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Display Listing

You are here: Home / Directory of Fellowships / Display Listing

Program Director(s):
Keith Scharf
Sherif Aly

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  • General Program Information
  • Eligibility
  • Fellowship Opportunities
  • Program Director(s)
  • Case Loads
  • Contributing Faculty
  • Accreditation

Description:

The Advanced MIS/Bariatric surgery Fellowship at Loma Linda University Health (LLUH) gives a well rounded experience in all aspects of MIS surgery including foregut, bariatrics, diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy, complex ventral hernia, natural orifice surgery (Apollo), and robotic surgery.  Bariatric surgery includes lap band, sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass and revisional surgery.  The program also offers a robust experience in robotic surgery. The fellow will also be granted status as clinical instructor at Loma Linda Univesity School of Medicine. Upon completion of the fellowship the fellow will gain competency in Bariatric, Foregut, Robotic, and Complex Ventral Hernia surgery as well as both diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy.

 

 

Basic Program Information:

  • Location: Loma Linda, California
  • Primary Program Site: Loma Linda University Health
  • Primary Hospital: Total bed size, # OR's, # Surgical ICU beds: 800 beds, 32 ORs, 44-64 ICU beds
  • Secondary Program Site:
  • Secondary Hospital: Total bed size, # OR's, # Surgical ICU beds:
  • Clinic locations and schedule:

    The clinic is located at the Faculty Medical Clinic (FMC), which is located across the street from the main hospital. The fellow will participate in the PD's clinic on Wednesdays. 

  • University Affiliation: Loma Linda University
  • School of Medicine Affiliation: Loma Linda University School of Medicine
  • Year Program and/or Designation Established: 2015
  • Number of Faculty: 7
  • % of Program Clinical: 90
  • % of Program Research: 10

Additional Program Information:

  • Interaction with Residents: Some cases shared
  • Is there a General Surgery Residency at the Primary Institution? Yes
  • Is there a General Surgery Residency at the Secondary Institution? No
  • Is there a curriculum in place for fellowship? Yes
  • Is there a skills lab at the institution with fellow access? Yes
  • Are there teaching conferences available for the fellow? Yes
  • Is there an evaluation tool for fellow by faculty in place? Yes
  • Is there an evaluation tool for faculty by fellow in place? Yes
  • Papers Accepted For Publication where PD was an author: 9
  • Publications that Involved Input from the Fellow: 5
  • Are funds available for the Fellow to attend conferences? Yes

Malpractice Insurance Information:

  • The fellow(s) is also required to have attending privileges (insurance coverage must also include all activities for their work while they act as a fellow and an attending) and the program provides the following:
    Occurrence-based malpractice coverage

Contact Information For Questions:

Alana Symons
Phone: 909-651-9863x19863
Fax: 909-558-0236
Email: ASymons@llu.edu
Web: llusurgery.org

Facilities

Dry Lab
Wet lab
Library
Administrative Support
Clinical Research
Simulation Lab

Citizenship and Visa Requirements:

    US Citizens
    US Permanent Residents (Green Card)

Medical School Requirements:

    We ONLY accept graduates of U.S. or Canadian Medical Schools

Examinations and Certifications:

    Applicants must have passed the USMLE/COMLEX Step 1, 2, & 3 exams
    Applicants must have passed the USMLE/COMLEX Step 1 & 2 exams or the Medical Council of Canada Evaluation Exam (MCCEE)
    Applicants must have had at least 2 years of prior training in an ACGME accredited residency or fellowship (or Canadian equivalent)
    Applicants who are ABS or Canadian Board Eligible or Certified
    Applicants must have had at least 2 years of prior training in an AOA (American Osteopathic Association) accredited residency or fellowship
    Applicants must be AOBS (American Osteopathic Board of Surgery) eligible or certified

 

Licensure Requirements and Information:

A valid California state license is required

Accreditation Status Accreditation Period Length of Accreditation
Accredited for Advanced GI MIS/Bariatrics 2024-2026 2

