The purpose of the clinical scholar track is to provide strong clinical training and flexibility in scholarly experiences with which to launch a career in academic gastroenterology. Penn Gastroenterology maintains strength across many clinical subspecialties and areas of academic expertise. Therefore, our clinical scholars enjoy wide opportunities to explore and develop their interests.
Program structure:
- First year fellowship will be dedicated to clinical service, including inpatient GI consult services, longitudinal general GI clinic, and outpatient endoscopy. Fellows are encouraged to identify mentors and prospective scholarly interests during their first year
- Second and third year fellows have flexibility to pursue individualized academic and clinical interests in a predominantly outpatient setting. Fellows select outpatient clinic and endoscopic experiences within both general and subspecialty GI to meet their specific career goals, and they complete a minimum of two (2) half days of clinic and two (2) half days of endoscopy weekly. During their second and third years, fellows additionally serve on inpatient consult teams amongst the four diverse clinical sites (Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Philadelphia VA Medical Center, Pennsylvania Hospital)
- Fellows may have the opportunity to integrate advanced fellowships (such as Esophagology, Transplant Hepatology) into their three-year fellowship experience
- Fellows who wish to pursue a master’s degree during their three-year fellowship would be better suited for a T32 track in Basic Science or Clinical Epidemiology However, classes can be supported for fellows within the clinical scholar track, and prior fellows have pursued research certificates or training in quality improvement
- Fellows engage in academic pursuits during their second and third year. Areas of focus can include clinical research, medical education, medical ethics and humanities, and quality improvement. Additionally, fellows may have the opportunity to concentrate in a subspecialty (e.g., inflammatory bowel disease, motility, nutrition)
Program benefits:
- Flexibility to adapt clinical training experiences to match unique career interests
- Protected time during second and third year to pursue individualized academic goals
- Additional funds may be available to support clinical research at Pennsylvania Hospital and other sites, and also for attendance for local and national conferences
Testimonials from current and recent graduates of the Clinical Scholars Track fellowship program:
Sanjay Salgado, MD, EdM
Advanced Endoscopy Fellow, Weill Cornell Medicine
Former Chief Fellow, Graduated 2022
The biggest highlight of the Clinical Scholar Track was the ability to tailor the last two years of fellowship to pursue my professional interests. I came into the program with an academic interest in medical education and a career interest in advanced endoscopy. During fellowship, I was able to complete the Measey Medical Education Fellowship, design curricula, and serve as a Chief Fellow, while also spending considerable time to develop my own endoscopic skillset by working closely with our advanced endoscopy faculty. Now, as an advanced endoscopy fellow, I found that this flexibility was invaluable to not only expand my technical and cognitive capabilities, but also to make me a more attractive job applicant.
Claire Beveridge, MD
Associate Staff - Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition. Cleveland Clinic
Associate Professor of Medicine. Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine
Former Chief Fellow, Graduated 2021
Mentors: Gary Falk, Kristle Lynch, Nitin Ahuja
Third year was combined general GI and Advanced Esophagology Fellowship
I chose Penn as my top choice and was thrilled that I matched for a few reasons. I knew I wanted to go into esophagology and would have beyond amazing mentors. I also wanted to have an excellent foundation in general GI as well as learn from world experts in other GI subspecialties. I am incredibly happy with the training I received and landed my top choice career after graduation. I am doing esophagology and running the adult EoE clinic at Cleveland Clinic as well as starting a transition EoE clinic with my pediatric GI colleagues.
Sonali Palchaudhuri, MD, MHCI
Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital
Former GI Fellow, Graduated 2021
During my interview day at Penn, I met with Shivan Mehta and Shazia Siddique, who were both doing the type quality improvement work I am passionate about; I left that day confident Penn was where I belonged for fellowship, and was ecstatic when I matched there. Like other major academic programs, I had no doubt I would be learning from world leaders in a variety of clinical topics. In addition, here I found the mentorship and flexibility to pursue my niche interest in QI work and innovation, both through leading a variety of projects in quality and safety within the division as well as participating in a multitude of training opportunities. As a third year fellow, I was offered the rare opportunity to switch to the clinical epidemiology track, which allowed me to get a Masters in Healthcare Innovation. Separately, I developed a clinical interest in nutrition, and found mentorship and support to pursue this as a clinical niche as well. This all allowed me to get exactly the type of job I wanted: a primarily clinical position in an academic center with some non-clinical time protected for QI work as well as building a nutrition program.