The Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute at the University of Pittsburgh established a post-graduate training program in multi-organ abdominal transplantation in 1981.
Since then, the program has been continuously certified by the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) and fulfills the training requirements for certification as “Primary Transplant Surgeon” for liver, kidney, and pancreas transplantation by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS).
The multi-organ transplant fellowship requires completion of a general surgery residency and surgical board eligibility (or its foreign equivalent). Non-U.S. medical graduates are required to be eligible for a PA Institutional License, which includes having passed the USMLE Step 3 exam by the time of application. To rotate at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, the fellow must have previously completed an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited residency.
The program is a full two-year clinical fellowship with an optional third year for research or advanced clinical training (e.g., pediatric or intestinal transplantation).
Multi-Organ Transplant Fellowship Program
UPMC Transplant Services
UPMC Montefiore, 7 South
3459 Fifth Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Inquiries may be sent to:
Martin Wijkstrom, MD
Director, Transplant Fellowship Program
E-mail: wijkstrommn@upmc.edu
Pamela J. Slivinske
Program Coordinator
Phone: 412-647-5173
Fax: 412-647-5480
Email: slivinskepj@upmc.edu
Training future generations of transplant surgeons has always been a key mission of the Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute. We remain committed to advancing transplant training and continuously strive to offer the best educational experience for our fellows.
The fellowship program is highly structured, with planned rotations in all areas of transplant, an emphasis on hands-on training, opportunities for clinical research, and regular didactic teaching sessions in a classroom and a surgical wet lab. The end result is one of the most comprehensive training experiences available in the field.
The program and faculty are committed to training fellows to be competent transplant surgeons and helping them to find suitable opportunities after their fellowship to begin their careers.
Abhinav Humar, MD
Chief, Division of Transplantation
Outpatient clinics are held daily and are staffed by both faculty and transplant fellows. These clinics are designed to evaluate both pre- and post-transplant patients and allow participation of transplant fellows in the long-term care of the transplant patient. Several clinical conferences are held for both educational and clinical purposes.
These conferences are:
Additionally, the team hosts a weekly transplant research conference to discuss the results of ongoing clinical and basic science research projects.
The Department of Surgery and the Division of Transplantation are dedicated to the advancement of an active clinical and basic science research program.
Areas of clinical research include:
Areas of basic science research include:
The interaction between the clinical and basic science research programs enables cross-collaboration between clinicians and scientists. Results obtained from the laboratory are converted into clinical protocols, and important clinical observations can therefore be studied.
The research activities are distributed among a multidisciplinary research team, including:
The research facilities are located within the Transplant Research Center, a modern 44,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art laboratory dedicated to investigators focused on transplant research.
The transplant fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine provides fellows with comprehensive experience in the pre- and post-operative care of transplant patients. This broad exposure includes medical and surgical management in renal, pancreatic, hepatic, and intestinal transplantation.
Transplant fellows gain extensive experience in medical evaluation and selection of recipients, surgical technique, immunosuppression, critical care management, and dealing with medical and surgical complications.
During the first year, fellows are taught to care for patients with end-stage organ failure.
First-year fellows rotate for one month in pediatric transplantation, six months in kidney/pancreas transplantation, and six months on donor procurement. If time allows during the procurement rotation, they have the option of doing an elective on the HPB service, performing transplant research, or doing an extended rotation on the regular transplant services. They receive extensive experience in multiorgan donor procurement and laparoscopic living-donor nephrectomy throughout the fellowship, with significant emphasis during the first year.
During the second year, fellows rotate on the adult liver service for 12 months at UPMC Montefiore. If possible, cases may be done at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System. During this time, they assume operative responsibilities in liver and pancreas transplantation. They also participate in living-donor hepatectomies.
UPMC Montefiore includes a dedicated transplant ICU and transplant wards, as well as outpatient facility units. Physician assistant coverage is provided 24/7.
UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh has a multipurpose ICU, a dedicated transplant ward, and a dedicated outpatient facility within the hospital.
The VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System has a multipurpose surgical ICU and a dedicated transplant ward, as well as an outpatient clinic facility.
Located in the southwest corner of Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh has something for everyone – historic landmarks, ethnic neighborhoods, vibrant nightlife, beautiful countryside, and of course, the three rivers. Learn more about living in Pittsburgh including:
The Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute is one of the leading transplant centers in the country, and our experienced surgeons train the surgical leaders of tomorrow.
As a result, many of our previous fellows have obtained faculty positions at some of the nation’s top institutions, including:
Applications for transplant fellowships will be accepted throughout the year. All applicants must have completed all of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) steps, including Step 3, to be eligible for consideration.
U.S. candidates for clinical fellowships in multi-organ transplants should be board-eligible or board-certified in general surgery.
The Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute participates in the annual Abdominal Transplant Surgery Fellowship Match run by the San Francisco Match (SF Match). The match is performed one year before the beginning of the fellowship, usually in June. We interview prospective fellow candidates in March, April, and May. Candidates will need to register with the SF Match in order to participate. Details can be obtained from SF Match.
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