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Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition Fellowship
Colorado Peds GI Fellows
Colorado Peds GI Fellows
Colorado Peds GI Fellows
Colorado Peds GI Fellows
Colorado Peds GI Fellows
Overview
The University of Colorado School of Medicine (CU SOM) offers a three-year fellowship training program in the field of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. We also offer a fourth-year pediatric transplant hepatology fellowship.
The Program is within the Section of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition in the Department of Pediatrics at the CU SOM. Clinical training takes place at the Children's Hospital Colorado, conveniently located adjacent to the SOM, and our research training occurs throughout our world-class facilities within Anschutz Medical Campus.
The Program Director is Dr. Dania Brigham, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Dr. Marisa Stahl, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics is the Associate Program Director. The Program has been continuously fully accredited in Pediatric Gastroenterology by the Residency Review Committee of ACGME since the specialty was first recognized by ACGME in December 1994. To better meet the needs of applicants, our pediatric gastroenterology fellowship training program participates in the National Resident Match Program (NRMP) and the Electronic Residency Application Service ( ERAS) program for fellowship applicants.
The overall goal of our T32 research training program is to provide a diverse group of post-doctoral trainees with an exceptional supervised training and mentoring experience, to allow them to develop or enhance their research skills, knowledge and grantsmanship in preparation for a successful pediatric gastroenterology/ hepatology-related research career.
Program Aims:
- To train highly qualified fellows in clinical, translational or basic science research, and to inspire and prepare them for a future career as leaders in academic medicine and as physician scientists.
- To prepare fellows in acquiring comprehensive skills in the evaluation, management, and procedural interventions related to hepatology and transplantation.
- Fellows are trained on patient safety, QI, and cost-effectiveness, necessary components for success as a subspecialist.
- To teach trainees strategies to maintain wellness (of self and others), to build resilience and to minimize burnout.
- To establish a concrete career development plan for fellows, in order to maximize the potential for success in their future academic position.
- To build and maintain an infrastructure to recruit diverse fellows and provide an inclusive learning environment that promotes and celebrates differences.
Program Leadership | ||
 |  |  |
Dania Brigham, MDProgram Director Click to email Dr. Brigham | Marisa Stahl, MD, MSCSAssociate Program DirectorClick to email Dr. Stahl | Meg Book-Smith Program Coordinator |
Our Hospital
Ranked #1 in the Rocky Mountain Region
Children's Hospital Colorado consistently ranks in the top 20 on the US News Best Children's Hospitals Honor Roll and as the #1 Children's Hospital in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain regionOur Division
Nationally Ranked: The Digestive Health Institute is one of the largest volume centers in the country and is consistently ranked as a top program in the US News and World ReportClinical Training
Overview
The first year of fellowship is dedicated to acquiring clinical proficiency in both inpatient and outpatient aspects of Pediatric GI/Hepatology/Nutrition. The clinical activities of the first year are based at Children's Hospital Colorado, a 440-bed facility, which is the major teaching hospital for the Department of Pediatrics of the CU SOM. Children's Hospital Colorado is also the pediatric home to the NIH-supported Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, housing the Pediatric Clinical Translational Research Center that is available to fellows and faculty to assist with performance of clinical investigations.
The GI/Hepatology/Nutrition service consults on or is the primary attending physician for approximately 5,000 inpatient visits per year and sees over 30,000 outpatient visits per year. Over a one-year period, the GI/Hepatology/Nutrition Section performs over 7,000 procedures, including approximately 4,200 upper gastrointestinal endoscopies, 1000 colonoscopies and flexible sigmoidoscopies, 150 liver biopsies, almost 600 advanced/interventional procedures (including ERCPs), and other gastrointestinal procedures (motility studies, breath hydrogen analyses, esophageal pH studies, esophageal impedance, video capsule endoscopy, etc). The three first-year fellows rotate between the Inpatient Service, Consult Service, and Outpatient /Procedure Services.
