UNMC_Acronym_Vert_sm_4c
University of Nebraska Medical Center

Gastrointestinal/Liver & Transplant Fellowship

The curriculum of our one-year Gastrointestinal/Liver & Transplant Fellowship consists of advanced rotations in adult and pediatric GI pathology (both biopsies and resections) and liver and pancreatic pathology (including transplant). The program director is Dr. Ben Swanson and the associate program director is Dr. Audrey Lazenby.

One or two months of dedicated time for elective or research are provided, including a rotation in state-of-the-art molecular diagnostics in GI pathology if desired. One of the goals of the program is to ease the transition from residency to independent sign-out with fellows expected to sign out independently the last three months of the fellowship.

Attention will be given to fulfill the needs of the individual in terms of gaining skills toward pursuing a career in either private practice or academics. Ample opportunity is also available for the teaching of residents and participation in Tumor Boards. Pathology sign-out is subspecialized at UNMC and will come from our team of subspecialist GI and liver pathologists.

From the Directors

Benjamin J. Swanson, MD, PhD, Director

Our Gastrointestinal/Liver & Transplant Fellowship Program provides advanced training in gastrointestinal, liver, pancreatic pathology, transplant pathology, and small bowel transplant pathology. This instruction comes from a team of six subspecialized GI and liver pathologists.

Our program features independent sign-out during the last three months of the fellowship, which is invaluable preparation for the transition from training to a career in either private practice or academia.

Audrey Lazenby, MD, Associate Director

In addition to rotations in adult and pediatric GI pathology, our fellow also has one month of dedicated research time. The GI/Liver & Transplant fellow also shares the responsibility of staffing the weekly Gastrointestinal Oncology Conference as well as several other weekly and monthly conferences. We also provide many opportunities for teaching our residents, as well as medical students.

Thank you for your interest in our program, and we look forward to receiving your application.

Curriculum
  • One-year fellowship
  • Advanced rotations in adult and pediatric GI pathology (both biopsies and resections) and liver and pancreatic pathology (including transplant)
  • One or two months of dedicated time for elective or research are provided, including a rotation in state-of-the-art molecular diagnostics in GI pathology if desired.
  • Goal of the program is to ease the transition from residency to independent sign-out with fellows expected to sign out independently the last three months of the fellowship.
  • Skills gained will help toward pursuing a career in either private practice or academics.
  • Ample opportunity is also available for the teaching of residents and participation in Tumor Boards.
  • Pathology sign-out is subspecialized at UNMC and will come from our team of subspecialist GI and liver pathologists.
Compensation & Benefits
  • Full-time salary with excellent benefits will be provided and will be commensurate with that of a junior instructor.
  • $1,000 professional development allowance per resident per year of training for the support of academic books, board examinations and continuing education
  • Fellows are encouraged and supported by the department to present at scientific meetings. The department funds up to $2,500 for travel to professional meetings where the fellow presents their research. 
  • A fully stocked, up-to-date department library
  • One lab coat and one set of black scrubs
  • Access to Immunoquery, ExpertPath and PathPrimer; ASCP-Rise study sets, WHO series, and Biorender
Facility & Resources
The University of Nebraska Medical Center and affiliated hospital, Nebraska Medicine, comprise the Medical Center campus, which is in central Omaha. UNMC, which is the sponsoring institution, is an academic health center with a full-service clinical microbiology laboratory associated with the hospital. The surgical pathology division at the Nebraska Medical Center accessions more than 40,000 specimens with a wide range of neoplastic and non-neoplastic pathology. The 32 pathologists on staff have a wide variety of subspecialty expertise to further enhance the fellow's training. The Nebraska Medical Center is a world-renowned transplant center, and the Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases is one of only a few in the country that holds the NCI Designation Cancer Center. There is also full access to state-of-the-art facilities in molecular and ultrastructural techniques.
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Qualifications
Applicants for the gastroenterology/liver & transplant fellowship program can either be MD or DO, and must be board eligible or certified in anatomic pathology (AP) or combined anatomic and clinical pathology (AP/CP). Given the independent sign-out privileges and instructor status granted during the final three months of this fellowship, we prefer that the visa status be appropriate for this position. The position is for one year from July 1 to June 30.

Application
Applicants need to submit a complete application package to Dani Blum. The package includes the CAP standardized fellowship application form, a curriculum vitae, personal statement, United States Medical Licensing Examination summary sheet showing results (parts 1, 2 and 3), AP/CP board certification (if applicable), dean's letter, medical school transcript, medical school diploma and three letters of recommendation. The personal statement should include a brief overview of the applicant's interest, related experiences, and long-term career goals. The three letters of recommendation should include one letter from the current program director, and two from other physicians or graduate advisors who know the applicant well. International medical graduates must also submit a copy of a valid Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certificate.

Current Fellow

Zaid Khreefa, MBChB

Fellow

Zaid Khreefa

Alumni

2023-2024
Shereen Zia, MBBA, Assistant Professor, Western University Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, London, Ontario, Canada

2022-2023
Natasha Singh, MBBS, Cytopathology Fellowship, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY

2021-2022
Simran Mashiana, MBBS, Staff Pathologist, Forward Pathology Solutions, Richmond, VA

2020-2021
Dali Huang, MBBS, Staff Pathologist, Naples Pathology Associates, Naples, FL

2019-2020
Kayvon Dowlatshahi, MD, Faculty, Mission Hospital - Mission Viejo, Mission Viejo, CA  

2018-2019
Whitney Reid, DO, Faculty, Confluence Health, Wenatchee, WA

2017-2018
David Edwards, MD, Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital, British Columbia, Canada

2016-2017
Kurt Fisher, MD, PhD, Faculty, UNMC, Omaha, NE

2015-2016
Erin Quist, MD, Private Practice, Physicians Laboratory, Sioux Falls, SD

*First position after fellowship is listed.

Gene Leahy Mall at The RiverFront

About Omaha

UNMC and Nebraska Medicine share a campus in central Omaha with full-service clinical laboratories. Nebraska Medicine is a world-renowned transplant center. The Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center at UNMC and Nebraska Medicine is NCI-designated. There is also full access to state-of-the-art facilities in molecular and ultrastructural techniques.