Fellows News

Dr. Jessica Bernica, clinical post-doc fellow, was recently featured on the American Gastroenterological Association website for her VA H. pylori QI project, which she also won the BCM Fellows' QI prize for. In addition, she was recognized by the AGA as one of 25 fellows across the nation. Read the AGA article.

March 26: The BCM GI Chief Fellow for academic year 2019-2020 will be Dr. Jordan Sparkman. Dr. Sparkman also completed his internal medicine residency at Baylor College of Medicine. He will play a vital role in advising the program leadership on fellows' educational needs as the Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology plan the schedule for next year. Thank you to outgoing Chief Fellow, Dr. Sunina Nathoo. Congratulations to Dr. Sparkman.

March 26: Dr. Vinshi Khan has accepted an offer for the Transplant Hepatology Program at Columbia University Medical Center/New York Presbyterian Hospital starting in July 2020. The Transplant Hepatology Program is a bi-campus program formed by merger of Columbia and Cornell universities. Congratulations to Dr. Khan!

March 1: An event sponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) was held Feb. 27 at the McNair Campus to highlight the Emerging Liver Scholar program and the GI fellowship, as part of the AASLD fellow ambassadorship program. Residents from Baylor, UT Houston, Methodist Hospital and UT Medical Branch attended. Dr. Hyunseok Kim, clinical postdoc fellow, introduced the Emerging Liver Scholar program and covered his experience in the program. A panel discussion provided information about fellowship applications. Panelists included: Dr. Yamini Natarajan, assistant professor, Dr. Ruben Hernaez, assistant professor, Dr. Clark Hair, assistant professor, Dr. Mimi Tan, assistant professor and Dr. Rehman Sheikh, clinical postdoc fellow. Topics covered mentorship, life as an academic transplant hepatologist, fellowship interview/selection processes, information about the T32/research track and experiences as Baylor College of Medicine residents, chief resident, fellows, and faculty.

Dec. 28: Dr. Hyunseok Kim, post-grad fellow, NIH T32 training track, has been accepted to the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health Fall 2019 entering class for the epidemiology PhD program. Congratulations to Dr.Kim.

Sept. 27, 2018 - Dr. Sunina Nathoo, chief fellow, won this year's Texas Gulf Coast Annual Fellow's Competition. She did an absolutely wonderful presentation that edged out the other excellent presentations from our fellow TMC institutes. Congratulations Dr. Nathoo on this accomplishment.

July 27, 2018 - Dr. Hyunseok Kim, clinical postdoc fellow, has been awarded the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) Resident/Fellow Ambassador Award for 2018-2019 and has been invited to attend their conference, The Liver Meeting, in San Francisco, Nov. 9-13, 2018. As an ambassador, his travel and attendance costs are being covered by AASLD.

July 1, 2018 - Dr. Mimi Tan wrote an article in GI & Hepatology News titled "Risk Factors Other Than BE Length May Be Important". She commented that the current AGA recommendation for Barrett's esophagus surveillance every 3-5 years may not be suitable for all patients with nondysplastic BE and that risk prediction models may help stratify neoplastic risk.

Mar. 9, 2018 - Dr. Jordan Sparkman, first-year fellow, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, won “Best Poster” at the 2018 Texas Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Conference, held at MD Anderson Cancer Center March 3, 2018 for his poster titled “Obesity may place young minorities at higher risk for presentation with late-stage colorectal cancer.” Others involved in the research behind the poster are Drs. Ashish Sharma, former fellow; Johanna Chan, assistant professor; Hoda Malaty, associate professor; and Milena Gould Suarez, associate professor, all of Gastroenterology and Hepatology division.

Mar. 8, 2018 - Dr. Sunina Nathoo will be serving as the Chief GI fellow for next academic year (2018-19). Dr. Nathoo was a resident at the University of Florida Internal Medicine Residency Program and is currently one of our 2nd year GI fellows. Dr. Nathoo will serve as a liaison between the faculty and fellows next year. Congratulations, Dr. Nathoo!

Feb. 2, 2018 - Drs. Jordan Shapiro, second-year gastroenterology fellow; Milena Gould, associate professor and associate GI Fellowship program director; and Sunina Nathoo, second-year GI fellow, organized the first annual GI Fellows wellness retreat, as part of broader efforts to improve wellness among trainees. The event was supported by a donation by Dr. David Graham, professor, Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Activities during the full-day retreat held at Dr. Shapiro’s home included a question-and-answer session with a patient and discussions on work-life balance, stress exercises and incivility in the workplace.

Feb. 2, 2018 - Dr. Sunina Nathoo has been inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society. The society honors medical students, residents, physician-teachers and others for demonstrated excellence in clinical care, leadership, compassion and dedication to service. Members are nominated by peers, program directors, and/or medical students. Congratulations, Dr. Nathoo!