Inpatient Training
The fellow performs all in-hospital consultations and supervises the care of all patients admitted to either the GI or the Liver Medical services, under the supervision and mentorship of the attending GI or Liver physician. Emphasis is placed on physical exam skills, developing an accurate differential diagnosis, learning the methods of evaluating and treating the child and assessing the family's needs (family-centered care). Diagnostic procedures required by these patients are performed by the fellow under the supervision of the GI or Liver attending physician. The fellow will be exposed to the full range of GI, liver, pancreatic, and nutritional problems, including acute and chronic diarrhea and colitis, vomiting disorders, esophageal and intestinal motility disorders, failure-to-thrive and nutritional problems, allergic GI diseases, inflammatory bowel disease, functional GI diseases, chronic constipation and abdominal pain, short gut syndrome, parenteral and enteral nutrition management, acute and chronic hepatitis, a variety of metabolic and genetic liver diseases, neonatal cholestasis, acute and chronic liver failure, liver transplant, chronic cholestatic disorders, bile duct and gall bladder disorders, acute and chronic pancreatitis, GI problems of the immunosuppressed or immunodeficient patient, and others. The Inpatient and Consult services range from 10-20 patients each. The GI and Liver Medical services include a dietitian and social worker as part of the inpatient teams.
Outpatient Training
While on the Outpatient Clinics Rotation, the fellow attends four half-day clinics per week, including urgent outpatient clinics and multidisciplinary subspecialty clinics such as Liver Clinic, the Gastrointestinal Eosinophilic Disease Program, Intestinal Rehabilitation Clinic, Neurogastroenterology Motility Clinic, Celiac Disease Clinic, IBD Clinic, and Aerodigestive Clinic. The fellows are exposed to the full range of outpatient GI/ liver/nutrition disorders and learn the appropriate and cost-effective evaluation and management of these diseases in infants and children. In addition, fellows have their own Continuity Clinic (one ½ day per week) throughout their 3 years of fellowship training. The fellow functions as the primary GI specialist for patients seen within their Continuity Clinic and allows the fellow to gain expertise in longitudinal outpatient care. The Fellows Continuity Clinic is overseen by a small group of attendings in order to offer focused mentoring and consistency in precepting.
During the Outpatient Procedures Rotation, the fellow attends four half-day procedure block times per week under the direction of the attending physician assigned to the block. The fellow will learn to perform and interpret the full gamut of GI diagnostic and interventional procedures, including upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy, capsule endoscopy, polypectomy, esophageal pH and pH/impedence testing, duodenal intubation, percutaneous liver biopsy, esophageal variceal sclerotherapy and band ligation, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, pneumatic and non-pneumatic dilatation of strictures, removal of GI tract foreign bodies and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube placement.
Research Training
First Year
During the first year fellow four-week elective rotation, the fellows participate in the Exploring Research Opportunities Rotation during the afternoon. Working with the Program Director and Section Chief, a research plan for the fellow’s second and third years will be developed. By the end of their first year, the fellow presents his or her research plans to the Scholarship Oversight Committee for advice and approval. This Oversight Committee will systematically monitor the fellow's progress during the next two years, assuring appropriate progress and success of the fellow.
Second and Third Year
The second and third years of training are primarily devoted to research training (clinical, translational, or basic research) which will be carried out in the laboratories and facilities of the CU SOM and Children's Colorado. Responsibilities on the inpatient services are minimized during years 2 and 3 in order to provide 80% protected time for research training. During the second and third years of training, the fellow continues to attend one half-day continuity clinic per week, the teaching conferences of the Section, and rotate on the inpatient service for 2-4 weeks per year.
During the first year of fellowship, the fellow will meet with each of the Pediatric Gastroenterology/Hepatology/Nutrition faculty and other appropriate researchers at University of Colorado School of Medicine (CU SOM), and, in conjunction with the Director of Fellowship Training and the Section Chief, will choose a mentor and a field of study. The Department of Pediatrics at CU SOM has a formal core educational program in Ethics, Professionalism, Statistics, Evidence-Based Medicine and Quality Improvement for all fellows that begins in the first year of fellowship. For fellows who elect to pursue Clinical and Translational Research, we encourage completion of a Masters in Clinical Sciences through the Clinical Sciences Program. There is a core curriculum on research ethics for fellows led by the Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI). Basic science research trainees are encouraged to participate in appropriate didactic coursework, as well as mentored laboratory research. Research opportunities are numerous, under the mentorship of one of the Pediatric GI/ Hepatology/ Nutrition faculty or another mentor of the School of Medicine.
