Fellowship Council - Display Listing

Program Director(s):
Kirsten Newhams
Yohshiro Komatsu

Description:

The Esophageal Institute at the Allegheny Health Network in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania offers a one-year clinical fellowship in Minimally Invasive Foregut Surgery. This fellowship focuses on advanced laparoscopic, robotic, and endoscopic techniques used in the evaluation and treatment of foregut disease. Our goal is to train surgeons in the art of esophagology, with an ability to diagnose, interrogate, manage, and treat the full spectrum of foregut disease. Through a multi-disciplinary approach, and by training in advanced therapeutic techniques, we seek to instill in trainees a dedication to the continuous pursuit of excellence in the field of foregut.

Throughout the course of the fellowship, our fellow will gain exposure to the pathophysiology of foregut disease. We provide comprehensive training in the completion and analysis of diagnostic endoscopy, including but not limited to pH monitoring (capsule and catheter-based testing) and high resolution esophageal manometry. In addition, they will learn how to interpret radiology studies including barium swallows and modified barium swallows. Additional exposure to nuanced evaluations such as FEES, may be provided. There is extensive training in therapeutic endoscopic procedures such as POEM, EMR, ESD, stenting, RFA, PDT and dilation. They will evaluate patients in clinic, formulate diagnostic and treatment plans and then enact them in the operating room. Operative experience is provided through graduated autonomy. Case mix includes anti-reflux procedures (magnetic sphincter augmentation and fundoplication), paraesophageal hernia repair, pyloroplasty, gastric stimulator placement, revision of prior anti-reflux surgeries, including esophagojejunostomy, gastrectomy for benign and malignant disease, esophagectomy for benign and malignant disease, as well as procedures for Zenker’s diverticulum. Our Institute offers multi-disciplinary care so our fellow will gain exposure to speech language pathology, behavioral health, and nutrition as well.

In addition to the above, the fellow is expected to complete a dedicated research project leading to presentation and publication during their training. We have a robust basic and clinical research team to support the fellow with their research.

As part of the training, our fellow will present patients at Tumor Board meetings, as well as monthly mortality & morbidity conferences. These are opportunities the fellow to gain deep insight into their patients and the nuanced care that they require. Journal Club is scheduled regularly throughout the year, allowing for a deep dive into specific areas of interest, such as gastroparesis and esophageal cancer. There are often opportunities to participate in national meetings; such as: ACS, AFS, DDW, and SAGES.

Our fellow will be provided the opportunity to gain certification in magnetic sphincter augmentation (LINX) and Robotic Surgery (Intuitive) through the course of the year.

Finally, this year serves as a transition year to independent practice with the fellow gaining increasing amounts of clinical, endoscopic, and surgical autonomy as directed by their demonstrated abilities. Our fellowship is geared for surgeons who desire to develop extensive knowledge and skill mastery in the field of foregut disease.

Basic Program Information:

Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Primary Program Site: West Penn Hospital - Allegheny Health Network
Primary Hospital: Total bed size, # OR's, # Surgical ICU beds: 317 total beds, 18 ORs, 16 SICU beds
Secondary Program Site: Canonsburg Hospital
Secondary Hospital: Total bed size, # OR's, # Surgical ICU beds: 104 total beds; 3 ORs, 8 ICU beds
Clinic locations and schedule: On average there will be: 1 day of clinic; 3 days of operative and endoscopic procedures, and 1 day of research/education.

While West Penn serves as the hub of the fellowship, our fellow will be able to rotate at the following nearby hospitals to gain operative and endoscopic experience: Canonsburg Hospital, Jefferson Hospital, and Armstrong County Memorial Hospital.
University Affiliation: Drexel University
School of Medicine Affiliation: Drexel University School of Medicine
Year Program and/or Designation Established: 2012
Number of Faculty: 3
% of Program Clinical: 90
% of Program Research: 10

Additional Program Information:

Interaction with Residents: Some cases shared
Is there a General Surgery Residency at the Primary Institution? Yes
Is there a General Surgery Residency at the Secondary Institution? No
Is there a curriculum in place for fellowship? Yes
Is there a skills lab at the institution with fellow access? Yes
Are there teaching conferences available for the fellow? Yes
Is there an evaluation tool for fellow by faculty in place? Yes
Is there an evaluation tool for faculty by fellow in place? Yes
Papers Accepted For Publication where PD was an author: 500
Publications that Involved Input from the Fellow: 300
Are funds available for the Fellow to attend conferences? Yes

Malpractice Insurance Information:

The fellow(s) is also required to have attending privileges (insurance coverage must also include all activities for their work while they act as a fellow and an attending) and the program provides the following:
Claims-based malpractice coverage including a tail for the statute of limitations

Contact Information For Questions:

Wayne Crockett
Phone: (412) 645-1194
Fax: Please email
Email: [email protected]
Web: https://www.ahn.org/health-care-professionals/education/graduate-medical-education/fellowships/esophageal-surgery.html

Facilities

Dry Lab
Wet lab
Library
Administrative Support
Basic Science Research
Clinical Research
Simulation Lab

Citizenship and Visa Requirements:

