two female doctors operant on an active surgery
Transplant Surgery Fellowship

The U-M Medical School Department of Surgery has been a leader in transplantation since 1964. We are committed to personalized care, advancement in research and training the next generation of leaders in transplant surgery. 

We offer a 2-year fellowship that provides an in-depth training experience in a wide-range of transplant surgery procedures.

Program Overview

Our highly competitive 2-year transplant surgery fellowship program offers:

  • Comprehensive clinical experience: Transplant surgery fellows gain expertise in performing liver, kidney, and pancreas transplants in adults and children, and by the end of their fellowship are coaching junior colleagues through procedures. Fellows also achieve proficiency in hemodialysis access and hepatobiliary surgery. But it’s not just about logging numbers of cases — as a transplant surgery fellow at the U-M Medical School, fellows learn to manage all aspects of patient care, including preoperative evaluation and testing, and long-term post-transplant care and immunosuppression.
  • Rich research opportunities: Fellows have their pick of opportunities among the section’s balanced portfolio of basic science research, translational research, and health outcomes research. With our interdisciplinary partnerships — including nephrology, hepatology, infectious disease, bioengineering, and public health — fellows also develop advanced experience in team-based investigation. With our strong track record of industry and federally sponsored clinical trials, fellows also get exposure to the use of new medicines and the nuances of trial management.
  • Faculty who are national leaders: All our faculty are nationally recognized leaders in transplant surgery, with representation across national and international organizations, including the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, the American Transplant Congress, and the Association of Academic Surgery. Faculty engagement in these prominent roles allows them to bring back the latest knowledge in the field to share with fellows. Fellows also get exposure to the work of these national societies and the part they play in setting the direction for education, policy development, and advances in our specialty.
How to Apply

We participate in the sfmatch match, and all spots are available through the match. There will be one ASTS certified fellowship position each year. 

All applicants for the ASTS/sfmatch slot must register through the sfmatch site. Candidates should be eligible for Michigan State license.

Learn more about the application process

Contact Us
Jamie Ericksen
Transplant Surgery Administrative Specialist
1500 East Medical Center Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
UH South F6689
Phone: 734-936-9623
Clinical Experience

Fellows gain well-rounded experience in liver, kidney, and pancreas transplants in adults and children, including complex cases and procurements from living and multi-organ deceased donors. By the end of the fellowship, fellows will have participated in:

  • 80 to 100 liver transplants
  • 50 to 70 kidney transplants
  • 10 to 15 pancreas transplants
  • 60 to 80 living donor procurements
  • 70 to 75 multi-organ deceased donor procurements
  • 100 vascular cases
  • 30 to 40 hepatobiliary cases

Our fellows are considered junior faculty members and are an integral part of our team.

Current Fellows

Current fellows are training to become future leaders in surgery. We emphasize teamwork, excellence, and leadership while preparing our fellows with resources to be successful in their careers.

Meet Current Fellows
Research & Academic Opportunities

Fellows partner with section faculty on a range of research projects, from basic science to translational research, quality improvement initiatives, program management, and clinical trials. The U-M Medical School frequently has the largest trainee representation at the American Society of Transplant Surgeons meeting and at the American Transplant Congress. One recent fellow research project on the National Living Donor Assistance Center examined how to make living organ donation less of a financial burden.

Learn more about Transplant Surgery research

Michigan Promise

The Michigan Promise aims to empower faculty members and residents in the Department of Surgery to achieve professional success. We support initiatives connected to environment, recruitment, leadership, achievement, innovation and outreach.

Learn more about our Michigan Promise
Recent Graduates

Our fellows go on to become the leaders and the best in the field after training with us at the U-M Medical School. They use the expertise they gain to provide advanced care to patients and to develop new innovations in research and education at top institutions throughout the country.

  • Marc Najjar, MD
  • Elizabeth Sonnenberg, MD
  • Dirk Van der Windt, MD
  • Christopher Connelly, MD
Program Leadership
See all Transplant Surgery faculty Seth A. Waits Seth A Waits
Clinical Associate Professor
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