ACGME Gastroenterology Fellowship

One of the greatest strengths of the GI Fellowship at UCSF is the robust clinical experience. Fellows in the Clinical Educator track are exposed to the basic general GI curriculum in the first year of fellowship and can refine their educational experience in the second and third year of training to emphasize exposure to advanced rotations including advanced therapeutics, liver transplant and inflammatory bowel disease.

The focus of the clinical track is on clinical gastroenterology and hepatology. Fellows in this track are engaged in a number of clinical rotations during their second and third years including Liver Transplantation (Moffitt-Long), the advanced endoscopy rotation where fellows learn ERCP and have exposure to endoscopic ultrasound and other advanced procedures such as endoscopic mucosal resection, enteral stent placement or deep enteroscopy (Moffiit-Long and Mission Bay), Center for Colitis and Crohn’s Disease (Mt. Zion), and serve as the senior fellow at SFGH and SFVA. Fellows participate in a number of teaching responsibilities including organizing case conferences at respective sites, teaching first year medical students during their GI/Liver block and giving an annual grand rounds presentation. In addition to their clinical duties, fellows in the clinical track are expected to engage in scholarly activities. Fellows receive protected time for research through a combination of month-long blocks and dedicated days within clinical rotations. Research projects can be in either gastroenterology or hepatology and cover a broad range of areas including clinical research, patient safety, quality improvement, or projects related to medical education. At the beginning of the second year all fellows are encouraged to enroll in the introductory methods for the Advanced Training in Clinical Research course to augment their skills in clinical research.

GI + Transplant Hepatology in a single 3-year program
The UCSF GI fellowship program participates in the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) pilot program to integrate formal, competency-based Transplant Hepatology training into the 3-year GI fellowship program. The pilot program has the approval of ABIM and ACGME and graduates will be eligible to take both GI and Transplant Hepatology ABIM board certification examinations after 3 years of training. Fellows matched to the clinical educator track are eligible for this program and apply during the first year of fellowship. Up to one fellow per year may enter the program. This pilot program is separate from but analogous to the 1-year Transplant Hepatology fellowship offered after the completion of the full 3-year GI fellowship.

The UCSF Gastroenterology and Hepatology Research Training Pathway is designed for fellows committed to becoming the next generation of physician-scientists and academic leaders in digestive and liver diseases. The pathway provides rigorous, individualized research training with the goal of preparing fellows for successful research-intensive careers and future extramural funding. Fellows may pursue careers in basic, translational, clinical, outcomes, health services, educational, or implementation science research, supported by the exceptional breadth of mentorship and resources available across UCSF.

Research track fellows are immersed in a vibrant academic environment that fosters innovation, collaboration, and scientific discovery. Trainees work closely with internationally recognized faculty mentors across the UCSF campus and affiliated institutions, including the San Francisco VA and Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. Fellows benefit from access to world-class research infrastructure, multidisciplinary collaborations, biostatistical and methodological support, advanced core facilities, and a deeply collegial mentorship culture focused on career development and long-term success.

During the first year of fellowship, prospective research track fellows identify a primary mentor, develop a focused area of investigation, and establish a tailored research and career development plan. Research support is primarily funded through the division’s NIH-sponsored T32 training grants in Gastroenterology and Hepatology. During the second and third years of fellowship, research track fellows receive approximately 18 months of protected research time, allowing them to pursue intensive investigative training while maintaining selected clinical experiences. Fellows pursuing laboratory-based investigation may engage in foundational science coursework and bench research, while those pursuing clinical and translational research may complete formal training through UCSF’s Advanced Training in Clinical Research (ATCR) program and obtain a Master’s Degree in Clinical Science.

A cornerstone of the pathway is the UCSF T32 Hepatology Research Training Program, established in 2002 to develop future leaders in liver-related research. The program provides two years of multidisciplinary research training spanning liver biology, translational investigation, and clinical hepatology research. Trainees are supported by accomplished faculty mentors with extensive records of successfully guiding fellows toward independent academic careers and research funding. To date, 51 trainees have completed the program, with graduates pursuing diverse investigative careers in academia, industry, and government. Over the past decade, 93% of T32 graduates have remained engaged in research careers, and 77% have successfully obtained research funding.

In addition, UCSF is home to an NIH-sponsored T32 Gastroenterology Research Training Program focused on developing future leaders across the spectrum of digestive disease research, including luminal gastroenterology, motility and neurogastroenterology, inflammatory bowel disease, microbiome science, cancer prevention and outcomes research, health services research, and medical education scholarship. The program provides intensive mentorship, protected research training, and a collaborative scientific environment that supports fellows pursuing diverse investigative pathways.

UCSF’s longstanding commitment to mentorship, innovation, and academic excellence provides fellows with the foundation, resources, and scholarly community needed to thrive as independent investigators and future leaders in gastroenterology and hepatology research.