Thank you for your interest in the Wake Forest GI Fellowship Program! As you are likely aware, the practice of Gastroenterology offers a tremendous depth and breadth of experiences in gastroenterology and hepatology. Our subspecialty covers the gamut from acute to chronic illnesses, and we are skilled in both cognitive and procedural management of diseases affecting multiple organ systems. In my opinion, it encompasses a little bit of everything, making it the best subspecialty of medicine! We are proud of the educational experience that we have created here, and we are excited to share the details of our program with prospective fellows.
The greatest asset of the Wake Forest GI Fellowship Program is our people. We have intentionally recruited fellows and faculty for their collegial character, their passion for teaching and learning, and their commitment to excellence in patient care and research. Our faculty brings expertise across the spectrum of gastroenterology and hepatology. Our fellows bring sharp minds, caring hearts and an energetic commitment to each other, our patients, and the educational enterprise.
The first two years of our curriculum is carefully designed to give each fellow the fundamental knowledge and experience necessary to provide comprehensive consultation across the breadth of gastroenterology and hepatology. The third year curriculum is more open-ended to allow fellows to focus on refining and expanding specific skills that they will need for their individual career paths. We have no pre-conceived notion about what our graduates’ careers will look like, rather, we focus on providing training that allows our graduates to be successful in any career path they choose.
Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center provides an ideal setting for training in gastroenterology and hepatology. We are a premier academic medical center that serves a five-state referral area. The tertiary and quaternary care provided to our patients gives our fellows first-hand experience with the complete spectrum of pathology in our subspecialty. At the same time, our fellows get ample experience with the bread-and-butter issues of gastroenterology and hepatology, serving as primary consultants in the setting of their continuity clinics and in the hospital. Our patients come from all walks of life, with complete socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, gender and age diversity. They are polite, grateful and appreciative of the care that we provide. We enjoy collegial relationships with expert radiologists, pathologists and surgeons – all essential for success in training and practicing gastroenterology and hepatology. Our medical center provides state-of-the-art equipment and highly-skilled endoscopy personnel to support the procedural aspects of our practice. Our institutional culture includes a strong commitment to research endeavors, and a robust infrastructure exists to support that academic mission.
All of this takes place in the wonderful city of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It is a beautiful, vibrant community with diverse industries that attract young people pursuing a variety of professional careers. Known as the “City of Arts and Innovation,” it is replete with cultural activities, festivals and events. The natural beauty of our city and surrounding areas, an ideal climate, and the proximity of the mountains and beaches provide many opportunities for leisure-time activities. It is a hidden gem within our state and will not disappoint.
These are exciting times in our subspecialty, and we want to recruit enthusiastic women and men to share our passion. We love what we do, and we love teaching it to our fellows. We see ourselves as a diverse family supporting each other through this journey and welcome all who share our values. I am confident that if you spend time with us, you will agree that Wake Forest is the ideal place for you to pursue training in gastroenterology and hepatology.
Patrick Green, MD
Director, Gastroenterology Fellowship Program
Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine