Gastroenterology Fellows Class of 2025:
Each year the program has the very difficult task of selecting new fellows from a large pool of excellent candidates. A major consideration during this process is finding prospective fellows who not only have excellent clinical knowledge and skills but who also embody our programs core values: Patients First, Honesty, Transparency and Professionalism.
During the 2021 Match we matched 5 fantastic candidates! Meet each of them below with a few words about each from Dr. Bongiovanni our program director!
Zachary Jurkowski: Zac is a double victory for our Fellowship. He was born in Canada, calls San Diego, California his home and did his Residency in Philadelphia. Both coasts rolled into one applicant. Welcome to the Midwest!
His career path began as an undergrad at NYU, earning a degree in Economics. Wait listed for Medical School he seized the opportunity to train in Tel Aviv and then transferred to a five-year combined MD/MBA at Tulane. He has just completed his Residency at Temple University.
Rightfully, Zac is very proud of his MBA and has utilized it to pursue his passion of Quality Metrics in Health Care and Systems Improvement. He strives to achieve equalization of care for patients in all walks of life economically, educationally and culturally. He takes pride in what he does. He commits 100% to his training, his projects and to the Institutions where he works. His MBA has propelled him to become a leader in many of his QI projects. He co-founded the Health Systems Sciences/Health Leadership and Quality Track in his Residency.
Zac and his wife, also, an Internal Medicine Graduate, have a young child. His wife will pursue a Hospitalist career.
Self-described as calm under pressure, he dedicates himself to those he loves. He goes out of his way to treat others with respect, love and dignity. The way he would like to be treated.
His Letters of Recommendation repeatedly use words like “bright, diligent and outstanding in every way. They describe a man who takes pride in knowing that those he works with will have what they need to learn and work stronger. As a leader he is skilled to make his team stronger than the sum of its parts. How fortunate is our Fellowship to have such a gifted and caring person join us?
On Interview Day, there was no dissent among interviewers. As one so succinctly put it “he is a must have for our Program”. There was no disagreement from me. He made me laugh. He made me think and he showed me the great potential he has. What he has already accomplished is remarkable and a credit to his talent and determination. I can only sit and wait to see what his powerful future will look like in Quality Metrics, administrative leadership and brilliant patient care.
Zac, welcome to your Fellowship in Gastroenterology at the University of Cincinnati.
Roshni Jain: Raised in rural Kansas. Her father was a physician serving 6 rural counties. He planted the seed for Roshni’s passion of serving the underserved and dedicating herself to improving the health care disparities of our system.
Self -described as a small- town girl, even in the big city, Roshni has found her passion in GI. She said” I want to treat all people the way I would like to be treated myself”. I have no doubt that she will be a driving force to advance health care disparities in Gastroenterology.
Her training, first as an undergrad at Duke University, Medical School at the University of Kansas and finally Residency at the University of Illinois, Chicago, have prepared her to join us with strong credentials and dedication to her field.
Her letters of Recommendation describe her passion and her persistence in her work, her ability to always make productive use of her time regardless of the challenges of the day. She leads by example and would never ask someone to do something she would not do herself.
After reviewing her application and meeting her on Interview Day, it was clear she had well defined goals in our specialty. She had a plan and a vision to realize these goals and the energy and leadership skills to accomplish them. She was the total package.
Her Personal Statement radiates the humbleness of her personality. Yet underneath the calm, genuine demeanor there is a woman who is articulate, full of energy, a self -starter and a person who pushes herself to be the best always.
During Interview Day she and I talked about almost everything, her dreams and aspirations, how she would accomplish them, my Covid hobby of reading the NY Times Cookbook, cover to cover. Her follow up letter affirmed my instincts about her…she was going to try the recipes we shared!
Bottom line, after meeting her, I wrote all over her application, FABULOUS!!! No doubt she is. She will continue to lead for change in medicine. She is the one to make health care better for all our patients.
WELCOME, Roshni to your Fellowship in Gastroenterology at the University of Cincinnati
Brad Fairfield: “Congratulations and welcome to Brad Fairfield. Brad finally broke through our geographic glass ceiling and he will be our first, in a long time, maybe ever, fellow from the West Coast. Let’s celebrate geographic diversity!
