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Gastroenterology Fellowship Program

About

The University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Gastroenterology Fellowship Training (UHGI) Program is an ACGME accredited Fellowship program. The program is a 3 year Fellowship, of which 2 Fellows will be hired per year for a total of 6 Fellows for the 3 year Program.

The curriculum is designed to provide fellows with gastrointestinal diagnostic and treatment skills, as well as clinical and research experience to prepare the postgraduate fellows to pass the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Subspecialty Board Exam in Gastroenterology.

THE UHGI Fellowship program was established and received ACGME accreditation in 2025.  This program is the only gastroenterology fellowship training program in the state of Hawaii.  The primary training site is the Queen’s Medical Center (QMC).  QMC is the largest tertiary care medical center in the State of Hawaii and the Pacific Basin. This hospital provides patients with the cutting edge of advancements in health care.

The mission of UHGI is to train excellent subspecialists in Gastroenterology to care for patients with digestive tract and liver diseases and other digestive health needs throughout Hawaii. We provide expert and expedient care to a geographically separated and diverse population.

To provide state of the art care for the people of Hawai‘i and the Pacific region, through the education of future gastrointestinal physicians and the promotion of academic excellence, in a culture of compassion.

The UHGI fellowship program will foster a positive and professional clinical and educational environment that encourages scholarly activity, teaching, and lifelong learning for both fellows and faculty. By the completion of the program, UHGI fellows will have acquired the knowledge, skills, and behaviors necessary to practice independently in the field of gastroenterology and hepatology.

Core Faculty & Staff

This program has extremely dedicated and experienced teaching faculty with a wide variety of subspecialty training.

Scott Kuwada, MD
Core Faculty,
UHGI Program Director

Chair of Department of Medicine

Gavin Park, MD
Core Faculty,
UHGI Associate Program Director,
Assistant Clinical Professor

Larissa Fujii-Lau, MD
Core Faculty

Advanced Endoscopy

Chuong Tran, MD
Core Faculty,
Assistant Clinical Professor

Hepatology

Marcia Leung, MD
Core Faculty

General Gastroenterology

Julia Zhang, MD
Faculty

General Gastroenterology

Owen Chan, MD

Chad Cryer, MD

Ankur Jain, MD
Assistant Clinical Professor

Shilpa Jain, MD
Assistant Clinical Professor

Mel Ona, MD
Assistant Clinical Professor

Alexander Placek, MD

Timothy Swindoll, MD

Robert Wong, MD

Brandon Yim, MD
Assistant Clinical Professor

Kraig Young, MD

Program Details

Application

Selection & Interview Process

Applications for 2026-2027 academic year will open in July 2025.

  • Candidate’s application will only be considered if all requirements listed are completed and received. 
  • Deadline for submission of requirements is August 31st. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all documents are submitted. 
  • Members of the Selection Committee review applications as often as necessary until August 31st. Candidates are selected on the basis of academic qualifications, previous performance, letters of recommendation, communication skills, and personal qualities. 
  • Invitations to interview are sent through the ERAS website via email to the candidates’ email address as indicated on the ERAS application. 
  • While we preferentially review applications from applicants who signal our program, we also consider applicants who do not signal us.
Application Requirements

Fellowship candidates must have a certificate of completion from one of the following Medical Schools:

  • Medical School in the United States or Canada accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). 
  • Colleges of osteopathic medicine in the United States accredited by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA). 
  • Graduates of medical schools outside the United States and Canada who meet one of the following qualifications:
    • have received a currently valid certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) prior to appointment, or 
    • have a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in a U.S. licensing jurisdiction in which they are in training 
    • *Please note that we will only sponsor a J-1 VISA.* 

As an accredited ACGME Gastroenterology Fellowship Program, it is mandated that all prerequisite post-graduate clinical education required for initial entry or transfer must be completed in ACGME-accredited residency programs, or in Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)-accredited or College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC)-accredited residency programs located in Canada.

Our program participates in the ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service). We do not accept applications through the mail, fax or email.

  1. ERAS Common Application 
  2. Personal Statement should be no longer than one (1) page in length and address: (a) your interest and experience in Gastroenterology; (b) any previous training in Gastroenterology including electives/selective; (c) any special interest in Gastroenterology Research; (d) any particular factors which have motivated you to choose a career in Gastroenterology. 
  3. Current curriculum vitae 
  4. A minimum of three (3) Letters of Recommendation. One letter must be from the Internal Medicine Residency Program Director (the Program Director’s letter should state that the residency program is fully accredited by the ACGME, that you are in good standing in the residency program, and your expected date of graduation and board eligibility status). 
  5. Official Medical School Transcripts and medical license 
  6. Transcripts of all USMLE Steps 1, 2, & 3 scores (see http://www.nbme.org for information on requesting transcripts). 
  7. For graduates of Internal Medicine, the following needs to be submitted: 
  8. Board certification status 
  9. Final program evaluation from the Residency Program Director 
  10. Applicants offered a position must be ready to start July 1st. 

The University of Hawaii Gastroenterology Fellowship Program selects candidates based of their preparedness, ability, aptitude, academic credentials, communication skills, and personal qualities such as motivation and integrity. ACGME-accredited programs must not discriminate with regard to sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, sexual preference, disability, veteran status, or other statuses protected by federal or state law.

FAQs

How many Level 4 positions do you offer?

The University of Hawaii Gastroenterolgy Fellowship Program will offer 2 Level 4 positions per year.

What is your minimum score requirement for USMLE Step 1, Step 2CK and Step 2CS? Should I take Step 3 as well?

Your application will be considered if you passed Step 1 & 2, Step 2CS, & Step 3 on your first attempt. We do not specifically exclude applicants based on the USMLE score as we carefully consider the entire application and encourage all interested students to submit application to our program.

With my attached information do I meet the University of Hawaii’s Gastroenterology Fellowship Program’s acceptance criteria?

Applications are only accepted through ERAS. We cannot disclose specific acceptance criteria. Each applicant’s file is reviewed by one of our Recruitment and Selection Committee members, all documents are taken into consideration and decisions are contingent upon agreement in the committee.

Do you accept International Medical Graduates (IMG)?

Yes!

Do you sponsor H-1 visas?

No. Only J-1 visas will be sponsored. There are no exceptions to this policy.

Do you have a Medical Residency completion year cut off requirement?

Yes, 10 years from completion of your residency. However, your recent clinical training and employment experiences will be evaluated carefully. We do not specifically exclude applicants based on residency completion year as we carefully consider the entire application and encourage all interested students to submit application to our program.

Do you require clinical experience in the United States? If so, how recent should this be?

Clinical experience and training in a U.S. system are not required but can help our selections committee evaluate your application appropriately against known benchmarks.

Benefits & Salary

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Drug Testing

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Contact

University of Hawaii Gastroenterology Fellowship Training Program
1356 Lusitana Street, UHT 7th Floor
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
PHONE: (808) 691-4111
EMAIL: uhgi@hawaii.edu