Alumni

Alumni’s Performance

We are very proud that our program has a high passing rate for all first-time takers of the Pediatric Gastroenterology Board Certification exam. We also take pride in having developed many successful academic physicians practicing in major academic centers in the United States, both on clinical and research tracks, and participating in significant leadership roles within NASPGHAN and other medical societies.

Three female and a male doctor have a discussion in a hospital hallway

Alumni Perspectives

“The faculty truly has your best interest at heart. I enjoyed working in such a positive environment. It definitely helped me grow and understand the art of medicine even more. My fellowship gave me the opportunity not only to focus strongly on my clinical training but also to spend my second and third year working on a basic science research project. Even though I did not pursue basic science research as a career, the experience taught me to critically think and problem solve. If you come to UTSW, you will inherit a second family. These relationships will remain an indispensable resource throughout your career.“
–Sabina Ali, M.D. (Class of 2008)

“So much of the pathogenesis of EoE is still unclear, and I wanted to invest my fellowship years to investigate this disease. I sought out research mentorship from UT Southwestern adult gastroenterologists Drs. Rhonda Souza and Stuart Spechler, who are two of the world’s foremost authorities on GERD, Barrett's esophagus, and esophageal adenocarcinoma research. Within two years of joining their multidisciplinary research team at the Esophageal Diseases Center, I had rapidly achieved a number of scientific accomplishments. I was appointed as a trainee under the NIH T32 gastroenterology/hepatology research training program. I wrote an IRB-approved protocol to establish esophageal squamous cell lines from pediatric patients with EoE, and, as a result, established several esophageal cell lines from EoE patients. I had the opportunity to present my research findings at several international and national meetings including the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Digestive Disease Week and North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (NASPGHAN). These opportunities were a critical first step in establishing my career path as an academic researcher.“
–Edaire Cheng, M.D. (Class of 2011)

“I really loved my fellowship at Dallas. It was like a family, and I believed the attendings were invested in my growth. I was always passionate about treating childhood obesity, which led me to my work in NAFLD. Aside from the strong clinical foundation the fellowship provides in general GI, I was able to do clinical research specializing in NAFLD. I was very fortunate to have amazing mentors, obtain a research grant and learn how to lead a multidisciplinary team. With the support of my mentors and the program I was able to do extra training at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in nutrition and obesity. I believe if you are passionate and hardworking this fellowship will help foster your goals and train you to be an amazing gastroenterologist.“
–Jennifer Panganiban, M.D. (Class of 2015)

