Gastroenterology Fellowship Program

Welcome to Our Program

Thank you for your interest in learning more about the fellowship program in gastroenterology at Palisades Medical Center (PMC). This fellowship program has been built on a legacy of excellence in gastroenterology care and we are excited to have you join our dynamic team.

The 3-year fellowship program will offer opportunities for broad-based training in the core competencies in gastroenterology. The fellow will be trained in an educational environment that fosters self-directed learning and professionalism. There will be significant time for quality improvement projects and scholarly work.

During fellowship training, you will have the opportunity to work with a highly accomplished and enthusiastic core faculty who are invested in clinical education and mentoring. Our faculty are able to model the best in clinical practice and patient care and will serve as impactful teachers and mentors. Combined they have many years of expertise in medical education and have worked directly with trainees at different levels of development.

The trainee will gain knowledge and experience in evaluating, diagnosing, and managing patients with various gastroenterology disorders and pathology. They will participate in a multidisciplinary approach in the care of these patients. The trainees will maintain continuity of care both in the in-patient and out-patient setting.

The trainees will gain knowledge, develop understanding, and participate in the decision making and care of patients undergoing various endoscopic procedures. This will include understanding the indications, contraindications and outcomes and potential complications of endoscopic procedures. Trainees will interact with attendings in the review and discussions on patient care options. A core and vital component of training will be the hands-on development of necessary endoscopic skills to prepare trainees for independent practice.

As program director I am committed to providing you with an outstanding training experience and plant the seeds to set you on the path to a successful career. As you embark on this exciting journey of selecting a program for fellowship training, I hope that you will consider our program. I encourage you to visit our website to learn more about our program. We look forward to meeting with you virtually very soon. At HMH Palisades Medical Center we don’t just train, we build careers.

Jonathan Weinberger, M.D.
Gastroenterology Program Director

Program Details

Examinations & Evaluations

American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) provides the AGA Gastroenterology Training Examination (GTE). The GTE is the first train exam for the gastroenterology programs and fellows, promoting quality and consistency across GI training. The GTE serves as an assessment tool and benchmark for both training directors and fellows. The exam’s overall goal is to enhance clinical care and research by advancing quality and consistency across the GI training programs nationwide. Training directors and fellows benefit from the exam by receiving detailed score reports allowing them to effectively gauge progress over time. Each year, the exam is updated to include the field’s most relevant topics and new treatments. The GTE has consistently performed at a high level of psychometric validity. The GTE is usually available in early March for about 15 days. The exam is made up of 180 questions and lasts 4 hours. 

Monthly rotation evaluations are required via New Innovations. ACGME Milestones are completed twice a year. A fellow self assessment is required to evaluate the progress.

Salary & Benefits

HMH Fellow pay scale

PGY4 - $84,088.52

PGY5 - $86,320.86

PGY6 - $88,539.56

Health Benefits & Health Insurance

Medical Plans	Dental Plans	Vision Plans
OMNIA	Horizon Dental Option (PPO)	One-Pair Option
Basic High Deductible	Horizon Dental Choice (HMO)	Two-Pair Option
Out of Area / Out of NJ Plan*	Healthplex Dental (HMO)

Your health benefits are effective on the date of your hire. You must complete your enrollment in MyWay PeopleSoft within 31 days of your hire date. ID cards will be mailed directly to your home 7-10 business days after your enrollment has been completed.

Clinical Sites/Rotations

Hackensack Meridian Palisades Medical Center (PMC) located in North Bergen, New Jersey stands out as the premier not-for-profit health care facility. Hackensack Meridian Health has consistently been rated among the top performing health systems in New Jersey for clinical quality. We have a robust GI service which provides patients treatment with . 

Hackensack Meridian Health - Hackensack University Medical Center (HUMC) located in Hackensack, New Jersey is a 781-bed nonprofit teaching and research hospital. The academic flagship of the Hackensack Meridian Health network, HUMC is Nationally-Ranked by U.S. News & World Report 2022-2023 in four specialties, more than any other hospital in NJ. HUMC is also home to the Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center and is listed on the Green Guide’s list of Top 10 Green Hospitals in the U.S. Our comprehensive clinical research portfolio includes studies focused on precision medicine, translational medicine, immunotherapy, cell therapy, and vaccine development.

The Rutgers New Jersey Medical School Hepatology. During this rotation period the trainee physicians will acquire skills and proficiency in clinical assessment, diagnostic approach and comprehensive management of patients with diverse liver diseases including liver transplant. The training emphasizes development of clinical expertise as a consultant, teaching proficiency as an academician, and skill of clinical researcher. The trainees will gain knowledge and experience in diagnosing and managing patients with different liver diseases like viral, alcoholic, metabolic, drug induced, immune mediated liver diseases, end-stage liver disease, jaundice, patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, and acute fulminant hepatic failure, liver disease in pregnancy and other liver diseases.

With the six core competencies established by the ACGME in mind, the Gastroenterology Fellowship Program at Palisades Medical Center has been designed to provide a comprehensive and innovative clinical environment. Fellows will learn to work individually and in interdisciplinary teams in and with a variety of systems of care; how to approach cases through a developmental lens; and so much more!

As our fellow, your well-being is important to us. At our hospital-wide fellowship orientation, fellows will be educated about the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle, tips on avoiding burnout, the availability of counseling, and mental health services.