Gastroenterology

Consult Service and Inpatient Care

On the inpatient side, fellows function as a junior attending on a medical team focused on patients with gastrointestinal or hepatology issues. The team consists of a GI staff attending, the fellow, resident, intern, and medical student. Fellows round on patients daily and guide the resident team in management. They also take on the role of clinician educator during daily academic rounds. 

On the consult service, fellows function as gastroenterology consultants. At Tufts Medical Center, a tertiary referral center, we care for a very diverse patient population with both common and unusual clinical issues. After three years, fellows will grow comfortable treating many of the sickest patients in the region. In addition to consulting, fellows also perform all necessary endoscopic procedures on GI inpatients in a supervised setting.

Endoscopy

Tufts Medical Center fellows gain extensive experience in endoscopy: from standard colonoscopies and esophagogastroduodenoscopies to therapeutic procedures such as dilations, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomies, hemostasis, ERCP and endoscopic ultrasound.

Fellows are also often exposed to advanced techniques such as enteral stenting, magnification endoscopy, chromoendoscopy, video capsule endoscopy and endoscopic mucosal resection. Procedural rotations allow fellows more hands-on exposure.

Electives

Electives are offered in colorectal surgery and motility and interested fellows can also set up sub-specialty electives in IBD and liver transplant. Fellows also work closely with our faculty in nutrition and allergy/immunology.

Conferences

There are several educational conferences that are offered throughout the fellowship, including:

• Attending rounds - daily on the inpatient service 
• Clinical Pathology Conference  
• Wednesday clinical case conference
• Morbidity and Mortality Conference
• GI oncology rounds - monthly
• Didactic rounds – one hour per week, either fellow led or staff led
• GI Grand rounds – internal or external speakers, often world-renowned
• GI Journal Club
• GI pathology rounds – once per week
• Medical Grand rounds 
• Boston Intercity Rounds (combined with MGH, Brigham, Lahey Clinic, Beth-Israel and Boston Medical Center)

Research Activities

Tufts Medical Center has strong training programs in outcomes research and clinical decision making. All fellows are expected to participate in research activities, clinical or basic, as part of their three-year fellowship. Quality improvement projects are also a requirement for training. 

Program faculty work closely with fellows to select research projects that are appropriate, manageable, and in keeping with their long-range goals. The amount of time devoted to research is individualized for each fellow. Fellows interested in conducting research as part of an academic career can obtain advanced degrees.

Puja Rai, MD
Medical School: University of Connecticut School of Medicine
Internal Medicine Residency: Tufts Medical Center (Chief Resident)

Tahnee Sidhu, MD
Medical School: George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Residency: St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center

Saleh Alghsoon, MD
Medical School: King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences
Residency: (Internal Medicine-General) University of Maryland

Sujay Alvencar, MD
Medical School: SUNY Downstate Medical Center College of Medicine
Residency: Internal Medicine- Tufts Medical Center

Michael Talanian, MD
Medical School: University of Virginia
Residency & Chief Residency: Tufts Medical Center 

Tanya Zeina, MD
Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine
Residency: Tufts Medical Center

Ariel Fischer, MD
Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine
Residency: Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center

Maan El Halabi, MD
Medical School: Lebanese American University (LAU)
Residency: Mt. Sinai Morningside/West Hospitals, NYC

Parth Patel, MD
Hepatology Fellow
Medical School: University of Toledo College of Medicine
Residency: Henry Ford Health, Jackson, MI

Application Process

Thank you for your interest in the Gastroenterology Fellowship Program at Tufts Medical Center. All applications should be submitted through the ERAS website.

We will only review completed applications that are submitted from July 1 through August 28. Please make sure to include the following in your application:

• Common application
• Personal statement
• CV
• Minimum of three letters of recommendation (Program Director, Gastroenterologist)
• Transcripts
• USMLE board scores
• Photograph

Applications received by August 28th deadline are reviewed by the Gastroenterology Fellowship selection committee. In early September, applicants will receive invitations for interviews which will be held virtually in September and October. 

Questions about the application process can be directed to:

Teaka Walker
Gastroenterology Fellowship Program Coordinator
Division of Gastroenterology
Tufts Medical Center
800 Washington Street, Box #233
Boston, MA 02111

Ph: 617-636-8727
Fx: 617-636-4505
teaka.l.walker@tuftsmedicine.org