Researching Training Funding
The GI/Hepatology/Nutrition Fellowship is an NIH-funded training program in pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition, and works closely with the NIH-supported Mucosal Inflammation Program and Clinical Nutrition Research Unit at CU SOM. In these Centers, there is a large number of NIH-supported investigators studying basic and clinical areas. In addition, the CCTSI at CU SOM, in conjunction with the Clinical Translational Research Center at Children's Colorado, provides training in clinical and translational research, and provides assistance with study design, biostatistics, bioinformatics, research nursing, and financial and scientific support for clinical investigation. Our NIDDK-Funded T32 Pediatric GI Fellowship Training Program is co-directed by Drs. Ronald J. Sokol, MD, Chief of the Section of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, and Edwin DeZoeten, MD, PhD, IBD Program Director. The GI/Hepatology/Nutrition Section is also an active Clinical Center in 7 national research consortia studying childhood liver and gastrointestinal diseases, bringing many clinical research opportunities for fellows. The GI/Hepatology/Nutrition Section research is funded by more than 3.5 million dollars per year in grant support.
Didactic Learning
The following teaching conferences play an important role in the training of fellows and housestaff:
- On Wednesday Mornings, the conference alternates weekly (Radiology, Pathology, Fellow Topic, Case Reviews). Emphasis is placed on the fellow’s acquisition of skills needed to deliver effective lectures and improve their teaching ability for their future careers.
- Radiology and Pathology: Fellows are asked to interpret x-rays and pathology slides in the Radiology and Pathology Conferences.
- For Topic Conference, fellows present 1 time per year, an organized talk focusing on a specific clinical topic of interest to them. We ask the fellows to choose a topic that they know little about and will therefore gain a high degree of knowledge on the subject by preparing for the talk.
- For case reviews, faculty present interesting patients to the entire group for discussion (once every other month, the conference is dedicated to collaborative case review). Discussion includes review of pertinent labs and imaging, examination of the patient, and discussion of pathophysiology, differential diagnosis and treatment options. .
- A combined pediatric GI/Hepatology/Nutrition and Pediatric Surgery conference is held at CHCO on the first Friday morning of the month. At the Peds GI/Surgery Conference, Fellows alternate with surgical Fellows in presenting interesting cases followed by an organized and detailed talk and handout on the specific topic of interest. Every fellow present at this conference once or twice during their fellowship training. This conference provides the fellows a unique view of how surgeons may manage GI/Hepatology patients.
- A combined Adult GI and Pediatric GI conference is held at the University Hospital Admin. Pavilion on the fourth Friday every 3 months. Every fellow present at this conference once or twice during their fellowship training. This conference provides the fellows a unique view of how adult gastroenterologists and Hepatologists may manage GI/Hepatology patients.
- A combined DHI and Nutrition conference is held biannually and gives fellows the unique opportunity to review interesting cases with nutrition colleagues.
- Disease-specific multidisciplinary weekly meetings that fellows are welcome to attend include Liver Center meeting, Intestinal Failure and Home Nutritional Support meeting, Inflammatory Bowel Disease meeting, Celiac disease meeting, Gastrointestinal Eosinophilic Diseases Program and Cystic Fibrosis meeting. These sessions provide the fellow with a unique opportunity to observe the many aspects of multidisciplinary management of GI and Liver disease patients with complex diseases.
- Focused inpatient and outpatient care conferences are attended by fellows’ quarterly.
Additional Learning Opportunities:
Subspecialty Excellence in Educational Leadership & Scholarship (SEELS) Program :
- The University of Colorado Department of Pediatrics is proud to offer the Subspecialty Excellence in Educational Leadership & Scholarship (SEELS) Program for subspecialty pediatric fellows committed to an academic career in medical education.
