Transplant Hepatology Fellowship

Overview of the Transplant Hepatology Fellowship

Loyola Medicine offers an ACGME-accredited Transplant Hepatology Fellowship Program. Loyola is an active liver transplant center, performing approximately 80 liver transplants per year and is an active referral center for patients with liver disease requiring liver transplantation.

The fellowship program is a 12-month fellowship offered for fellows who have completed an ACGME approved three-year Gastroenterology Fellowship program. Loyola also has the capability of considering the combined Gastroenterology & Transplant Hepatology Fellowship program which is three years in length.

The fellowship takes place at Loyola University Medical Center's campus, which includes a 547 bed tertiary referral hospital located in the western suburbs of Chicago.

The 63-acre campus is also home to Loyola University Chicago's Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago's Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, Loyola Center for Fitness, Loyola Medicine's and Loyola University Chicago's Center for Translational Research and Education, the Loyola Outpatient Center and more.

Loyola Medicine is a member of Trinity Health, one of the nation’s largest health systems with 88 hospitals in 25 states.

Loyola University Medical Center's campus in Maywood, IL includes:

• William G. and Mary A. Ryan Center for Heart & Vascular Medicine
• Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center
• A Level 1 trauma center
• The largest burn center
• Second largest transplant center in the state of Illinois
• A certified comprehensive stroke center
• Loyola Medicine Children’s Hospital

Education in the Transplant Hepatology Fellowship Program

One-Year Clinical Training

Goals

• Evaluate UNOS organ offers and asses organ quality for transplant
• Understand the proper timing and management of patients who require liver transplantation, including those with acute liver failure
• Understand the basics of organ procurement and determining organ quality during procurement
• Evaluate Patients for liver transplantation, including indications and contraindications
• Understand UNOS and OPTN regulations related to transplant care
• Function effectively with interdisciplinary health care team, including nurses, physicians and social workers
• Become familiar with pre and post-operative care and long term care of transplant patients, including immunosuppression management

Objectives

• Independently evaluate candidates for transplantation, asses the patients suitability and risks for transplant and postoperative complications
• Learn management of transplant patients both before and after surgery, treatment of rejection and other surgical and medical complications
• Understand immunosuppressive drugs, including induction and maintenance, recognized side effects and complications related to them
• Perform and understand the indications and implications of percutaneous liver biopsy, including histologic analysis
• Understand UNOS and OPTN regulations
• Participate in quality improvement project for the transplant program
• Participate in division and department of internal medicine educational conferences and processes

Inpatient Hepatology Service

• Pre- and post-liver transplant liver patients are admitted to the primary hepatology service, staffed by a transplant hepatology attending physician, a gastroenterology fellow, four internal medicine residents and an APN
• Transplant surgery team consults for inpatient evaluations

Research

In addition to the clinical training, all fellows are expected to participate in research endeavors. Protected research time is permitted during the fellowship program.

Fellows are encouraged to present and attend at least one conference during their 12-month fellowship. There is a wide range of active liver transplant projects ongoing, of which fellow participation is encouraged.

Educational Programs, Conferences and Seminars

Trainees are encouraged to attend and present at a national meeting each year (AASLD). The transplant hepatology fellow is expected to assist in resident and fellow education with trainees rotating through the hepatology services and clinics.

In addition, the fellow is to actively participate in weekly multidisciplinary transplant committee meetings and conferences.