Alumni

1990
- Kendall O. Brown, M.D.
  Digestive Health Associates of Texas
  Dallas, TX
- R. Jeffery Zwiener, M.D.
  Medical Director, Pediatric Gastroenterology
  Dell Children’s Hospital
  Professor of Pediatrics Dell Medical School
  University of Texas at Austin
  Austin, TX
1993
- Cary P. Cavender, M.D
  Associate Professor of Pediatrics
  University of Tennessee Health Science Center
  UT Le Bonheur Children’s Clinics
  Memphis, TN
1996
- Cheryl E. Gariepy, M.D.
  Associate Program Director of Research, Gastroenterology Fellowship
  Nationwide Children’s Hospital
  Professor of Pediatrics
  Ohio State University College of Medicine
  Columbus, OH
1998
- Christopher Jolley, M.D.
  Chief, Pediatric Gastroenterology
  Professor of Pediatrics
  University of Florida
  Shands Children’s Hospital
  Gainesville, FL
- Alan Sayad, M.D.
  Pediatric Gastroenterology
  Beirut, Lebanon
1999
- Ben Elizondo, M.D.
  Pediatric Digestive Care
  San Antonio, TX
2004
- Michael Russo, M.D.
  Digestive Health Associates of Texas
  Dallas, TX
2005
- Eduardo Beltroy, M.D.
  Pediatric Gastroenterology
  St. Petersburg, FL
2006
- Ashish Patel, M.D.
  Chief, Pediatric Gastroenterology
  Professor of Pediatrics
  University of Arizona College of Medicine
  Phoenix Children’s Hospital
  Phoenix, AZ
2007
- Catherine L. Brigman, M.D.
  Pediatric Specialists of Texas
  Methodist Physicians
  San Antonio, TX
- Rinarani Sanghavi, M.D.
  Associate Professor of Pediatrics
  UT Southwestern Medical Center
  Children’s Medical Center
  Dallas, TX
2008
- Sabina Ali, M.D.
  Professor of Pediatrics
  UCSF School of Medicine
  UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland
  Oakland, CA
- Nandini Channabasappa, M.D.
  Associate Professor of Pediatrics
  UT Southwestern Medical School
  Children’s Medical Center
  Dallas, TX
2009
- Michele Alkalay, M.D.
  Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
  UT Southwestern Medical School
  Children’s Medical Center
  Dallas, TX
- Meghana Sathe, M.D.
  Professor of Pediatrics
  UT Southwestern Medical School
  Children’s Medical Center
  Dallas, TX
2010
- Michael Dougherty, D.O.
  GHS Pediatric Gastroenterology
  Greenville Memorial Hospital
  Greenville, SC
- Charina Ramirez, M.D.
  Associate Professor of Pediatrics
  UT Southwestern Medical Center
  Children’s Medical Center
  Dallas, TX
2011
- Amal Aqul, M.D.
  Associate Professor of Pediatrics
  UT Southwestern Medical Center
  Children’s Medical Center
  Dallas, TX
- Edaire Cheng, M.D.
  Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
  UT Southwestern Medical Center
  Dallas, TX
2012
- Lillienne Chan, M.D.
  Digestive Health Associates of Texas
  Dallas, TX
- Isabel Rojas Santamaria, M.D.
  Associate Professor of Pediatrics
  UT Southwestern Medical Center
  Children’s Medical Center
  Dallas, TX
2013
- D. Dyer Heintz, M.D.
  Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
  Dell Medical School
  University of Texas at Austin
  Dell Children’s Hospital
  Austin, TX
- Eduardo Carlin, M.D.
  Pediatric Gastroenterology
  Blank Children’s Hospital, Unity Point Health
  Des Moines, IA
2014
- Razan Bader, M.D.
  Pediatric Transplant Hepatology and Gastroenterology
  Dhahran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- David Troendle, M.D.
  Associate Professor of Pediatrics
  UT Southwestern Medical Center
  Children’s Medical Center
  Dallas, TX
2015
- Jennifer Panganiban, M.D.
  Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics
  Perelman School of Medicine
  University of Pennsylvania
  Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
  Philadelphia, PA
- Luis Sifuentes-Dominguez, M.D.
  Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
  UT Southwestern Medical Center
  Children’s Medical Center
  Dallas, TX
2016
- Niviann M. Blondet, M.D.
  Transplant Hepatology
  Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
  University of Washington School of Medicine
  Seattle Children’s Hospital
  Seattle, WA
- Marina Panopoulos, M.D.
  Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
  University of Washington School of Medicine
  Seattle Children’s Hospital
  Seattle, WA
2017
- Joshua Carroll, M.D.
  Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
  University of Arizona College of Medicine
  Phoenix Children’s Hospital
  Phoenix, AZ
- Ricardo Medina, M.D.
  Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
  University of Arizona College of Medicine
  Phoenix Children’s Hospital
  Phoenix, AZ
2018
- Diana Montoya-Melo, M.D.
  Assistant Professor
  University of Alabama School of Medicine
  Birmingham, AL
- Huyen Nguyen, D.O.
  Assistant Professor
  Baylor College of Medicine
  Texas Children’s Hospital
  Houston, TX
2019
- Christina Baldwin, M.D.
  Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
  University of Florida Health
  Shands Children’s Hospital
  Gainesville, FL
- Sarah Hassan, M.D.
  Pediatric Transplant Hepatology
  Mayo Clinic
  Rochester, MN
- Megha Mehta, M.D.
  Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
  UT Southwestern Medical Center
  Children’s Medical Center
  Dallas, TX
2020
- Lauren Lazar, M.D.
  Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
  UT Southwestern Medical Center
  Children’s Medical Center
  Dallas, TX
- Sherief Mansi, M.D.
  Neurogastroenterology and Motility Disorders
  Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
  Cincinnati, OH
- Elaine Odiase, M.D.
  Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
  University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
  Arkansas Children’s Hospital
  Little Rock, AR
2021
- Nonyelum Ebigbo, M.D.
  Instructor of Pediatrics
  UT Southwestern Medical Center
  Children’s Medical Center
  Dallas, TX
- Annette Medina, M.D.
  Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology
  Nicklaus Children’s Hospital
  Miami, FL
- Claudia Phen, M.D.
  Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
  UT Southwestern Medical Center
  Children’s Medical Center
  Dallas, TX
2022
- Derek Ngai, M.D.
  Assistant Instructor of Pediatrics
  UT Southwestern Medical Center
  Children’s Medical Center
  Dallas, TX
- Jacobo Santolaya, M.D.
  Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
  UT Southwestern Medical Center
  Children’s Medical Center
  Dallas, TX
- Joseph Woolley, D.O.
  Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
  University of Arizona College of Medicine
  Phoenix Children’s Hospital
  Phoenix, AZ
2023
- Phinga Do, M.D.
  Faculty
  McLane Children's Hospital
  Temple, TX
- Aayush Gabrani, M.B.B.S.
  Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
  University of Minnesota
  Twin Cities, MN
- David Willcutts, M.D.
  4th Year Fellow - Transplant Hepatology
  University of Colorado
  Boulder, CO
2024
- Nicholas Norris, M.D.
  4th Year Advanced Endoscopy Fellow
  Cedars Sinai Medical Center
  Los Angeles, CA
- Liane S. Sadder, M.D.
  Associate Physician
  Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center
  Los Angeles, CA
- Tiffany Freeney Wright, M.D.
  Assistant Professor
  Vanderbilt University Medical Center
  Nashville, TN

Contact Us

Meghana Sathe, M.D.

Professor

Director, Pediatric Gastroenterology Fellowship Program

Charina Ramirez, M.D.

Associate Professor

Associate Director, Pediatric Gastroenterology Fellowship Program

charina.ramirez@childrens.com

Allison Miles

Coordinator, Pediatrics Gastroenterology Fellowship Program

Phone: 214-867-2058

allison.miles@utsouthwestern.edu

Mailing Address

UT Southwestern/Children’s Medical Center
2350 North Stemmons Fwy., Suite F4500
Dallas, TX 75207
Phone: 214-456-0117
Fax: 214-456-8006