Goals and Objectives

St. Luke’s Bariatric Surgery Fellowship is a one year non-ACGME accredited clinical fellowship and is approved by the fellowship council.

The purpose of our program is to provide a unique and structured educational experience for fellows in order to make them competent in the field of bariatric surgery. Our goals and objectives are in line with ACGME core competencies and include:

1. Patient care
2. Medical knowledge
3. Practice-based learning and improvement
4. Communication skills
5. Professionalism
6. System-based practice

Our goal is to train fellows to:

1. Understand the fundamentals of bariatric surgery.
2. Understand obesity as a disease and develop a basic understanding of all the associated co-morbidities.
3. Understand how to establish and run a comprehensive weight loss program.
4. Understand the importance and usefulness of a multidisciplinary approach to bariatric patients.
5. Understand the different surgical options available to treat obesity.
6. Develop basic and eventually advanced laparoscopic skills to perform bariatric surgery and be able to manage complications when necessary.
7. Develop the basic endoscopic skills necessary to manage bariatric patients.
8. Understand the complexity of revisional surgery.
9. Understand how to interpret the literature and how to conduct clinical research.
10. Understand how to salvage postoperative patients with weight regain or postoperative complications.
11. Understand the importance of postoperative support and follow-up.
12. Understand the best clinical practices to improve outcomes and safety.

In addition to their clinical duties, bariatric fellows are also expected to participate in our residents’ education and training. Bariatric fellows will also participate in ongoing clinical trials and research projects and will also spend time in our simulation center to improve laparoscopic skills.