Thomas Sferra, MD
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Specialty: Pediatric Gastroenterology
View Expertise -
Primary Location: 29160 Center Ridge Rd (18 mi.)
Other Locations - Languages Spoken: English
Office Locations
UH Westshore (18 mi.)
29160 Center Ridge Rd
Bldg 1 Ste A
Westlake, OH 44145
216-844-1765
UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital (0 mi.)
11100 Euclid Ave
8th Floor
Cleveland, OH 44106
216-844-1443
UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital (0 mi.)
11100 Euclid Ave
Ste 604
Cleveland, OH 44106
216-844-1765
Biography: Thomas Sferra, MD
Expertise
Titles
- Division Chief, Pediatric Gastroenterology, UH Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital
- Division Chief, Pediatric Gastroenterology, UH Cleveland Medical Center
- Program Director, Pediatric Gastroenterology, UH Cleveland Medical Center
- Professor, CWRU School of Medicine
- Martin and Betty Rosskamm Endowed Chair in Pediatric Gastroenterology, UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital
Certifications & Memberships
- Pediatric Gastroenterology - American Board of Pediatrics
Education
Fellowship | Pediatric Gastroenterology
Pediatric Gastroenterology - Children's Hospital (1993 - 1996)
Research Fellowship | Medical Genetics
Medical Genetics - University Of Michigan Medical Center/University Of Michigan Health System (1990 - 1993)
Residency | Pediatrics/Chief Resident
Pediatrics/Chief Resident - Children's Hospital (1989 - 1990)
Residency | Pediatrics
Pediatrics - Children's Hospital (1987 - 1989)
Internship | Pediatrics
Pediatrics - Children's Hospital (1986 - 1987)
Undergraduate
Youngstown State University (1986)
Medical Education
Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) (1986)
About
Thomas J. Sferra, MD, is Chief of the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition and the Martin and Betty Rosskamm Chair in Pediatric Gastroenterology at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital. He has a joint appointment as Chief of the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at UH Cleveland Medical Center. Dr. Sferra also is Associate Professor, Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.
He is board certified in pediatrics and pediatric gastroenterology. His special interests include inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), cystic fibrosis, pancreatic diseases, Clostridium difficile infection, and gastroesophageal reflux disease. He was named to the UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital and UH Cleveland Medical Center medical staff in 2012.
Dr. Sferra earned a Bachelor of Sciences in combined sciences at Youngstown State University, Youngstown, Ohio, and completed his medical degree at Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Rootstown, Ohio. He served his pediatrics residency at Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, where he was Chief Resident. He completed a three-year research fellowship as member of the Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs Pediatric Scientist Development Program in the Division of Medical Genetics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Mich., followed by a pediatric gastroenterology fellowship at Children’s Hospital, Columbus.
Prior to his appointment to the UH staff, Dr. Sferra was the Children’s Hospital Foundation Griffin Family Chair; Associate Professor, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics; and Adjunct Member, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Okla.
An active researcher and a prolific author, Dr. Sferra has published more than 60 papers in peer-reviewed journals reporting on his research related to the development of novel therapies for inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer, gene therapy, epidemiology of gastrointestinal disorders, Clostridium difficile infection, and other topics and has authored or coauthored more than 10 textbook chapters and reviews. He is a frequent presenter and invited lecturer at national medical meetings.
Dr. Sferra is a member of the American Gastroenterological Association and North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition.
Honors and Recognition
Cleveland Magazine Best Docs, 2013, 2014
Castle Connolly Top Doctors in America, 2008 – 2014
Best Doctors in America, 2009-2014
Research Interests
Epidemiology of gastrointestinal diseases using large datasets
Development of novel therapies for inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer
Industry Relationships
University Hospitals is committed to transparency in our interactions with industry partners, such as pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical device companies. At UH, we disclose practitioner and their family members’ ownership and intellectual property rights that are or in the process of being commercialized. In addition, we disclose payments to employed practitioners of $5,000 or more from companies with which the practitioners interact as part of their professional activities. These practitioner-industry relationships assist in developing new drugs, devices and therapies and in providing medical education aimed at improving quality of care and enhancing clinical outcomes. At the same time, UH understands that these relationships may create a conflict of interest. In providing this information, UH desires to assist patients in talking with their practitioners about industry relationships and how those relationships may impact their medical care.
UH practitioners seek advance approval for certain new industry relationships. In addition, practitioners report their industry relationships and activities, as well as those of their immediate family members, to the UH Office of Outside Interests annually. We review these reports and implement management plans, as appropriate, to address conflicts of interest that may arise in connection with medical research, clinical care and purchasing decisions.
View UH’s policy (PDF) on practitioner-industry relationships.
As of December 31, 2016, Thomas Sferra did not disclose any Outside Relationships with Industry.