Comprehensive Flexible Endoscopy Fellowship

Students in the OR.

The University at Buffalo Department of Surgery will be starting an (unaccredited) comprehensive flexible endoscopy fellowship in August 2025. Application for accreditation from the Fellowship Council is intended as well.

Program Goals

The goals of the Comprehensive Flexible Endoscopic Surgical Fellowship are to train the fellow to:

  • ensure the fellow can perform and assess foregut physiology studies
  • train the fellow in advanced therapeutic endoscopic techniques related to the hepatobiliary system, GI malignancy and acid-peptic disease
  • strengthen the fellow’s ability to interpret and diagnose GI pathology
  • provide a dedicated teaching experience in which the fellow educates other learners
  • incorporate a research experience which can be presented at SAGES
  • obtain ERCP credentialing
  • attend the SAGES Endoscopy course

Educational Curriculum

The University at Buffalo Comprehensive Flexible Endoscopic Surgical Fellowship provides a variety of surgical experiences with a focus on advanced endoscopic procedures.  The clinical experience is gained through progressive responsibility and increased autonomy over the course of the one-year fellowship.  This includes the opportunity to allow the fellow to take call as a surgical attending and to manage their own patients with faculty back up as needed. 

The fellowship follows the national Flexible Endoscopy curriculum set forth by the Fellowship Council.

At the conclusion of the fellowship in Flexible Endoscopy, the fellow will be able to perform advanced endoscopic therapeutic procedures along with a robust laparoscopic and robotic general surgery experience.  To achieve this goal, this curriculum provides a guide to the topics for study, and the knowledge and skills required to become a surgical endoscopist. Detailed objectives, educational content and clinical skills for each unit can be found on the Fellowship Council Website Fellowship Council.

Case Volume

Fellows are expected to log the following number of cases by the completion of the one-year fellowship.

Case Type Required Number of Cases
Upper Endoscopy 150
w/ dilation 20
ERCP 200
cannulation success rate 90%
therapeutic 90%
Colonoscopy 200
w/ polypectomy & hemostasis 50

Educational Didactics & Experiences

  • MFSH M&M (Wednesdays, 7 a.m., required)
  • Weekly Department of Surgery Grand Rounds (Thursdays, 6:45 a.m., required)
  • Present at Department of Surgery Grand Rounds (required)
  • Quarterly Journal Club (required)
  • Monthly Upper GI Conference (First Tuesday of the month, 5 p.m., optional)
  • Weekly ECMC M&M Conference (Tuesdays, 7 a.m., optional)
  • Present at Department of Surgery Research Day (optional)
  • Attendance at national meetings: SAGES 
  • Attend SAGES Endoscopy Course for Fellow
  • Submit an original manuscript for publication
  • Opportunity to attend educational seminars deemed appropriate by the Program Director, including but not limited to: courses sponsored by SAGES or other reputable/national organizations

Fellows

2025–2026

Holly Johnson.

Holly Johnson, MD 

Medical School: Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo

Residency: Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo

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