This resource is designed to provide prospective and current fellows with clear, detailed answers to common questions about our training program. From clinical rotations and procedural experience to research opportunities and work-life balance, we aim to offer transparency and insight into what makes our fellowship at IU School of Medicine both rigorous and rewarding.
Positions and Rotations
Five or six general gastroenterology fellowship positions are available each year. Currently, there are a total of 16 GI fellows at IU School of Medicine. In addition, there is one advanced endoscopy fellow and three transplant hepatology fellows, both of which are subspecialty fellowship programs within gastroenterology.
Fellows rotate across four hospitals:
- IU Health University Hospital — Tertiary care center with GI, ERCP and liver consult services
- Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center — Inpatient consults and endoscopy
- Eskenazi Hospital — County hospital with diverse pathology and endoscopy
- IU Health North Hospital — Community-style practice in Carmel
Typical first-year rotation:
- Four months at University Hospital
- Three months at VA Medical Center
- Three months at Eskenazi Hospital
- One month at IU Health North
Outpatient Clinics
Fellows attend weekly half-day continuity clinics at either the VA Medical Center or Eskenazi Hospital.
Yes. During a dedicated outpatient block each year, fellows rotate through subspecialty clinics (IBD, motility, pancreaticobiliary, hepatology). Third-year fellows may tailor their continuity clinic to a subspecialty focus.
Call Schedule
Call is taken from home for one week at a time.
- Bleeder Call Fellow: Covers weekend consults and procedures at University Hospital, VA Medical Center and Eskenazi Hospital. May be called in overnight for emergent endoscopies.
- Patient Call Fellow: Handles urgent clinic-related issues.
First-year fellows typically take four weeks of call, with senior support during initial calls. Second- and third-year fellows take three to four weeks annually.
Vacation and Holidays
Fellows receive:
- Four weeks of vacation annually (typically taken in one-week blocks)
- Five to six additional days off around Christmas or New Year’s
- Three extra days off to extend weekends
Yes. IU School of Medicine and IU Health observe major holidays including:
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas
- New Year’s
- Memorial Day
The VA Medical Center observes all federal holidays. Clinics and endoscopy units are closed on holidays. On-call fellows cover Eskenazi Hospital, VA Medical Center and emergent endoscopies at University Hospital. Three fellows also round on University Hospital patients in the morning on holidays.
Endoscopy Training
Fellows gain extensive experience in:
- Foreign body removal
- Variceal banding
- Esophageal dilation
- PEG tube placement
- Chromoendoscopy
- Large colon polyp resection
Advanced procedures (for interested fellows):
- Esophageal stent placement
- Balloon-assisted enteroscopy
- Radiofrequency ablation for Barrett’s esophagus
Endoscopy training includes:
- Dedicated blocks (three months in PGY-4; five to six months in PGY-5 and PGY-6)
- On-call and consult-based procedures
- Rotations at VA Medical Center, Eskenazi Hospital and IU Health outpatient centers
Fellows typically perform over 1,000 procedures by graduation, well above national benchmarks.
General GI fellows receive three months of exposure to ERCP and limited hands-on experience. Full training in ERCP/EUS requires an additional advanced endoscopy fellowship year.
Education and Research
Multiple weekly conferences are held, and attendance is expected.
-
Tuesday
- 4-5 p.m.: Attending lecture
- 5-6 p.m.: Grand Rounds or Journal Club
- Wednesday
- 7-8 a.m.: Core curriculum lecture
- Friday
- 7-8 a.m.: Clinical case conference
- PGY-4: One research block; project and mentor selected by mid-year
- PGY-5: Three research blocks
- PGY-6: One block to finalize and submit work
Additional time is available for research-focused fellows.
Fellows meet with the research committee early in PGY-4 to identify interests and select mentors. A personal mentor is also assigned for career guidance.
Yes. Fellows may pursue a master’s or PhD during training, with schedule accommodations.
Yes. Fellows are encouraged to attend meetings (DDW, ACG, AASLD) and receive educational funds for travel and related expenses.
Work-Life Balance
Most live within 10–25 minutes of the hospitals. Popular areas include downtown Indianapolis and nearby suburbs.
Only PGY-5 and PGY-6 fellows may moonlight, with program director approval. All moonlighting must comply with ACGME work-hour limits.
Graduates pursue careers nationwide in academic and private practice settings. About half enter academic roles; others join private practices. Some pursue subspecialty fellowships.