The Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship at Houston Methodist Hospital offers an exceptional opportunity to train at one of the most innovative and advanced colorectal surgery programs in the country. As a newly ACGME-accredited program, we offer a modern, cutting-edge fellowship experience built upon over two decades of prior fellowship training leadership by five board-certified colon and rectal surgeons with deep expertise in advanced colorectal education and minimally invasive surgery.
Houston Methodist is nationally recognized as a leader in advanced colorectal and gastrointestinal surgery and is consistently ranked among the top 10 hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for GI and GI Surgery. Fellows train within a highly collaborative multidisciplinary department, working closely with expert colleagues across multiple specialties involved in the complex care of colorectal patients. As a major tertiary referral center, Houston Methodist provides comprehensive exposure to the full spectrum of complex colorectal disease, including colorectal cancer, complex diverticulitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and advanced minimally invasive and robotic surgical procedures. In addition, fellows gain extensive experience managing a wide breadth of anorectal pathology, as well as performing diagnostic and interventional colonoscopy.
Welcome, and thank you for your interest in the Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship at Houston Methodist Hospital.
We are proud to offer a fellowship that combines the resources of a nationally recognized academic medical center with a highly personalized training experience. Our team brings over two decades of fellowship leadership, surgical education, innovation, and mentorship.
A defining strength of our fellowship is the close engagement and accessibility of our faculty. Our team — Dr. Coursey, Dr. Ellsworth, Dr. David LeFave, Dr. Weaver, and myself — share a deep commitment to training the next generation of colorectal surgeons. Over many years, we have guided fellows and residents through every stage of development, from early training to independent practice. Few experiences are more rewarding than hearing from former fellows who reach out to share clinical successes or career milestones. This personal investment in our trainees' long-term success is central to who we are as educators.
Our fellowship delivers a uniquely integrated experience, preparing fellows across all three major career pathways within colorectal surgery: academic medicine, hospital-based tertiary care, and private practice. This integrated experience ensures our graduates are well-prepared for any career direction and fully equipped to excel across the full spectrum of innovative, adaptive, and real-world colorectal surgical practice.
I look forward to reviewing your application and sharing all that Houston Methodist has to offer.
Sincerely,
Eric M. Haas, MD, FACS, FASCRS
Program Director
Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship
Houston Methodist Hospital
Innovation, surgical leadership, and clinical excellence are central to the mission of the Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship at Houston Methodist Hospital. Our faculty have played a national and international role in advancing minimally invasive and robotic colorectal surgery for over two decades.
Houston Methodist remains one of the highest-volume robotic colorectal surgery centers in the world, with over 600 inpatient colorectal procedures performed annually. Our program offers extensive operative exposure across the full spectrum of advanced colorectal disease, including:
Our team first adopted robotic surgery for colorectal disease in 2009, and in 2018 developed and performed the first Natural Orifice IntraCorporeal Anastomosis with Extraction (NICE) procedure — a major advancement that continues to receive international recognition.
Our faculty remain actively engaged at the national level, serving on numerous committees and leadership roles within organizations such as the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS) and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES). Collectively, our team has authored multiple book chapters, peer-reviewed publications, and national and international presentations, contributing to the academic advancement of colorectal surgery while providing fellows with ongoing opportunities for scholarly development and mentorship.
Fellows train directly alongside faculty who remain actively engaged in surgical innovation, research, and national leadership, while gaining exposure to both the technical and academic thought processes that continue to shape the evolution of colorectal surgery.
Our fellowship faculty collectively bring over two decades of experience in advanced minimally invasive and robotic colorectal surgery fellowship training. All five core faculty members have been deeply committed to surgical education, mentorship, and leadership in graduate medical education, successfully training numerous advanced colorectal surgery fellows prior to the ACGME accreditation of the Houston Methodist Fellowship.
Dr. Eric Haas is a nationally recognized leader in minimally invasive and robotic colorectal surgery. As Chief of the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery at Houston Methodist Hospital and Program Director of the Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship, he has been instrumental in advancing surgical techniques and surgical education. Dr. Haas pioneered the Natural Orifice IntraCorporeal Anastomosis with Extraction (NICE) procedure and remains actively involved in surgical innovation, national leadership, mentorship, and clinical research. He has trained numerous fellows who have gone on to successful careers across the country.
Dr. Rachel Ellsworth is a board-certified colon and rectal surgeon with expertise in pelvic floor and reconstructive surgery, sacral nerve modulation, and minimally invasive colorectal surgery. In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Ellsworth is actively engaged in surgical education, teaching fellows and residents advanced minimally invasive and robotic techniques.
Dr. Joshua Coursey specializes in advanced minimally invasive and robotic colorectal surgery for benign and malignant diseases. His clinical interests include advanced and complex Crohn's disease, J-pouch surgery, and complex inflammatory bowel disease management. Dr. Coursey is actively involved in the training of advanced minimally invasive colorectal fellows and general surgery residents.
Dr. Matthew Weaver specializes in minimally invasive surgery for complex colorectal conditions, including colon and rectal cancer, complex diverticulitis, reversal of colostomy, and anorectal disorders. Dr. Weaver plays an active role in surgical education, contributing to both fellowship and residency training.
Dr. Jean-Paul LeFave specializes in advanced minimally invasive and robotic colorectal surgery with particular expertise in rectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, rectal endometriosis, and complex parastomal hernia repair. He completed fellowship training in both advanced minimally invasive colorectal surgery and colon and rectal surgery. Dr. LeFave is deeply involved in graduate medical education, contributing to the training of advanced colorectal surgery fellows and general surgery residents.
Houston Methodist's colorectal surgery fellowship program emphasizes the importance of research and scholarly activity. Fellows are encouraged to participate in clinical and basic science research projects, with opportunities to present findings at national and international conferences.
Our faculty are actively involved in research initiatives focusing on minimally invasive surgical techniques, outcomes research, and quality improvement projects. Fellows work closely with faculty mentors to develop research skills and contribute to the advancement of colorectal surgery.
Research activities include participation in multi-institutional studies, quality assurance projects, and the development of new surgical techniques and technologies in colorectal surgery.
| Procedure Type | Annual Volume |
|---|---|
| Anorectal procedures (hemorrhoids, simple and complex fistula surgery, I&D abscess, pilonidal disease, transanal excision and TAMIS) | 1,246 |
| Robotic and laparoscopic segmental colorectal resections | 450 |
| Robotic low anterior resection | 150 |
| Diagnostic colonoscopy | 320 |
| Interventional colonoscopy | 430 |
| Pelvic floor evaluations | 140 |
| Rectal prolapse | 35 |
| J-pouch procedures | 24 |
The Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship at Houston Methodist Hospital participates in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) for the Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship Match and utilizes the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) for applications.
For detailed information on program requirements and FAQs, applicants are encouraged to visit the ACGME's Colon and Rectal Surgery Program Requirements and FAQs page:
🔗 ACGME Colon and Rectal Surgery Program Requirements and FAQs(submitted via ERAS)
Applications for the Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship Program are coordinated through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).
Applications must be completed by October 15 to be considered for the upcoming academic year. Applicants should have successfully completed an ACGME or AOA-accredited General Surgery Residency Program and be board eligible in general surgery.
The Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship Program is ACGME accredited.
Apply Here
Fellowship Program Coordinator
Sara Naveed
Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery
Houston Methodist Hospital
6550 Fannin Street, Suite 2307
Houston, TX 77030
Phone: 713-790-0600
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