UT Center for Obesity Medicine & Metabolic Performance Fellowship in Clinical Obesity Medicine & Metabolism

UT Center for Obesity Medicine and Metabolic Performance

Attending/Fellowship Director: Deborah Horn, DO, MPH, MFOMA
Attending: Vanessa Hoang, MD
UTHealth Houston – Bellaire Station
6500 W Loop S Suite 200, Bellaire, TX 77401

Trainees will spend the majority of their time at UT COMMP, learning closely from program director, Dr. Deborah Horn, and previous UT COMMP fellow, now faculty, Dr. Vanessa Hoang, about obesity and its comorbidities. By the end of the fellowship, fellows will have a thorough understanding of the physiology and pathophysiology of body weight regulation and a fundamental knowledge of current research in the field of Obesity Medicine. They will be able to assess a patient with obesity or other metabolic disorders and to determine an appropriate treatment plan. Trainees will understand and utilize standard and innovative approaches to the treatment of obesity, including body composition and metabolic measurement, novel combination therapies, surgical and medical integration of care, and they will participate in outcomes related research and/or new and emerging treatment trials. They will be able to complete a full evaluation for patients with indications for obesity treatment both medically, surgically, and the medical/surgery combination patient and provide comprehensive care that leads to disease improvement. New patient visits are scheduled for 60 minutes, 2nd follow ups are scheduled for 40 minutes, and subsequent follow ups are 20 minutes.

Adolescent Obesity Medicine Rotations

Attending: Mona Eissa, MD
UTHealth Houston Professional Building – Texas Medical Center
6410 Fannin St, Suite 500
Houston, TX 77030

In the pediatric obesity medicine rotation, the Obesity Medicine Fellow will learn to evaluate and manage children and adolescents with overweight and obesity. The fellow will gain experience in age-appropriate assessment of growth patterns, nutrition, physical activity, and psychosocial factors, while learning to tailor treatment plans that incorporate family-based behavioral interventions. This rotation emphasizes early intervention and prevention of obesity-related comorbidities.

Metabolic Performance Rotation

Rotation Leaders: Lillian Koch, PT, DPT; Kimberly Gandler, MS
Memorial Hermann | Rockets Sports Medicine Institute – Shepherd Square
2085 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77098

The metabolic performance rotation will take place at Memorial Hermann Houston Rockets sports medicine institute. The facility houses physical therapists, exercise physiologists, sports nutritionists, and sports strength and conditioning coaches. Fellows will spend time learning different modalities for human performance testing including bod pod, gait analysis, lactate threshold testing, VO2 max test, and resting metabolic rate testing.

Sleep Medicine

Attending: Dr. Ruckshanda Majid, MD
Outpatient Location: Bellaire Station

This rotation provides exposure to the significant connection between sleep disorders and obesity, as well as clinical experience in diagnosing and managing sleep-related conditions. The rotation involves interpretation of sleep studies with a focus on sleep apnea, obesity hypoventilation syndrome, insomnia, and restless leg syndrome.

Bariatric Surgery

UT Health Bariatric Surgery Fellowship
Attendings: Erik Wilson, MD; Shanil Shah, DO
Inpatient Location: Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center
Outpatient Location: Bellaire Station

The focus of this rotation is on understanding the principles of obesity, metabolic diseases, and the role of surgical interventions like sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, and duodenal switch. Fellows will also gain experience in preoperative and postoperative care. The rotation will emphasize the importance of long-term follow-up for patients who have had bariatric surgery, including monitoring for weight loss, addressing complications, and providing ongoing support.

Endocrinology

Preceptors: Kelly Wirfel, MD; Omar Sandoval, NP
Outpatient Location: Bellaire Station

During the endocrinology rotation, the obesity medicine fellow will gain focused exposure to the hormonal and metabolic underpinnings of obesity and its related comorbidities. This rotation emphasizes shared concepts between endocrinology and obesity medicine, including insulin resistance, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), hypothyroidism, Cushing’s syndrome, and other endocrine disorders that influence weight regulation. The fellow will observe the diagnostic workup and management of endocrine conditions that often overlap with obesity, enhancing their understanding of complex weight-related presentations. Although brief, this rotation provides valuable interdisciplinary insights that will inform the fellow’s holistic approach to treating patients with obesity, particularly in distinguishing primary obesity from secondary causes and optimizing individualized treatment plans.

Private Practice – Adults: San Antonio

Attending: Jenny Seger, MD
8038 Wurzbach Rd #250
San Antonio, TX 78229

This rotation provides obesity medicine fellows with an immersive experience in the private practice setting, focused on the care of adults with overweight and obesity. The primary objective is to expose fellows to the clinical, operational, and philosophical differences between private practice and academic medicine. Fellows will gain firsthand insight into how a community-based obesity medicine physician evaluates, treats, and follows patients using evidence-based practices within the context of private healthcare delivery.

Private Practice – Pediatric: San Antonio

Preceptors: Suzanne Cuda, MD; Sarah Holquin-Marquez, DNP
Alamo City Healthy Kids & Families
143 W Sunset Suite 100
San Antonio, TX 78209

This rotation provides obesity medicine fellows with a focused clinical experience in the private practice management of adolescents with overweight and obesity. The primary goal is to expose fellows to the practical differences in delivering adolescent obesity care in a community-based private practice versus an academic setting. Particular emphasis is placed on the individualized and family-centered approach, streamlined clinic workflows, and real-world application of pharmacologic therapies in adolescents.

UT MIST Fellows Journal club (monthly)

• Engage with MIST fellows to present a case presentation monthly and 1 journal club per year

OMFC Fellowship Fridays (monthly)

• Participate monthly in this virtual didactic session with OMFC fellows nationwide. Each session includes 1 journal club and 1 case presentation

Dept Research Meetings (monthly)

Internal Medicine/Endocrinology Grand Rounds (intermittent)

• Attend relevant and insightful grand rounds at UT Health Houston

Cleveland Clinic Obesity Live (monthly)

HOPE (quarterly)

• Local Houston Obesity Medicine society that hosts quarterly meetings for local clinicians. This is a wonderful opportunity to network with other physicians in the area.

Educational conferences (annually)

• OMA (Spring)
• Obesity Week (Fall)

OMA Committee Participation

• Apply to one of OMA’s committee to start your participation in national obesity medicine societies

This longitudinal rotation offers fellows the opportunity to engage directly in clinical research as part of their training in obesity medicine. UT COMMP serves as an active clinical trial site for industry-sponsored and NIH-funded studies focused on obesity pharmacotherapy, metabolic disease, lifestyle interventions, and related comorbidities. Fellows participate in the day-to-day clinical activities involved in running these trials and gain hands-on experience in both the scientific and operational aspects of research.

Fellows are currently scheduled to dedicate two full days per week to research visits, where they will evaluate and follow patients enrolled in ongoing clinical trials. Activities include screening and enrolling participants, performing protocol-specific assessments, conducting safety monitoring, and ensuring adherence to Good Clinical Practice (GCP) guidelines. Fellows work closely with the principal investigators, study coordinators, and sponsors to understand trial design, implementation, and data integrity.

This rotation fosters the development of critical research competencies and provides fellows with a deeper understanding of the evidence base that informs clinical obesity medicine practice.

• Current Clinical Trials
  • Surmount Attain-Maintain
  • Surmount Maintain
  • LEAP
  • Re-imagine 4

Obesity Medicine fellows play an active role in teaching and mentoring learners who rotate through the clinic. These learners include:

• First-year medical students participating in early clinical experiences or preceptorships
• Endocrinology and Sleep Medicine fellows completing rotations with a focus on obesity-related comorbidities
• Internal Medicine and Family Medicine residents seeking exposure to outpatient obesity management as part of their elective rotations

Fellows serve as clinical educators, guiding learners through patient care, discussing evidence-based approaches to obesity treatment, and facilitating case-based learning. These opportunities allow fellows to develop their teaching skills while contributing to interdisciplinary education and fostering a team-based approach to obesity care.

• Obesity Medicine Interest Group ***

Eligibility Requirements

• Completion of an ACGME-accredited residency program
• US citizenship or permanent residency/green card holder (J1 VISA not considered)
• Texas State medical license, which must be obtained in advance of start date.

How to Apply

• https://omfellowship.org/application/ 

Contact

• Program Director: Deborah Bade Horn, DO: [email protected]
• Administrative Coordinator: Tayna Vasquez: [email protected]

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