Residents interested in Gastroenterology should seek out elective and procedure experiences that broaden their exposure to common and complex GI conditions, specialized care approaches, and the teams and resources involved in pediatric GI practice.
Contact
Danny Mallon
GI Rotation Director
Essential Electives
Gastroenterology Elective
Two or four weeks of GI elective:
- Half of the time is spent on inpatient consults, covering topics such as GI approaches to feeding intolerance, diagnostic methods for acute GI issues including abdominal pain, bleeding, and vomiting.
- The other half involves outpatient experiences, which may include general GI clinics, exposure to the procedure center, and specialized clinics focusing on conditions like liver disease, IBD, and Metabolic Associated Steatotic Liver Disease. The outpatient portion can be tailored to match the resident’s specific interests.
A two-week liver elective is also available, offering a mix of inpatient consultations and outpatient clinic experiences.
Nutrition
- This half or full block elective will expose residents to a mixture of inpatient advanced nutrition consults and outpatient nutrition focused GI clinics, as well as time spent with dietitians with detailed TPN and Enteral Nutrition education.
Recommended Electives
Medical Pain
On this half- or full-block elective, residents will gain valuable skills in managing functional GI disorders and other chronic pain conditions commonly seen in GI patients.
Allergy/Immunology
In this half- or full-block rotation, residents will learn to diagnose and manage food allergies, immune deficiencies, hypereosinophilic syndromes, and related conditions. They’ll also explore how suspected food triggers might contribute to eczema.
Infectious Diseases
On this half- or full-block elective, residents will join the immunocompromised service and gain experience in managing complex infections like C. difficile, as well as in implementing antibiotic stewardship strategies.
Breastfeeding Medicine
On this half- or full-block elective, residents will deepen their knowledge of breastfeeding physiology, learn approaches to managing breastfeeding challenges, and understand the nutritional considerations for infants with GI or metabolic conditions.
Individualized Elective
An additional half or full-block could be tailored to focus on GI procedures, liver disease, or other GI-specific interests.
Other Electives
Endocrinology
In this half- or full-block elective, residents will address growth concerns, short stature, pubertal disorders, and bone health, while also participating in joint celiac/diabetes clinics.
Acute Pain
This half- or full-block elective focuses on the management of acute pain, providing strategies that can be applied in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
Dermatology
On this half- or full-block elective, residents will explore skin conditions, recognizing and addressing systemic diseases with dermatologic manifestations, including GI-related issues.
Adolescent Gynecology
In this half- or full-block elective, residents will gain experience managing primary and secondary amenorrhea, abnormal vulvar lesions, contraception options, and transgender care.
General Surgery
This half- or full-block elective allows residents to tailor their experience, from general surgery clinics to specialized areas such as colorectal surgery, transplant surgery, and multidisciplinary motility clinics.
HealthWorks
In this half- or full-block elective, residents will engage with a nutrition and wellness clinic setting, gaining experience in the comprehensive management of pediatric patients with obesity and related health concerns.
Pulmonary
On this half- or full-block elective, residents will gain experience with aerodigestive patients and the GI considerations of chronically ventilated children.
PICU Elective
In this half- or full-block elective, residents will deepen their understanding of critical care management and the interaction between critical illness and gastrointestinal health.
Urology
This half- or full-block elective focuses on the intersection of urologic and GI conditions, including the link between constipation and enuresis, as well as the management of congenital urogenital anomalies and complex UTI cases.
Radiology
On this half- or full-block elective, residents will develop skills in interpreting imaging studies critical to diagnosing and managing GI conditions.
Recommended procedures
- Gastrostomy Tube Change
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD): Residents may observe and participate in EGD procedures while on an elective rotation, especially with attending physicians experienced in teaching, such as Drs. Mallon, Pentiuk, and Sprague.
- Colonoscopy
- IBS-Stim for percutaneous electrical nerve field stimulation)
- Anorectal and Esophageal Manometry
- Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
Optional procedures
- Management of GI Bleeding
Other Experiences
Highly Recommended
- Teaching and Tomorrow Program at NASPGHAN Annual Meeting (Oct/Nov): A funded opportunity for second-year residents nationwide to attend NASPGHAN’s annual meeting. Participants network with peers and professionals and attend sessions about careers in pediatric GI. Additionally, there’s a URIM scholarship available for first- and second-year residents, offering mentorship and other benefits to support those interested in pursuing pediatric GI.
Additional Conferences to Consider
- Digestive Disease Week (DDW) (typically the first weekend of May): An ideal platform for presenting resident research abstracts and gaining broader insights into GI research and innovations.
- NASPGHAN Annual Meeting (Oct/Nov) as a PGY3 or PGY4: An excellent venue for presenting abstracts and connecting with experts in pediatric gastroenterology.
- AASLD Liver Meeting (Oct/Nov): A key conference for liver-focused research and clinical updates.
- AASLD Emerging Liver Scholars Program: A unique initiative that provides early-career clinicians with dedicated mentorship and exposure to the field of hepatology. (Learn more here.)
- PancreasFEST (last week of July): A specialized conference focusing on pancreatic disorders.
Cincinnati Children’s Specific Educational Experiences
- Residents are welcome to attend GI Division educational conferences at any time, especially when on the Elective.
- GI Grand Rounds: Wednesdays 7:30AM – 8:30AM, T8.334 or request link for virtual attendance from Scott Pentiuk
- Digestive Health Center (DHC) Seminar: Tuesdays, 12 – 1PM, T8.334
Scholarly Activity
Most applicants pursuing Gastroenterology participate in a scholarly project. The project does not have to be housed in the Division specifically, but most residents applying to GI have completed a project with a Division mentor. The quality the mentoring and methodology are the most important criteria programs consider. Residents should also strongly consider spending time on a dedicated Research Elective to work on their project.
Professional Organizations
- North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition (NASPGHAN)
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) – Section on Gastroenterology
- American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD)
- Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation
- National Pancreas Foundation
- American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN)
Journals & Online Resources
Bowel Sounds Podcast: A podcast produced by NASPGHAN featuring discussions on various topics in pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition.
Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition (JPGN): The official journal of NASPGHAN and ESPGHAN, publishing original research and reviews in pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition.
NASPGHAN Clinical Guidelines and Position Statements: A collection of evidence-based guidelines and position papers developed by NASPGHAN to inform clinical practice in pediatric gastroenterology.