- The SEELS program guides fellows through an 18-month program that provides research mentorship, coaching, and instruction.
- The overall goal of SEELS is to equip these fellows with the necessary knowledge/skills/attitudes for success as future medical educators through educational scholarship and professional identity development, faculty and peer mentorship, and engaging in an educational community of practice.
Pediatric Fellowship Educational Series
This educational series has been developed by the Committee on Fellowship Education to address areas of scholarly interest common to all pediatric fellows. Nearly 100 sub-specialized physicians in training will attend 5-6 half-day seminars spread across their 3 years of fellowship.
- Attendance is mandatory and the trainee is excused from clinical responsibilities.
- In addition to providing core educational material, these sessions allow trainees in different disciplines and throughout the department to meet and interact with one another in an informal and collegial environment.
- Occurs several times per year throughout fellowship with fellows of different subspecialties
Pediatric Biostatistics for Clinicians Course:
This course is primarily intended for 2nd and 3rd year Department of Pediatrics fellows as part of the comprehensive fellowship educational program. Designed to help fellows to develop an ability to be a critical consumer of the literature and develop familiarity with many commonly used statistical methods.
- This course comprises for six 2-hour sessions
- Designed for second year fellows, but any fellow or resident can register for the course.
Advanced Degrees Available at CU:
Masters of Science in Clinical ScienceCurrent Fellows
1st Year Fellows
Jackson Fein, MD
- Medical School: Colorado University School of Medicine
- Residency: University of California San Diego
Why did you decide to pursue pediatric gastroenterology?
I initially was introduced to the field in my fourth year of medical school and again in residency. Every person that I have met who works in Peds GI speaks so fondly of their job and is so passionate about what they do that there was almost no other option for me. After working with this patient population and attending NASPGHAN in residency I knew that this field was the right fit.
Why did you choose to train at Children’s Hospital Colorado?
Having done medical school at CU, I already knew how outstanding the department as a whole was. Meeting with the faculty again during fellowship interviews again solidified for me the amazing opportunity that training at a center like CHCO provides. Likewise, all of the fellows in the program truly enjoy their training and this was immediately evident when I spoke with them.
Laura Marielis Hernandez-Diaz, MD
- Medical School: University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine
- Residency: Mayo Clinic
Why did you decide to pursue pediatric gastroenterology?
My own journey with IBD inspired me to pursue pediatric gastroenterology. Combining my background as a dietitian with my medical training allows me to care, advocate, and help children heal from a place of understanding, helping them feel seen and supported through every step of their diagnosis.
Why did you choose to train at Children’s Hospital Colorado?
I was instantly drawn to the warmth, enthusiasm, and sense of community within the team! Something that really stood out to me was the dedication to academia with a culture that values life outside of medicine. The beautiful mountains and sunshine are the ultimate bonus!
Alex Moshe Shimony, MD, MPH
- Medical School: Washington University School of Medicine
- Residency: Washington University/St. Louis Children's Hospital Pediatrics Residency
Why did you decide to pursue pediatric gastroenterology?
I chose Pediatric GI because of the fascinating pathology, high patient complexity, and ability to diagnose/treat patients with hands-on procedures. I also met incredible people within Pediatric GI during medical school and residency who loved their job and lifestyle.
Why did you choose to train at Children’s Hospital Colorado?
I chose to train at Children’s Hospital Colorado for a few reasons. The first being the incredible hospital and training program. Second, on my interview the fellows seemed genuinely happy, and the entire group of faculty that I met were incredibly warm and kind. Lastly, having the ability to easily get to the mountains for hiking, camping, and skiing in my free time.
2nd Year Fellows
Anna “Bella” Barclay, MD
- Medical School: Chicago Medical School
- Residency: University of Colorado /Children's Hospital of Colorado
Why did you decide to pursue pediatric gastroenterology?
I chose to do pediatric GI fellowship because I loved the variety in pathology, patients, and hands on experiences. I love being able to take care of children of all ages from newborn babies to teenagers going off to college, and I was drawn to the combination of inpatient care, clinic, and procedures.
