University of Alabama at Birmingham

 

Institution:

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Duration of Fellowship:

1 year clinical fellowship

Number of Available Fellowship Positions:

1

Program Director:
Program Director Email:

Brenessa Lindeman, MD, MEHP
[email protected]

Secondary Contact Name:
Secondary Contact Title:
Secondary Contact Email:

Tamica Shipman
Program Coordinator
[email protected]

Address/Phone:

1808 7th Ave. South
Boshell Diabetes Bldg 202
Birmingham, AL 35294-3411
Phone: 205-975-3288

Objectives of the Program:

The Fellow will acquire knowledge of normal and abnormal endocrine gland anatomy and physiology while developing excellence in clinical acumen for endocrinopathies. He/She will develop a better understanding for the appropriate application of genetic counseling and testing, obtain an appreciation for the molecular developments in endocrine malignancy, and become aware of current controversies and areas of future exploration in endocrine surgery. By the end of the fellowship, the Fellow will be able to perform routine and complex endocrine operations appropriately and safely while understanding his/her own limitations and be willing to ask for help when necessary.

Highlights of the Fellowship:

This fellowship will provide extensive exposure to standard and advanced/minimally invasive techniques in endocrine surgery, medical endocrinology, pathology, ultrasonography, and laryngoscopy. The Fellow will participate in advanced thyroid cancer operations, minimally invasive techniques of parathyroidectomy (including radioguided surgery and rapid PTH assay), central and lateral neck dissections, and laparoscopic, retroperitoneoscopic, and robotic adrenalectomies, with experience in surgical resection of primary and metastatic neuroendocrine tumors of the GI tract/pancreas if desired. The Fellow will have weekly outpatient clinics with faculty, including a Multidisciplinary Endocrine Tumor Clinic with endocrinology. The Fellow will have the opportunity to perform surgeon-directed ultrasound for patients with thyroid and parathyroid diseases and perform ultrasound-guided fine needle aspirations on patients with thyroid nodules in conjunction with endocrinology and cytopathology faculty.

Our endocrine surgery research program provides outstanding research opportunities for the Fellow to establish their academic career. Opportunities in clinical, education, translational, basic, and health services research are available. The Fellow will have at least one day a week reserved for non-operative endeavors, including research opportunities. In order to foster the Fellow’s educational experience in teaching and leadership, he/she will participate in all UAB Surgery departmental rounds and conferences. The Fellow will organize and lead the weekly Endocrine Surgery Conference and also present cases at the weekly Endocrine Interesting Case Conference and the monthly Multidisciplinary Thyroid/Parathyroid Conference. In addition, the Fellow will present topics of his/her interest in endocrine disease/surgery to our residents and medical students at their Surgical Education Conference.

International Medical Graduates:

The funding for our fellowship depends upon the ability of our fellow to obtain full practice privileges at our institution. Therefore, it is a requirement for our fellow to be US board eligible for funding purposes (This includes most Canadian residencies). The applicants must also hold an H-1B visa.

We will consider applicants that are not US board eligible or they do not have an H-1B visa if they do not require salary support during their training. If you are a foreign medical graduate that is not US board eligible then please notify us that you are aware of this policy and will not require salary support.

Fellow must be American Board of Surgery eligible or certified:

Yes

Special Considerations:

AAES Endocrine Surgery Fellows are hired as "Clinical Instructors" and NOT considered part of a GME-sponsored program.

More information about this can be found HERE.

Program Website for More Information:

https://www.uab.edu/medicine/surgery/breast-endocrine/education/aaes-fellowship

Program Twitter:

@UABSurgery

Program Facebook:

 

Previous Fellows:

2018-2019: Sophie Dream, Medical College of Wisconsin
2019-2020: Jessica Fazendin, University of Alabama at Birmingham
2020-2021: Kimberly Ramonell, University of Pittsburgh
2021-2022: Andrea Gillis, University of Alabama at Birmingham
2022-2023: Jessica Liu, University of Utah
2023-2024: Polina Zmijewski, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
2024-2025: C. Corbin Frye, Entering Fellow