Medical School Requirements:

We accept graduates of U.S. or Canadian Medical Schools and Foreign Medical Schools

We accept graduates of Foreign Medical Schools only if ECFMG Certified

Examinations and Certifications:

Applicants must have passed the USMLE/COMLEX Step 1, 2, & 3 exams

Applicants must have passed the USMLE/COMLEX Step 1 & 2 exams or the Medical Council of Canada Evaluation Exam (MCCEE)

Applicants must have had at least 2 years of prior training in an ACGME accredited residency or fellowship (or Canadian equivalent)

Applicants who are ABS or Canadian Board Eligible or Certified

Applicants must have had at least 2 years of prior training in an AOA (American Osteopathic Association) accredited residency or fellowship

Applicants must be AOBS (American Osteopathic Board of Surgery) eligible or certified

Licensure Requirements and Information:

A Pennsylvania State Medical License is not required to apply for this fellowship match however a PA state medical license must be acquired prior to beginning the fellowship. It is strongly recommended that fellows apply for their license as soon as possible after matching to the program.

Please visit the following link for application details: http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/state_board_of_medicine/12512/licensure_information/599413

Accreditation Status	Accreditation Period	Length of Accreditation
Accredited for Foregut	2022-2025	3

Fellowship Opportunity # 1

Number of Positions Available: 1
Type of Fellowship: Foregut
Duration: 1 year
Start Day: August 1
End Day: July 31
Is this a salaried position? Yes
It is a requirement that the salary must be commensurate to a PGY 6 or greater in the same city. Does your program meet this requirement? Yes
Is the salary guaranteed for the year? Yes
Is there funding available beyond salary for meeting attendance, research, etc? Yes
Is the salary dependent on call? No
Is the Fellow on call? Yes
What are the on call requirements? Our fellow will take call for all Institute patients during the week. General Surgery residents will be first call for inpatients and consults. The fellow will provide back up for the house staff when problems arise and will confer directly with attending staff after having evaluated the patient. Weekend call coverage and rounding will be approximately every third weekend and divided equally amongst our fellow and general surgery residents. There will be a General Surgery call compnent that coincides with the Esophageal Institute's call schedule. This concurrent General Surgery call will be four to eight times through the course of the fellowship year. The fellow will take home call for outpatients.
What are the estimated fellow weekly work hours? 55
It is a requirement that Health Insurance be provided. Do you provide health insurance to your fellows? Yes
Teaching Responsibilities: No
Courses/Academic Presentations: Yes
Does reimbursement for the above make up part of the salary? No
Does the fellowship contract include a non-compete clause? Yes

Clinical Outpatient Experience

Our fellow is responsible for fully participating and directing the care of their patients from initial consultation through aftercare. The fellow will provide comprehensive evaluations, diagnostic plans with subsequent interpretation and creation of a throughout and considerate therapeutic plan. Additionally, the fellow is expected to direct the preoperative evaluations necessary to safely bring their patient to surgery. Our fellow will round daily on their patients and create a daily care plan that is communicated to the care team. Follow up care will be guided by the fellow. At the Esophageal Institute, we provide extensive follow up on our patients and the fellow will have the ability to participate in this process. While staff surgeons will ultimately oversee the care of our patients, our fellow is expected to be comprehensive in their evaluations and care of the patients.

Research/Scholarship Resources

The research lab at the Esophageal Institute has a thriving basic, translational, and clinical research program. Our fellow have access to many resources including a state-of-the-art basic research facility housed within the Institute. The fellow is required to select at least one research area of focus and submit a completed manuscript to a national journal. Our fellow is also encouraged to submit an abstract to various national presentations such as SAGES, DDW, AFS, GI ASCO, and ASCO. Prior and current fellows have presented at these meetings.

The Esophageal Research Team acts as an important resource to new Fellows. Our fellow is able to consult directly with the Directors of Basic/Translational Research, Clinical Research, and their respective teams.

Program Director(s) Detailed Information

Dr. Kirsten Newhams MD, MPH

At Institution Since: 2017
Program Director Since : 2019
Board Certification: Board Certified

Society Memberships

SAGES

ACS

AFS

Areas of Expertise

Diagnosis and Management of Foregut Disease

Teaching Qualifications

Dr. Newhams has served as Associate Program Director since 2019 and has moved to the Primary Director role as of December 2024.

Summary of Qualifications

Education and Training:

Undergraduate:

International Studies, BA, American University, Washington, D.C., 2004
Post-baccalaureate in pre-medical studies, American University, Washington, D.C., 2006

Graduate:

Doctor of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, 2012
Masters of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas, 2012

Post-graduate:

Internship, General Surgery, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, 2012-2013
Residency, General Surgery, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, 2013-2017
MIS Fellowship, Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 2017-2018

Additional Training:

LINX Reflux Management System Completion of Training Requirements, 2018
Certification da Vinci System training as a console surgeon, 2019

HONORS:

Robert Pommerening Resident of the Year, Virginia Mason Medical Center, 2017
University Honors, American University, 2004
Dean’s List, American University, 2000-2004
Presidential Scholarship recipient, American University, 2000

LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE:

SAGES Foregut Committee, Member, 2021-present
Esophageal Institute, Allegheny Health Network, Director of Robotic Surgery, 2021-present
American Foregut Society, AFS Competency Committee, Foregut webinars, Surgical Co-director/Member, 2020-present
West Penn Hospital, Robotics Committee, Chair, 2020-present
Esophageal Institute, Allegheny Health Network, Minimally Invasive Foregut Fellowship, Associate Program Director, 2019-2024, Director, 2024-present
Esophageal/Gastric Cancer Leadership Team, Allegheny Health Network, Surgical Lead, 2019-present

Dr. Yohshiro Komatsu MD

At Institution Since: 2016
Program Director Since : 2024
Board Certification: Not Certified

Society Memberships

SAGES

SSAT

Areas of Expertise

Minimally Invasive Foregut Surgery, Endoscopic surgical approaches and diagnostics

Teaching Qualifications

Summary of Qualifications

EDUCATION:

Doctor of Medicine, Juntendo University School of Medicine (Tokyo/Japan), 2005

TRAINING:

Resident (Surgery), 4/2005-3/2007, Juntendo University Shizuoka Hospital, Juntendo University School of Medicine (Shizuoka/Japan), Department of Surgery
Clinical Fellow (Surgery), 4/2007-3/2010, Juntendo University Shizuoka Hospital, Juntendo University School of Medicine (Shizuoka/Japan), Department of Surgery
Clinical Fellow (MIS/advanced endoscopy), 11/2013-6/2016, Minimally invasive and endoscopic thoracic surgery program, Esophageal and Lung Institute, Allegheny Health Network (Pittsburgh/USA)

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:

Medical Staff of Emergency Room, 4/2007-3/2010, Juntendo University Shizuoka Hospital, Juntendo University School of Medicine (Shizuoka/Japan), Department of Emergency Medicine
Medical Staff of Helicopter Emergency Medical Service, 4/2007-10/2010, Juntendo University Shizuoka Hospital, Juntendo University School of Medicine (Shizuoka/Japan), Department of Emergency Medicine
Staff Surgeon, Teaching assistant, 4/2010-10/2010, Juntendo University Shizuoka Hospital, Juntendo University School of Medicine (Shizuoka/Japan), Department of Surgery
Postdoctoral research associate, 11/2010-6/2012, Esophageal Research, Division of Thoracic and Foregut Surgery, Heart, Lung, and Esophageal, Surgery Institute, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (Pittsburgh/USA)
Research study coordinator, 7/2012-10/2013, Esophageal and Thoracic Research Institute for the Treatment of Esophageal and Thoracic Disease, Allegheny Singer Research Institute, Allegheny Health Network (Pittsburgh/USA)
Staff Physician, 7/2016-present, Esophageal Institute, Allegheny Health Network (Pittsburgh/USA)

CERTIFICATION, LICENSURE, DEA:

Japanese National Board of Medical License, #449796, 3/2005
Board of General Surgery, Japan Surgical Society #0575864, 7/2010, (Renewed in 4/2016)
ECFMG Certificate, 1/2013, (STEP1 10/2012, STEP2CK 7/2012, STEP2CS 1/2013)
USMLE STEP3, 5/2013
Pennsylvania state license: Medical Physician and Surgeon (MD450147), 9/2013
LINX Reflux Management System Completion of Training Requirements, 6/2016
Certification da Vinci System training as a console surgeon, 8/2019

LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE:

Japan Surgical Society 4/2005-present
The Japanese Society of Gastroenterological Surgery 4/2005-present
Japan Surgical Association 4/2005-present
Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society 4/2007-present
Japanese Association for Acute Medicine 4/2007-present
Japanese Society for Abdominal Emergency Medicine 4/2007-present
Japan Society for Endoscopic Surgery 4/2009-present
Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons 7/2016-present
The Society of Surgery of the Alimentary Tract 12/2017-present

Division of Time

Percentage of Time Spent in Clinical Activity: 90%
Percentage of Time Spent in Research Activity:10%

Case Load as Reported By Fellow(s)

3 Fellow(s) performed 307 cases with 412 procedures during the 2024-2025 Fellowship Year.

3 Fellow(s) performed 1040 cases with 1648 procedures during the 2023-2024 Fellowship Year.

List of Contributing Faculty

Kirsten Newhams MD, MPH	40%
Area of Expertise MIS esophageal and gastric conditions, endoscopic surgical techniques and diagnostics
Role in Training Attending Physician

Yoshihiro Komatsu MD	30%
Area of Expertise MIS esophageal and gastric conditions, endoscopic surgical techniques and diagnostics
Role in Training Attending physician

Shahin Ayazi MD	30%
Area of Expertise MIS esophageal and gastric conditions, endoscopic surgical techniques and diagnostics; Basic and Translational Research - Esophageal disease and oncology
Role in Training research and physiology testing expert

Accreditation History

Director	Program	Length	Start	End
Blair Jobe	Foregut	3	2022	2025

Tours will be considered per fellowship guidleines.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGhoMKd4qqStU8PvHasdlPA