Why did you choose to train at Children’s Hospital Colorado?
Having done residency at CHCO, I knew that training here for fellowship would make me a very competent pediatric gastroenterologist with robust clinical and research experiences. The mentors (both faculty and fellows) that I worked with were intelligent, thoughtful, and welcoming throughout residency, and I knew I wanted to continue to learn from them during fellowship!
Nicole Barsanti, DO
- Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Residency: Stanford Health Care
Why did you decide to pursue pediatric gastroenterology?
I chose to pursue peds GI since it gave me a blend of continuity of care through clinics, but then more acute patients through both inpatient service and our transplant patients. Plus, you get to do procedures which adds more variety to your days. Beyond that I really enjoy the pathophysiology of GI diseases and saw myself happy practicing general GI or specializing even further.
Why did you choose to train at Children’s Hospital Colorado?
I decided to train at Children’s for a variety of reasons. Initially it fit the type of training that I was looking for - larger cohort, exposure to a variety of the niches, and liver transplants. Beyond the initial training aspect, the entire program felt like family when I did my interviews. I appreciated how welcoming and approachable everyone felt, and it was easy to see myself in their community. Plus – what’s not to love about Colorado! I did undergrad at Boulder and have family that lives a few hours outside of Denver, so I'm so happy to be back!
Tighrid Brouzine, MD
- Medical School: Hassan II university, Faculty of medicine and pharmacy Casablanca, Morocco
- Residency: Mercy St Vincent Medical Center, Toledo, Ohio
Why did you decide to pursue pediatric gastroenterology?
I was drawn to pediatric gastroenterology because it blends clinical complexity with a wide-ranging diversity of conditions. I thrive on the intellectual challenge of managing both acute and chronic illnesses—ranging from nutritional and feeding disorders to autoimmune diseases and liver pathology. What makes the field even more fulfilling is the procedural component, which keeps me actively engaged in patient care and enables timely, hands-on diagnosis and treatment.
Why did you choose to train at Children’s Hospital Colorado?
I chose Children’s Hospital Colorado because of its strong reputation in pediatric subspecialty care, collaborative academic environment, and the opportunity to train with leaders in the field. The program fosters both clinical excellence and research innovation while maintaining a deep commitment to mentorship and education. I knew this environment would challenge me while also supporting my growth as a pediatric gastroenterologist.
3rd Year Fellows
Nicholas “Alex” Dodd, MD
- Medical School: University of Texas Medical School at Houston
- Residency: Mercer Medical School/Dwaine & Cynthia Willett Children's Hospital Of Savannah
Kelsey Ryan, MD
- Medical School: Ohio State University College of Medicine
- Residency: McGaw Medical Center at Northwestern University
Why did you decide to pursue pediatric gastroenterology?
I choose gastroenterology because of early exposure I had doing research in peds GI in medical school. I got to meet patients and families and watch some endoscopies. I love the combination of procedures, pathology, radiology and varied disease states, and that we treat patients of all ages! After having fabulous mentors along the way and going to NASPGHAN conferences where I saw what a friendly, supportive community pediatric GI was, I knew I wanted to be a part of it! GI people are the most fun :)
Why did you choose to train at Children’s Hospital Colorado?
I chose to train at Children's Hospital Colorado for clinical and research training I would have here in liver, GI, and nutrition. I wanted a high volume center where I would learn by doing and have several other fellows to meet and learn from as well. The enthusiasm for the program from my faculty interviewers and dedication to fellow education was evident on my interview day. Having always lived in the midwest, I was thrilled for the opportunity to live in Colorado for the hiking, sunshine, breweries, and maybe I will even try skiing for the first time!
Julia Elizabeth Sessions, MD
- Medical School: Stanford University School of Medicine
- Residency: University of Virginia Pediatric Residency
Why did you decide to pursue pediatric gastroenterology?
I chose to pursue pediatric gastroenterology because of the diversity in the field. I really enjoy taking care of very sick patients in the ICUs and also less sick children in clinic. I feel like gastroenterologists really take care of the whole child and often fill a role of primary care physician for complex patients. Plus, you get to do procedures, which is awesome!
