Over the course of their lives, the average American will undergo nearly nine surgical procedures, many related to diseases of the digestive track or conditions associated with obesity. Despite being some of the most commonly performed interventions, most of these procedures have not been subjected to rigorous scientific evaluation. For almost all of these procedures, fundamental questions regarding surgical epidemiology, clinical effectiveness, best practices to accomplish best outcomes, population-level results, patient-reported perspectives, and cost considerations have yet to be addressed. As healthcare delivery is reformed and as we strive towards building a learning healthcare system, addressing these questions is critical. To address this need, we started the Gastrointestinal Surgical Outcomes Research Postdoctoral Fellowship.

The NIDDK-funded Gastrointestinal Surgical Outcomes Research fellowship involves didactic training and practical experience in advanced research methodology focused on interventions related to the gastrointestinal system, obesity, and obesity-associated conditions. The training is focused in six areas:

1. Research using observational data;
2. Patient-centered outcome and preference assessment;
3. Health economics and behavioral economics;
4. Implementation and health systems science;
5. Clinical / translational research; and
6. Research operations management.

The didactic component of this fellowship includes coursework that results in a Masters of Public Health (MPH) or Masters in Science (MS) degree through the University of Washington School of Public Health. The T32 Fellows will also participate in unique community, regional, and national research initiatives including Washington State’s Comparative Effectiveness Research Translation Network (CERTAIN).

Salary and Benefits

The University of Washington offers residents a wide range of benefits as part of their total compensation package. These include:

• Four weeks paid vacation
• Medical, dental, and life insurance
• Retirement plans
• Coverage of certification costs
• Annual professional development fund

 

Since 2016 residents at the University of Washington have been represented by the University of Washington Housestaff Association (UWHA). As such the benefits and compensation for all trainees in the Cardiothoracic Surgery Traditional Fellowship program are in compliance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

For more information on the benefits offered to residents and a copy of the current stipend schedule, visit the UW GME website for prospective residents and fellows.

In addition to the benefits offered in the CBA, the Cardiothoracic Surgery – Integrated program provides its residents with:

• Pair of 3.5x loupes in PGY 6 year
• Annual STS candidate membership
• Support for conference attendance

 

Where Do Residents Live?

Seattle offers its residents unrivaled access to both a vibrant, culturally diverse urban center and the storied outdoor recreation of the Pacific Northwest. When asked about the reasons that they love to live here, our faculty and trainees often cite this proximity of culture and recreation in Seattle – for instance, the opportunity to hike on the Olympic Peninsula on Saturday morning and eat at a James Beard award-winning restaurant that night.

Living in Seattle offers access to an enviable array of amenities including:

• Three ski resorts within two hours of the city
• Local MLB, NFL, MLS, WNBA teams (NHL arriving soon!)
• 60+ breweries operating within city limits
• Thriving museum culture (including art, history, cultural, and children’s museums)
• Robust theater and music scene (ranging from Seattle Symphony to Broadway shows to live concerts)
• Seattle International Film Festival

Many neighborhoods throughout the city are easily accessible to our six primary sites of practice. In a recent survey, trainees in the Department of Surgery identified where they live.

 

 

Most fellows/residents at the UW rent while in training and 97% pay $2500 or less per month.

• 61% live with a partner
• 26% have a platonic roommate
• 11% have children
• 42% have pets
• 65% have house plants

 

Will I Need a Car?

While many trainees in the Department of Surgery live in neighborhoods that are easily walkable to our sites of practice and Seattle is regularly ranked as one of the most bike and public transit friendly cities in the country, most of our residents own cars and drive to work each day.

This decision is often based on convenience due to the dynamic work schedule, but also affords residents the opportunity to easily explore the Pacific Northwest on their days off.

Some great examples of day trips include:

• Mount Rainier
• San Juan Islands
• Washington Wine Country
• Olympic National Forest
• Portland, OR

 

Community Life in our Department

In addition to holding regular education events throughout the year, the Department of Surgery also works to foster collegiality and friendship among its faculty and trainees with more social events. These include:

• Resident Happy Hours
• Department of Surgery Annual Picnic
• Department of Surgery Holiday Party

 

The Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery also hosts several events throughout the year including:

• Annual Residency Summer Barbeque
• Division Holiday Party
• Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery Graduation Ceremony

Joshua Rosen, MD, MHS

Elina Serrano, MD

Frank Yang, MD

Irene Zhang, MD

Kathryn Stadeli, MD

John Monu, MD

Steve Kwon, MD, MPH

Timo Hakkarainen, MD, MS

F. Thurston Drake, MD, MPH

Meera Kotagal, MD, MPH

Vlad Simianu, MD, MPH

Ann Ehlers, MD, MPH

Lucas Thornblade, MD, MPH

Matthew Bartek, MD, MPH

Francys Verdial, MD, MPH

Erin Fennern, MD, MPH

Kavita Pandit, MD

David Droullard, MD, MS

Alex Lois, MD, MS

More information on the fellows including their research interests can be accessed here: Resident Research Current Projects >>

For more information on qualifications to apply, click here (.pdf)>>. Two fellowship positions are now available each year. Fellowship positions begin annually on July 1st. Please note that applications are due 17 months prior to the fellowship start date.

We are currently accepting applications for July 2022 positions. Applications are reviewed and admission decisions made on a rolling basis.

To apply, please complete the online application. You will be asked to upload the following documents to your application form:

1. A current curriculum vitae.
2. A 2-3 page letter of interest, outlining your research interests as they relate to the program, your career goals, current positions and progress towards your goals, and how this position would contribute to your goals.
3. (Optional) A brief personal statement:  SORCE welcomes fellows who have varied cultural experiences and values the contributions that fellows from differing backgrounds contribute to the intellectual and social environment of the fellowship program. A personal statement should tell reviewers about your experiences, background, and perspectives that you would bring to the SORCE fellowship. You may also wish to include information about your special interests or skills that are not covered elsewhere in your application.
4. (If applicable) Letters of reference: you are asked to submit 2-3 letters of reference, which can either be uploaded along with your other application materials or submitted under separate cover to sorceuw.edu.

Interested candidates may contact Fellowship Director, Dr. David Flum, at sorce@uw.edu to discuss research opportunities.

This fellowship is supported by the National Institute Of Diabetes And Digestive And Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number T32DK070555. The research content is solely the responsibility of the Investigators and Fellows and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.