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This website is designed to be the central hub for those interested or involved in Obesity Medicine fellowships. The Obesity Medicine Fellowship Council (OMFC) was created to support fellowship programs, fellows, and the field of Obesity Medicine. The OMFC is dedicated to providing the most up-to-date information regarding Obesity Medicine fellowship training, as well as other resources for those interested in learning more about careers in Obesity Medicine.

As the field of Obesity Medicine grows and more fellowships are developed, we believe there should be standardization in what constitutes an Obesity Medicine Fellowship program. The OMFC aims to provide guidance on best practices so that all fellowship programs are sustainable, provide comprehensive training, and prepare the next generation of Obesity Medicine Specialists to combat the obesity epidemic. With the establishment of more fellowship programs, Obesity Medicine can become eligible to be recognized as an American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) subspecialty.

OBESITY MEDICINE FELLOWSHIP COUNCIL MEMBERS

The Obesity Medicine Fellowship Council (OMFC) was formed in 2018 and consists of existing Obesity Medicine Fellowship Program Directors and other experts in Obesity Medicine. Given the growing prevalence of obesity and lack of formal training for physicians in Obesity Medicine, this Council formed with a mission to expand specialty training opportunities and increase the fellowship-trained obesity medicine physician workforce. The goals of the OMFC are to support 1) Obesity Medicine Fellowship Programs, 2) Obesity Medicine Fellows, and 3) effective obesity care.

Lee Kaplan
MD, PhD, FTOS, DABOM, Chair

  • Director, Fellowship Program in Obesity Medicine and Nutrition at Mass General
  • Director, Obesity, Metabolism and Nutrition Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital
  • Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Caroline Apovian
MD, FACP, FACN, FTOS, DABOM

  • Founding Director, Fellowship Program in Nutrition and Obesity, Boston Medical Center
  • Professor of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital

Louis Aronne
MD, FACP, FTOS, DABOM

  • Founding Director, Comprehensive Weight Control Center, Weill-Cornell Medicine
  • Adjunct faculty, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
  • Founding Director, Fellowship Program in Obesity Medicine, Weill-Cornell Medicine
  • Professor of Medicine, Weill-Cornell Medical College

Jessica Bartfield
MD, DABOM

  • Director, Fellowship Program in Obesity Medicine, Wake Forest Baptist Health
  • Assistant professor, Department of Surgery, Wake Forest Baptist Health

Kimberly Gudzune
MD, MPH, FTOS, DABOM

  • Director, Obesity Medicine Fellowship, Johns Hopkins University
  • Associate Professor, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

Jennifer Hosterman
DO, DABOM

  • Program Director, Obesity Medicine/Nutrition Support, Geisinger Medical Center


Holly Lofton
MD, DABOM

  • Director, NYU Langone Health Clinical Obesity Medicine Fellowship, 
  • Director, Medical Weight Management Program
  • Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery and Medicine, NYU Langone Health

Daniel Bessessen
MD, FTOS

  • Director, Fellowship Program in Obesity Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine
  • Professor of Medicine, Endocrinology/Metabolism/Diabetes
  • Director of the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center
  • Associate Director of the Colorado Nutrition Obesity Research Center

Joan Han
MD, DABOM

  • Director, Pediatric Obesity Medicine Fellowship Program, University of Tennessee Health Science Center
  • Associate Professor
    Pediatrics-Endocrinology


Leon Igel
MD, FACP, FTOS, DABOM

  • Director, Fellowship Program in Obesity Medicine, Weill-Cornell Medicine
  • Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine, Weill-Cornell Medicine
  • Director, Comprehensive Weight Control Center (West)

Gitanjali Srivastava
MD, DABOM

  • Director, Obesity Medicine Fellowship Program
  • Medical Director, Vanderbilt Obesity Medicine
  • Associate Professor, Medicine, Pediatrics, & Surgery

Claudia Fox
MD, MPH, DABOM

  • Director, Fellowship Program at Center for Pediatric Obesity Medicine
  • Director of the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital Pediatric Weight Management Clinic
  • Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota Medical School

Deborah Bade Horn
DO, MPH, FOMA DABOM

  • Director, Fellowship Program in Clinical Obesity Medicine & Metabolism, University of Texas
  • McGovern Medical School
    Medical Director, University of Texas Center of Obesity Medicine and Metabolic Performance
  • Assistant professor, Department of Surgery, University of Texas McGovern Medical School

Dong Wook Kim
DO, FACN, FACP, FTOS, DABOM

  • Director, Fellowship Program in Obesity Medicine and Nutrition, Boston University School of Medicine
  • Assistant Professor, Boston University School of Medicine

Christopher Still
DO, FACN, FACP, FTOS, DABOM

  • Director, Fellowship Program in Nutrition & Weight Management, Geisinger Health System
  • Director, Geisinger Obesity Research Institute
  • Professor of Medicine, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine

Ex-Officio Member:
John Cleek
MD, DABOM

  • Board Chairman, American Board of Obesity Medicine

Council Director:
Stacy Schmidt
PhD

  • Director of Programs, American Board of Obesity Medicine

Council Staff:
Rekha Kumar
MD, MS, DABOM

  • Medical Director, American Board of Obesity Medicine

CRITERIA FOR MEMBERSHIP

1

Current Program Directors of approved Obesity Medicine Fellowship Programs

2

Current Chair of the American Board of Obesity Medicine, as an ex-officio member

3

Former fellowship program directors with an expertise in obesity medicine