Hepatology Fellowship

Program Director: Dr. Karim Qumosani    
Early application is encouraged, often 18 months before the start date

The Advanced Hepatology and Liver Transplant program at Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University is 1 or 2 years in duration and is an accredited Area of Focused Competence diploma program by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. It is offered at University Hospital Multi-Organ Transplant Unit, London Health Sciences Centre. The program provides the trainee with opportunities to develop the skills requisite to the practice of Advanced Hepatology and Liver Transplant. The cornerstone of the hepatology fellowship is its involvement with the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University Liver Transplantation Program. Since inception in 1983, the London program remains one of the largest programs in Canada and typically performs 50 - 70 transplants per year. The program is active in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), deceased cardiac donation (DCD) and neurological determination of death (NDD). Our geographical scope encompasses primarily the London area, but expands throughout all of South Western Ontario; hence we care for a wide variety of liver and metabolic diseases. Approximately 500 patients per year are newly diagnosed with liver disease.  

The Liver Fellow will be involved in pre and post-operative management of transplant recipients. Fellows will also participate in general and theme oriented hepatology clinics with the Hepatology staff. Endoscopy training will include gastroscopy, variceal band ligation, variceal glue injection, colonoscopy, liver biopsy, and paracentesis. There are opportunities for research projects involving viral hepatitis, hemochromatosis, fatty liver and transplantation.

There are strong linkages between the Hepatology service and Gastroenterology, Hepatobiliary Surgery, Pathology and Interventional Radiology. The program hosts rounds and meetings which are held weekly, bi-weekly or monthly:

  • Bi-weekly Pathology Rounds
  • Weekly Hepatobiliary Grand Rounds
  • Weekly Transplant Board Meeting
  • Weekly Hepatocellular Tumor Board Meeting
  • Monthly Quality Improvement Rounds
  • Monthly Journal Club or Guideline Review
  • McMaster/Western Hepatology Group Journal Club- following signficant meetings (AASLD & EASL)

Liver fellows typically share a call schedule with senior surgical trainees in the liver transplantation surgical fellowship program (1 in 4). Salary commensurate with level of training (PGY 6-8) is required for all applicants. Our Hepatology program is a certified subspecialty by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and our liver transplant program is accredited by the American College of Transplantation. Liver fellows may be eligible to write the new American examinations in Liver Transplantation.