AdventHealth Florida Program

The Gastroenterology & Hepatology Fellowship at AdventHealth Orlando is a distinguished three-year ACGME-accredited program designed to cultivate independent and skilled gastroenterologists. The program emphasizes comprehensive training, education, and mentorship, aligning with the needs of contemporary healthcare.

Curriculum Overview: The curriculum integrates high-value didactic and practical components to ensure fellows gain exceptional clinical expertise. Training through supervised hands-on patient care firmly establishes their proficiency in diagnosing, treating, and preventing various gastrointestinal, pancreato-biliary, and liver diseases by involving both research and educational activities. The environment nurtures the professional well-being of the fellows, facilitating their development as competent gastroenterologists in diverse practice settings.

Clinical Rotations: The fellowship includes around 30 months of clinical experience and a minimum of six months allocated for research and scholarly activities, ensuring a balanced approach between clinical practice and investigation. Trainees rotate primarily at AdventHealth Orlando and have ambulatory rotations at various affiliated campuses, such as AdventHealth Apopka, AdventHealth East, and AdventHealth Altamonte Springs. The first year is intensive, focusing on the broad spectrum of gastrointestinal and liver diseases in both inpatient and outpatient settings. A significant aspect of the training involves research initiation during a four-week elective period where first-year fellows explore subspecialization.

Rotation Details: The program is structured into 13 blocks annually, with each block consisting of four weeks. Key rotations include:

• Inpatient Consult Service: Exposure to various diseases enables fellows to learn to manage GI and liver conditions.
• Ambulatory Rotation: Involves subspecialty clinics, where fellows see patients across a range of conditions, engage in diagnostic procedures, and develop skills in motility evaluation.
• Hepatology Consult Rotation: Focuses on managing liver diseases and complications, including active participation in liver tumor boards and transplant selection conferences.
• Endoscopy Rotation: Beginning in the first year, fellows gain essential skills in performing diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopies under experienced faculty supervision.
• Advanced Endoscopy and Pancreato-biliary Rotation: Second-year fellows work at the Center for Interventional Endoscopy, gaining exposure to advanced interventional techniques.
• Continuity Clinic: Every fellow engages in a weekly half-day continuity clinic, allowing them to manage individual patient panels consistently.

Conferences and Didactics: The fellowship offers structured didactic sessions each week, including case presentations, morbidity and mortality reviews, and journal clubs. The curriculum adheres to the ACGME competencies while integrating best practices guided by the American College of Gastroenterology and other respected organizations. Additionally, fellows benefit from extensive interaction with faculty experts across various gastroenterology and hepatology subspecialties.

Research Opportunities: The importance of research within the fellowship program is emphasized, with fellows encouraged to engage in clinical trials, translational research, and quality improvement projects. AdventHealth's dedicated Translational Research Institute supports the research endeavors of the fellows, enhancing their scholarly output and experience.

Application Requirements: The program welcomes applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds, ensuring inclusivity in the selection process. Special application requirements may consist of specific documentation such as evidence of clinical experience, letters of recommendation, and having completed ACGME-accredited residency training. The program is committed to reviewing applications relatively quickly while considering rigorous standards.

Visa Support: AdventHealth Orlando supports H-1B visa applications for its fellows, facilitating the process for international medical graduates who meet eligibility requirements.

Competitiveness and Selection: The fellowship program is regarded as highly competitive but remains friendly towards applicants from DO and IMG backgrounds. With a focus on quality training and collaborative learning, it emphasizes the value of diversity and backgrounds in medicine.