Welcome! We are pleased that you are interested in learning more about the exceptional Gastroenterology Fellowship Program at Naval Medical Center San Diego! One of our goals is to instill our fellows with the highest principles of ethics, humanism, and professionalism. In addition, we aim to teach the scientific method as a foundation for life-long learning, independent and critical thinking, and self-improvement. We emphasize a consistent awareness of our dual roles as Naval Officers and Physicians, and we ultimately want our Fellowship program to foster excellence that is uncompromising and absolute. We intend to fulfill these goals by providing outstanding training opportunities and by selecting fellows based on maturity, leadership, scholarship, and initiative.

Our Fellowship program consists of three years of training in core clinical practices and advanced gastroenterological procedures. The first year of training focuses on basic consultative gastroenterology and is outlined in greater detail in the Curriculum Section. Hands-on training for procedures, small group discussions, one-on-one meetings with attendings, and other learning opportunities provide the support necessary to ensure that the fellow gains a strong understanding of the full spectrum of gastrointestinal, biliary, hepatic, and pancreatic diseases.

As training progresses, the fellow is expected to acquire the leadership skills needed to coordinate manpower and resources in order to perform consultative services in the context of a rigorous academic environment. The latter part of training allows the fellow to gain even more experience as part of a tertiary referral hospital.

The second and third years of the Fellowship program are centered on mastering more advanced gastroenterological procedures. Still operating with the full support and guidance of the GI staff, the fellow will focus on patients who need more advanced diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The fellow will attend a variety of conferences, and a comprehensive rotation schedule will give him or her a well-rounded knowledge base and invaluable experience in an assortment of hospital settings.