with varying background experiences and future goals. Applicants are encouraged to enroll for 4 years; preference is given to applicants willing to make this commitment. During one year, the trainee concentrates on intensive clinical training, with emphasis on diagnostic skills and systematic approaches to gastrointestinal problems. Two to three years are protected and devoted to investigative training, experience in teaching, and instruction in preparation of scientific communications and research proposals.
Faculty and trainees are jointly responsible for the care of patients admitted to the Pediatric Gastroenterology and Liver services and participate in consultations requested by pediatricians and other subspecialists. Trainees supervise pediatric and other house officers in the care of all patients with primary gastrointestinal, liver, and nutritional disorders and participate in consultations from outside hospitals and physicians. Clinical training provides intensive experience in gastrointestinal, liver, and nutritional disorders of infancy and childhood, combined with meaningful exposure to major related clinical areas. During their clinical training, trainees are stationed in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of California Children’s Hospital in San Francisco. All trainees attend one half day of outpatient clinic each week throughout their training period. Further training opportunities are also available in the Gastroenterology Training Program in the Department of Medicine. Standard Procedures (upper and lower endoscopy, overnight esophageal pH monitoring, liver biopsy, intestinal and rectal biopsy) are performed by clinical trainees under faculty supervision. Specialized procedures such as polypectomy, esophageal stricture dilatations, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) placement, esophageal and rectal manometry, and breath analyses are performed by the faculty with assistance from and eventually assumed by Pediatric Gastroenterology Trainees with particular interest in the specific procedures. Other procedures such as ERCP are also available if deemed appropriate for the training experience. The Faculty and Trainees in the Division conduct ward rounds daily while assigned to inpatient services, and present current instructive cases at a weekly conference to the entire medical staff of the Division. Other conferences within the Division include monthly formal presentations on major topics in pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology, and/or nutrition, a monthly research seminar at which ongoing or planned projects are presented and discussed, and a weekly review of pathologic specimens obtained in management of children with gastrointestinal disorders. Radiology and pathology conferences are included in the training experience. A varied program of formal conferences is also held jointly with the Division of Gastroenterology in the Department of Medicine. While the Pediatric and Medical Gastroenterology Divisions function independently, close cooperation enhances the scope of each program. The entire staff of both Divisions participates in a weekly Gastroenterology Grand Rounds and Seminar series, a weekly Liver Transplant Selection Conference, a monthly Inflammatory Bowel Disease Conference, a Transplant Conference, and a periodic interdepartmental Liver Center Research Seminar. Optional opportunities exist for additional participation in the formal teaching activities of the Gastroenterology Training Program in Medicine (rounds, clinical conferences, research seminars).
The Training Program is designed for candidates planning serious and productive academic careers. Accordingly, training in scientific investigation occupies a central position in the program and is designed to provide a broad scientific basis combined with practical research experience. Trainees on the clinical service are urged to define the clinical problems they encounter in terms of testable hypothesis, and to concentrate on processes rather than phenomena. Trainees entering into the research phase of their training are free to initiate new projects with appropriate faculty preceptors or may choose to participate in ongoing research in any laboratory or with any investigator throughout UCSF. Each trainee is encouraged to focus on one or two major areas in the context of which he or she will acquire special expertise in advance methodology, experimental design, data collection, and analysis of results. Research training opportunities include investigations at molecular, tissue culture, organ perfusion, whole animal and clinical levels. Under the newly revised Training Program, the trainee will have the opportunity focus the research training in either basic science or clinical research. The basic science opportunities vary from the cellular and molecular to the developmental biology and immunology laboratories. Clinical research may be based on patient care issues or extend into health policy and outcomes research. A unique relationship of our Program with the UCSF Institute for Health Policy Studies encourages this area of investigation. Clinical research training can be augmented and facilitated by the Master in Clinical Research Program at UCSF. Dedicated preceptors with varying interests and expertise are available and committed in all of the research areas offered. In the year prior to beginning their research training, applicants and trainees are encouraged to meet with potential preceptors to develop a research plan. Applicants with specific interests are urged to inquire for further detail. Trainees have the opportunity to enroll in biostatistics, ethics, and other pertinent courses in the area(s) of interest and to attend informal seminars on the basics of scientific writing, oral presentation, and preparation of research proposals.
Trainees are actively involved in teaching undergraduate (3rd & 4th year) courses in pediatric gastroenterology, and present seminars at Pediatric Grand Rounds, Adult GI Rounds, combined Journal Clubs, and Departmental Postgraduate or "Advanced" courses for pediatric and family practitioners.
For NIH-sponsored research training, United States citizenship or permanent residency is required. Completion of 3 years of general pediatric training is expected before beginning subspecialty training. However, this is not an absolute requirement, and exceptions may be made on an individual basis (e.g. for Ph.D's). Please note the requirement for 3 or more letters of recommendation. We would also appreciate a short description of your career goals, as noted in the application. An interview should be arranged upon receipt of the completed form and letters of recommendation. Members of under-represented minorities are encouraged to apply. Thank you for your interest in our Program. Please contact us should you require additional information. Sincerely, Melvin B. Heyman, MD, MPH
Interview Dates for 2009 Applicants Interviews are by invitation only. Although interviews are not conducted in a group setting, more then one candidate may be interviewed on the same date.
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