Why did you choose to train at Children’s Hospital Colorado?
I chose to train at Children's Hospital Colorado for many different reasons. CHCO has a big group of gastroenterologists/hepatologists who specialize in an array of fields within GI, hepatology, and nutrition and allows the fellows to have exposure to different career paths. The faculty and fellows I met on my interview day and communicated with throughout interview season were all extremely welcoming and supportive. Living in beautiful Colorado is a great bonus too!
4th Year Pediatric Liver Transplant Fellow
Veronica Lee, DO
- Medical School: Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Residency: Norton Children's Hospital/University of Louisville
- Fellowship: UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Why did you decide to pursue Pediatric Transplant Hepatology?
The complexities of liver disease, individualistic approach to each patient pre- and post-transplant and team aspect of patient care. Added bonus that the liver is such a resilient organ!
Why did you choose to train at Children’s Hospital Colorado?
People, people, people. Everyone on the team was so welcoming and down to earth during my interview day. Something that stuck with me about the culture was the strong dedication to academia while being supportive of a fulfilling life outside of work.
Appling to Our Program!
ERAS Application Timeline
| Date | Activity |
| Monday, May 31, 2026 | ERAS 2026 season ends at 5 p.m. ET. |
| Wednesday, June 3, 2026 | ERAS 2027 season begins at 9 a.m. ET. |
| Thursday, June 4, 2026 | EFDO will release tokens to fellowship applicants. |
| Wednesday, July 1, 2026 | July cycle fellowship applicants may begin submitting applications to programs at 9 a.m. ET. |
| Wednesday July 15, 2026 | July cycle fellowship programs may begin reviewing applications at 9 a.m. ET. |
| May 31, 2027 | ERAS 2027 season ends at 5 p.m. ET. |
NRMP Fall Match Timeline
| Dates | Activity |
| Wednesday, August 26, 2026 | Match Opens |
| Wednesday, September 30, 2026 | Ranking Opens |
| Wednesday, October 28, 2026 | Quota Change Deadline |
| Wednesday, November 18, 2026 | Rank Order List Certification Deadline |
| Wednesday, December 2, 2026 | MATCH DAY |
Required Application Materials
We are registered with ERAS (The Electronic Residency Application Service). Please login to ERAS, complete the Common Application Form, and attach the following supporting documentation:
- Current Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Personal Statement of 1-2 pages outlining the reasons for choosing this specialty, and the applicant’s career plans
- At least two (2) but no more than four (4) Letters of Recommendation from physicians familiar with the applicant, one of which should be from the applicant’s residency program director
- USMLE/ECFMG scores
- A wallet-sized photo (this will not be distributed to interviewers or anyone participating in the selection process)
Interviews
Our pediatric fellowship will be conducting virtual interviews for this upcoming interview season. We look forward to sharing our programs with you and getting to know more about you.
Interviews are scheduled from August thru September and will be conducted virtually. We will send interview offers out end of July as well as a list of interview dates that will be held in August, September. These will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Applicants selected for a personal interview will be contacted by the fellowship program coordinator.
If you have questions about the application and interview process, please reach out to our program coordinator, Meg Book-Smith by email at Meggan.Book-Smith or by phone at 720-777-2738.
Here are our interview dates:
- 1st interviews – Wednesday, August 12th
- 2nd interviews – Wednesday, August 19th
- 3rd interviews – Wednesday, September 2nd
- 4th interviews - Wednesday, September 9th
- 5th interviews – Wednesday, September 16th
Salary and Benefits
Salaries are guaranteed by CU SOM and paid at the relevant PGY level with standard dental and medical insurance benefits for the fellow and family, and disability and life insurance. Funds are available for travel to one or two medical conferences per year and for books/journals.
Night and Weekend Call
Weekend at-home call for fellows is divided among the fellows and averages every ninth weekend. Weeknight at-home call is shared by first-year fellows. Fellows are supervised by designated GI and Liver attendings.