The Robotic and Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship at NYU Grossman School of Medicine is a one-year, unaccredited training program focused on the minimally invasive treatment of benign foregut and abdominal core health conditions. The fellowship is led by Tanuja Damani, MD, program director, and Flavio Malcher, MD, associate program director.

Clinical Experiences

With our expertise and leadership in robotic surgery, fellows gain proficiency in a wide range of procedures. These include the following:

• antireflux procedures such as Toupet and Dor fundoplication
• Heller myotomy
• paraesophageal hernia repair
• diaphragmatic hernia repair
• LINX reflux management system placement
• revisional surgery
• diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy

Abdominal wall procedures include the following:

• robotic and laparoscopic inguinal hernia repairs
• complex ventral and incisional hernia repairs
• complex abdominal wall reconstruction, including component separation

Clinical Training Schedule

Fellows are expected to operate at least two days a week, coordinating cases with the senior resident on the service. They also need to attend and fully participate in clinic two days a week.

A half day per week is devoted to academic work related to quality improvement projects or research. Two weeks during the year are set aside as dedicated research time. This time can also be used to work more closely with the specialized gastroenterologists in the motility lab or endoscopy suite. Four weeks of vacation can be coordinated throughout the year.

Scholarly Activities

Throughout the training program, fellows actively engage in scholarly activities. This includes leading a quarterly journal club, participating in hernia and foregut multidisciplinary board meetings, engaging in mock orals, contributing to resident teaching opportunities in cadaver labs and simulation, presenting at morbidity and mortality conferences, and participating in the annual foregut and hernia symposia.

Collaboration with NYU Langone’s Center for Esophageal Health offers valuable learning opportunities with specialized gastroenterologists in esophageal manometry, pH testing, and endoscopic techniques such as using the endoluminal functional lumen imaging probe, or endoFLIP, and BRAVO pH test. Additionally, the fellowship provides exposure to emergency general surgery for those who are interested, enhancing their expertise. Please note that our fellowship does not include a bariatric surgery component.

Academic Responsibilities

Fellows are expected to interact with residents and NYU Grossman School of Medicine medical students while in clinic and in the operating room, maximizing their educational experience through teaching. Fellows lead quarterly journal clubs with attending and resident participation.

Conferences

Fellows are required to participate in several weekly and monthly education conferences including Department of Surgery Morbity and Mortality, Grand Rounds, Hernia Conference, Esophageal and Gastric Tumor Board, and Benign Foregut Conference.

Fellows are expected to attend either the American Foregut Society meeting or the American Hernia Society meeting, in addition to other national meetings, schedule permitting.

Research Opportunities

Fellows in our program benefit from the availability of a dedicated research fellow. Collaboration opportunities are abundant in multiple outcomes studies, trials, and quality improvement projects within the Division of General Surgery.

How to Apply

To apply to our Robotic and Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship, fellows must be on track to complete a general surgery training program, accredited through the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), and be eligible to sit for the American Board of Surgery examinations. We accept one fellow per year.

Applicants must provide letters of recommendation demonstrating their performance and good standing in their residency program. Fellows can apply by emailing their applications to Katherine Kim, fellowship coordinator, at Katherine.Kim3@NYULangone.org, between January 1 and the first week of February.

Contact Us

For questions about the Robotic and Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship, contact Dr. Damani, fellowship director, at Tanuja.Damani@NYULangone.org or Katherine Kim, fellowship coordinator, at 212-263-6378 or Katherine.Kim3@NYULangone.org.