Fellowship Opportunity # 1

  • Number of Positions Available: 1
  • Type of Fellowship: Adv GI MIS/Bariatric
  • Duration: 1 year
  • Start Day: August 1
  • End Day: July 31
  • Is this a salaried position? Yes
  • It is a requirement that the salary must be commensurate to a PGY 6 or greater in the same city. Does your program meet this requirement? Yes
  • Is the salary guaranteed for the year? Yes
  • Is there funding available beyond salary for meeting attendance, research, etc? Yes
  • Is the salary dependent on call? No
  • Is the Fellow on call? Yes
    What are the on call requirements?
  • What are the estimated fellow weekly work hours?
  • It is a requirement that Health Insurance be provided. Do you provide health insurance to your fellows? Yes
  • Teaching Responsibilities: Yes
  • Courses/Academic Presentations: Yes
  • Does reimbursement for the above make up part of the salary? No
  • Does the fellowship contract include a non-compete clause? No

Clinical Outpatient Experience

The fellow with be involved with evaluating (under attending supervision) pre and post operative patients as well as new consults in the outpatient clinic setting in the area of general, forgut and bariatirc surgery. The fellow will also gain outpatient experience in pH probe, manometry, esophagogastroduodenoscopy and lap band clinic.

Research/Scholarship Resources

There is ample opportunity for clinical research and the fellow will be expected to present at least one research project to a national meeting either ACS, SAGES or ASMBS and submit one manuscript for publication.


Program Director(s) Detailed Information

Dr. Keith Scharf DO, FACS, FASMBS

  • At Institution Since: 2010
  • Program Director Since : 2014
  • Board Certification: Board Certified

Society Memberships

SAGES

ACS

ASMBS

Other

IFSO, AAS

Areas of Expertise

MIS/Bariatric/Forgut/Robotics

Teaching Qualifications

Previous medical student clerkship director for general surgery

Director of Advanced MIS/ Bariatric Surgery Fellowship

ASMBS former membership committee chair

ASMBS Video Committee

ASMBS Program Committee

GI Surgery QI committee

Summary of Qualifications

Director of Bariatric Surgery

Associate Professor of Surgery

Internship: Michigan State University

Residency: Loma Linda University Medical Center

Fellowship: Stanford University


Sherif Aly MD, Dipl. ABOM

  • At Institution Since: 2023
  • Program Director Since : 2024
  • Board Certification: Board Certified

Society Memberships

SAGES

ACS

Areas of Expertise

Bariatric, foregut, abdominal wall reconstruction & robotic surgery

Teaching Qualifications

Associate Program Director Advanced GI MIS / Bariatric Surgery Fellowship, Loma Linda University Health

SAGES Resident & Fellow Training Committee Member

Fellowship Council's Education and Curriculum Committee Member

Summary of Qualifications

Assistant Professor of Surgery, Loma Linda University School of Medicine

Residency: Boston University Medical Center 

Fellowship: Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School


Division of Time

Percentage of Time Spent in Clinical Activity: 90%
Percentage of Time Spent in Research Activity:10%


Case Load as Reported By Fellow(s)

1 Fellow(s) performed 17 cases with 18 procedures during the 2025-2026 Fellowship Year.
1 Fellow(s) performed 310 cases with 361 procedures during the 2024-2025 Fellowship Year.

List of Contributing Faculty

Keith R Scharf DO, FACS, FASMBS 45%
Area of Expertise
MIS/Foregut/Bariatric/Robotics
Role in Training
Program Director
   
Sherif Aly MD 30%
Area of Expertise
MIS/Foregut/Bariatric/Robotics
Role in Training
Attending/Associate Program Director
   
Esther Yung MD 10%
Area of Expertise
MIS/Foregut/Robotics
Role in Training
attending
   
Aarthy Kannappan MD 5%
Area of Expertise
MIS/Foregut/Bariatric/Robotics
Role in Training
Attending
   
Hamza Durrani MBBS 5%
Area of Expertise
MIS/General Surgery
Role in Training
Attending
   
Jazmin Cole MD 5%
Area of Expertise
MIS/General Surgery
Role in Training
Attending
   

Accreditation History

Director Program Length Start End  
Keith Scharf Advanced GI MIS/Bariatrics 2 2024 2026  

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