Brad comes from his Residency at the University of California, San Diego via Medical School at George Washington University. He and his wife have two young children. Brad said to me on Interview Day “I am dedicated to family and career equally. That is who I am”. Every faculty member who interviewed him shared the same sentiments, “must have, fabulous, talented driven young man”.
He is an academic powerhouse with an interest in Transplant Hepatology. Top of his class, AOA and a research mentor’s ideal learner.
From the beginning of our Zoom interview (technical glitches and all), he made me smile and laugh through our conversation. He was insightful, warm, mature, affable and fabulous in every way. One of his letters of recommendation said “He leads with kindness”. That was so clear, even at our first meeting.
After Interview Day Brad shared with me comments that made it clear-he knew what we were all about.” I felt valued and supported. Faculty were kind and genuinely interested in me”. From the start, Brad saw and recognized one of the strengths of our Program. We the faculty do value and support our Fellows. We do care. Our Fellows are the heart and strength of our Division.
In his Personal Statement he said, ”I hope to graduate from a Program which leaves a legacy of extraordinary clinicians and dedicated advocates for the field of Gastroenterology ,Transplant Hepatology, and the patients for which they serve” Brad knew from the start what we were all about.
Brad, we look forward to your future academic growth and achievement as you pursue your GI Fellowship and ultimately Transplant Hepatology. We are confident that you and your family will thrive in our community. Welcome to the Midwest and to the University of Cincinnati GI Fellowship.”
Adam Myer: “Welcome to Adam Myer. On Interview Day I said’ He’s a keeper, has star potential. But can we move him from the East Coast?” We succeeded!
Adam is a Magna Cum laude graduate of SUNY Oneonta. He attended Medical School at Thomas Jefferson University and completed his Residency in Internal Medicine at Stony Brook University
He is the first physician in his family and takes it as a point of pride. Family is very important to Adam. One grandfather is a World War II Veteran and the other is a Holocaust Survivor. They have been very influential in his life choices to serve others and to pursue his dreams.
Adam is dedicated to his career goals in Quality Improvement, Patient Safety and Systems Improvement. He served on the Internal Medicine Patient Safety and Quality Council. Prior to Medical School he worked for a Regional Heath Information Organization which works toward sharing of Medical information across healthcare systems, physician practices and community organizations. For Adam, his 100% effort is directed toward the improvement and advancement of patient care through innovation.
After Interview Day, Adam communicated with me that he appreciated the academic camaraderie of our Program and the values that we hold. In his humble, insightful and unassuming way he recognized what our Program is all about.
In his off-time Adam is a runner and a successful ½ marathoner. During our interview I tempted him with a full marathon in his future…our own wonderful Flying Pig.
So, Adam, welcome to the University of Cincinnati GI Fellowship. You join, myself and Dr. Sherman and many of our other East Coast Faculty in searching for the best East Coast pizza in Cincinnati. Our new fellow, raised in Brooklyn, New York, may just be the one to find the prize! “
Ben Clement: “Ben comes to us from the University of Wisconsin. He spent his last year as Chief Resident at the William S. Memorial VA Hospital. He is married with two young children.
He has a special interest in mentoring and teaching and participated in the TEACH Pathway during his residency. His commitment to be there for others is why he chose to do a Chief Year. He also wanted to enjoy the blessings of new fatherhood.
His Personal Statement tells of a youth growing up in a single parent family, without mentors and without opportunity, unless he made it happen for himself through hard work and commitment. He is stronger for that. He has used unfortunate and less than optimal circumstances to propel himself into the wonderful, strong, and compassionate physician and person he is today.
He did not have all that he wanted growing up. Now he chooses to dedicate himself to putting the needs of others first. He gives to others what he did not have. He acknowledges in his statement that “the process changed my life. It made me a better listener, more empathetic, inquisitive, accountable and resilient.”
My comments on Interview Day “He takes adversity and turns it to his advantage. This is a resilient young man who will not be stopped by any challenge”.
It was the closing remarks in Ben’s Personal Statement that really catapulted him to my “must have list”. “At the end of the day, when I wake, I want to bound out of bed eager for what I have the privilege of doing. I want to walk around with a smile on my face, having fun with an awesome group of people.”
Welcome Ben. We look forward to watching you grow your dreams, all the while with a genuine smile of compassion and accomplishment shining through. Your co-fellows are all awesome and you will fit right in. ”