Nikki Duong
Nikki Duong and Mariam Naveed

Nikki Duong: Paving a Path Forward After an Unsuccessful GI Fellowship Match

Nikki Duong, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at Stanford Health Care, shared a post on X about a recent article he and colleagues authored:

“Know an unmatched GI fellowship applicant?
  • In 2024, 35% of applicants were unmatched.
  • 1064 applicants and 690 positions.

The entire team is so passionate about this topic.

Thanks to Digestive Diseases and Sciences.

Nikki Duong and Mariam Naveed

  • Reflect, Rethink, Restart.
  • Acknowledge emotions.
  • Lean on mentors, peers, and family.

Clarify goals: Do I still want to pursue a fellowship in GI and Hepatology?

Nikki Duong and Mariam Naveed

Timeline (7-8 months to reapply):

Dec-Jan: reflect, seek feedback, identify gap year opportunities.

Feb-Apr: research, networking, skill-building.

May-Jun: draft personal statement, secure LORs.

Jul: re-apply

Gap Year Strategies

Research and scholarly activity (having three or more publications increases match odds), Graduate program.

Clinical roles: hospitalist, non-ACGME GI, hepatology, IBD fellowships.

Leadership: chief resident, teaching, advocacy.

Mentorship, Networking, Sponsorship. Find mentors who give honest feedback.

Attend DDW, ACG, and AASLD.

Engage in advocacy and GI-related community work

Strengthening your Application.

Strong GI-focused letters of rec.

Apply broadly.

Personal statement = authentic and resilience-focused.

Interview prep: practice, highlight growth

High-level points:
  • Not matching is not the end – it’s a detour.
  • With reflection, strategy, and mentorship, re-applicants return stronger.
  • Many GI leaders once walked this path.
  • Resilience turns into opportunity and then into success.

Title: Paving a Path Forward After an Unsuccessful GI Fellowship Match

Authors: Kevin Houston, Aimen Farooq, Mariam Naveed, Amy Oxentenko, Mohammad Bilal, Nikki Duong

Read the Full Article.

Nikki Duong and Mariam Naveed

Mariam Naveed, Prof Director of GI Fellowship at AdventHealth Central Florida, shared this post, adding:

“Grateful to my co-authors for allowing me to join this important project.

Our article, ‘Paving a Path Forward After an Unsuccessful GI Fellowship Match,’ addresses a topic that doesn’t have enough resources dedicated to helping unmatched applicants navigate next steps.

Not matching can feel devastating, but it’s not the end of the road.

This article highlights practical next steps:

  • Strengthening applications.
  • Seeking additional training/research.
  • Building mentorship networks.
  • Maintaining wellness and perspective.

With the fellowship match approaching, this feels especially timely.”

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