The transplant fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center has been designed to provide a comprehensive experience in the pre- and post-operative care of the transplant patient. This broad exposure includes medical and surgical management in renal, pancreas, hepatic and intestinal transplantation.
Medical evaluation and selection of recipients, surgical technique, immunosuppression, critical care management, as well as dealing with medical and surgical complications are stressed to all transplant fellows.
During the first year, fellows are taught to manage patients with end-stage organ failure. First-year fellows rotate for one month in pediatric transplantation, six months in kidney/pancreas transplantation, one month in intestinal/multivisceral transplantation and 4 elective months, during which they have the option of rotating 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 but with significant emphasis during the first year.
During the second year, fellows rotate on the adult liver service for twelve months, 6 months each at UPMC Montefiore and at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System. During this time, they assume operative responsibilities in liver and pancreas transplantation. They also participate in the living donor hepatectomies.
UPMC Montefiore hospital includes a dedicated transplant ICU and transplant wards, as well as outpatient facility units, and physician assistant coverage is provided 24/7.
The Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC facility has a multipurpose ICU, dedicated transplant ward, and a dedicated outpatient facility within the hospital.
The VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System also has a multipurpose surgical ICU and dedicated transplant ward, as well as an outpatient clinic facility.
The Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute is one of the leading transplant centers in the country. We have experienced surgeons on hand to 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:
Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute
UPMC Montefiore, 7 South
3459 Fifth Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Pamela J. Slivinske
GME Academic ManagerPhone: 412-647-5173
Fax: 412-647-5480Email: slivinskepj@upmc.edu
Recent graduating fellows with Dr. Starzl and the UPMC transplant surgery team.
