Mission

The Gastroenterology Fellowship of the National Capital Consortium develops military internists into expert gastroenterologists with the skills required to care for service members, retirees and their families.

Vision 

We envision a Military Health System that leads in providing state-of-the-art gastroenterology care.

Aims

• Fellows will gain expertise in the care of patients with the full spectrum of digestive diseases.
• Fellows will have formal instruction, clinical experience or opportunities to acquire expertise in the evaluation and management of a wide spectrum of gastroenterology and hepatology disorders.
• Fellows will receive instruction in the indications, contraindications, complications, limitations, and (for diagnostic procedures) interpretation of a wide spectrum of gastroenterology procedures.
• Fellows will have the opportunity to gain competence in GI procedures as stipulated by the ACGME.
• Fellows will have exposure to advanced endoscopic procedures to include enteral stent placement, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS).
• Lectures and case discussions will emphasize the pathogenesis, manifestations, and complications of gastrointestinal disorders including the behavioral adjustments of patients to their problems. The impact of various modes of therapy and the appropriate utilization of laboratory tests and procedures will be stressed.

• Tuesday morning management conference: Fellow-led with rotating topics (7:15 - 8 a.m.)
• Thursday morning academics: Variety of guideline talks, staff talks, journal club, “Keeping it Real” lectures, professionalism talks, DEI, multi-disciplinary uro-gyn conferences, radiology rounds, and board question review (8 a.m. - 12 p.m.)

Senior fellows have the opportunity to perform elective "away" rotations at a variety of centers depending on their areas of interest. Senior fellows spend between 3-11 months at the home institution depending on their focus. Elective rotations at ATAMMC complete the 12 months per year.

• ATAMMC Colonoscopy
• Washington Hospital Center Inpatient
• University of Maryland IBD

• 1st and 2nd year Fellows: Approximately 10-12 weeks of home call
• 3rd year Fellows: Approximately 3-5 weeks of home call

There are several military specific lectures throughout the year including medical profiling, officer evaluations (OERS/FITREPS), and research in the military. Fellows get robust exposure to GI conditions often seen in the active duty population and that have direct implications in military service, commissioning, retention, and deployability (e.g. eosinophilic esophagitis, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease). We offer opportunities to Navy doctors to attend AMDOCS training, and as space allowed with the shorter course, will send Army fellows to the Captain Career Course (CCC) during an elective month. We have had multiple fellows selected for the Junior Officer Leadership Course (JOLC). Military fellows are also eligible to participate in the command leadership development program where their service records are reviewed, and career plans/goals are discussed.

For 1st year fellows (and senior fellows if desired), there is an endoscopy simulator available in the Simulation Center.

• Staff led mentorship, leadership, and military professionalism lectures incorporated in the academic calendar
• Junior Attending fellow inpatient rotations
• Fellow-led USUHS teaching on GI topics throughout the year
• Fellow-led IM intern/resident teaching on GI topics throughout the year

• Scholarly activity is required of all fellows as per ACGME guidance.
• There are ongoing hepatology and IBD clinical research protocols.
• Our program has a record of strong participation in national GI conferences to present research.

Our program has several ongoing quality improvement internal and hospital centered initiatives with focus on topics such as patient satisfaction, colon cancer screening, patient education, and fellow education

There are several professional development opportunities including:

• USUHS faculty appointment
• Attendance and participation in national GI and IM conferences
• Participation/membership in impactful hospital and national committees
• Additional military training
• Hospital Staff Education and Training Department as well as USUHS Development Courses available

• WRNMMC (home)
• ATAMMC
• Georgetown University Hospital (Hepatology)

Elective sites: 

• Washington Hospital Center
• University of Maryland

Residents and medical students who are interested in gastroenterology are encouraged to rotate with the program. If the trainee is at WRNMMC, he or she can contact their residency program leadership to schedule a rotation. If the trainee is at another hospital, he or she can contact the Gastroenterology department at dha.ncr.walter-reed-med-ctr.list.ncc-gastro@health.mil to schedule a rotation.

During the rotation, the rotator will spend roughly half of their rotation working with the inpatient consult team. During the other half of their rotation, they will be working in the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinic, the Hepatology Clinic, the Motility Clinic, or the Advanced Endoscopy Clinic.

• Interviews with the Program Director and Associate Program Director generally occur between the months of August and September.
• In-person or virtual options available based on applicant preference
• If interviewing in-person, there is also an opportunity to observe academics (Thursdays) and meet current fellows

Program graduates take the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Gastroenterology Examination. This exam is offered annually.  To become fully board certified, applicants are eligible to take board certification exam upon graduation. To be eligible to take specialty board exams, graduates must complete all pre-requisites required by the ABIM by October 31st. The exam is not taken concurrently during fellowship.

• Frequent rotating USUHS medical students
• IM intern/resident rotators on GI service
• Junior Attending” Fellow rotations
• USUHS teaching sessions for medical students on various GI topics
• Quarterly fellow-led IM Intern/Resident teaching sessions on various GI topics

Within the faculty of the NCC fellowship there is subspecialty expertise in:

• Interventional Endoscopy
• Esophageal and Anorectal Motility
• Transplant Hepatology
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• Obesity Medicine

We have established senior/junior fellow mentoring, have dedicated lectures to mentoring, and counsel fellows regularly regarding importance of mentorship.

We have established senior/junior fellow mentoring, have dedicated lectures to mentoring, and counsel fellows regularly regarding importance of mentorship.

Quarterly fellow wellness events are scheduled in lieu of a Thursday academics where the fellows self-organize and participate in a team building activity like bowling, escape room, laser tag, and/or a fun run. Fellows and available staff (past and present) participate in a golf competition (though golfing is optional) every year. We have both holiday and graduation parties as well as several ad hoc social events. Every Friday, we have a weekly optional lecture series open to all fellows and GI staff, nurses, and techs entitled "Fiber Friday". Lecturers volunteer to discuss a non-GI topic that they are particularly passionate about (coffee and fiber are provided).