There is a special place in my heart for people in need of nutritional support and GI care. This realization struck me when on rounds with Dr. Stephen McClave as a nutrition fellow visiting a children’s home in Kentucky. My program director, Dr. Tisha Lunsford, encouraged me to pursue this condensed fellowship while simultaneously completing my GI fellowship. It was unknown to me how this subspecialty training would be used as a general gastroenterologist, but I could not pass on the opportunity to learn more about a topic that helps me to better understand physiology and disease formation so that I can serve as an astute advisor for my patients. Because of my expressed interest, an opportunity was given to me as a fellow to aid in the clinical care of a complex patient with cystic fibrosis who required nutritional support. My help caught the attention of a compassionate pulmonologist, Dr. Holly Keyt, who introduced me to other patients with similar needs. Over time, more and more patients with cystic fibrosis were walking into my GI clinic, and the itch to use the knowledge gained from my nutrition fellowship was relieved with every newcomer. With the encouragement of the CF center medical director, Dr. Meilinh Thi, I applied and received a grant from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in order to receive formal training on cystic fibrosis and dedicate some of my clinic time to the CF center so that persons with cystic fibrosis can go to one place to receive multispecialty medical care. The patients are grateful and the CF clinic has become a workplace that I enjoy wholeheartedly. My dreams have come true despite not having a complete painting to study during training. My advice for trainees is to follow your heart in regards to learning, announce your interests early to faculty and apply to programs and grants that will help you to achieve your dream job.
For more information on the Nestlé Nutrition Institute Clinical Nutrition Fellowship for Physicians please visit:
https://www.nestlemedicalhub.com/program-information/nestle-nutrition-institute-clinical-nutrition-fellowship-for-physicians
For more information on the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Developing Innovative Gastroenterology Specialty Training (DIGEST) program please visit:
https://www.cff.org/medical-professionals/developing-innovative-gastroenterology-specialty-training-digest-program
Jason P. Rocha, MD, PNS®
Clinical Assistant Professor
Gastroenterology and Nutrition
UT Health San Antonio