Program Overview

The Gastroenterology Fellowship program at the UMKC School of Medicine was established in 1986. Two fellows are selected each year. There are six fellowship positions, two in each of the three level-years of training. There are approximately 14 faculty members at the two primary teaching hospitals — Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City and University Health Truman Medical Center.

Curriculum

Fellows receive training in the cognitive aspects of consultative gastroenterology and hepatology, and in a wide range of endoscopic procedures. Due to a large patient base and strong encouragement from faculty opportunities for research also abound. Funding for research activities is available through several hospital-based foundations.

Training experiences are supplemented with weekly conferences covering a broad spectrum of topics. These include GI grand rounds, journal club, research conference, QA conference and morbidity and mortality conference.

Two primary hospitals — University Health Truman Medical Center and Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City — participate in the gastroenterology training program. These hospitals are primary teaching hospitals for the School of Medicine.

Year 1

Time is split between University Health Truman Medical Center and Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City. Fifty to 100 new consults are seen, and more than 200 endoscopies are performed monthly. First year fellows become proficient at diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic procedures, including upper endoscopy, esophageal dilatation, esophageal band ligation, endoscopic hemostasis, colonoscopy, polypectomy, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy and paracentesis. Four weeks of research is allotted to initiate both retrospective and prospective research projects.

Years 2-3

Second- and third-year fellows continue to expand their experience in the basic procedures and also perform esophageal manometry, ambulatory pH testing, capsule endoscopy and ERCP. Required rotations include GI, pathology/radiology/nutrition, research, advanced endoscopy and hepatology/liver transplantation. A wide range of experiences in the management of liver disease is available at University Health Truman Medical Center and Saint Luke’s Hospital. Participation in the liver transplant program at Saint Luke’s Hospital is included in the hepatology rotation.

Fellows participate with faculty in a wide range of clinic experiences, including a focus on general gastroenterology, functional disorders, IBD, advanced endoscopy and liver disease.

Conferences

  • GI-based grand rounds (weekly)
  • Journal Club (bimonthly)
  • QA conference (quarterly)
  • Multidisciplinary conference (monthly)
  • Morbidity and mortality conference (monthly)
  • GI Liver/Transplant conference (weekly during hepatology conference)

Research

Both laboratory-based and clinical research opportunities are available and strongly encouraged.

It is expected that at least one retrospective research project, one case report and one prospective project will take place during the three years of training. Fellows are expected to present their research results of at both national and regional meetings.