Center for Digestive and Liver Health
Our Doctors & Staff
Our providers and staff come from diverse backgrounds, but are united in their commitment to deliver evidence-based, high quality care covering the full scope of digestive and liver diseases.
NIMEESH SHAH, MD, FACG, AGAF
Chief of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Clinical Assistant Professor (affiliated), Stanford University School of Medicine
Dr. Shah received his M.D. from the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, where he stayed for internal medicine residency. He then completed a gastroenterology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board certified in gastroenterology.
Dr. Shah joined the SCVMC faculty in 2011, was the former Director of GI Endoscopy and is now Chief of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. He is also a member of the hospital's sedation committee and the internal medicine residency's clinical competence committee. He was elected Fellow of the American College of Gastroenterology and American Gastroenterological Association, and has won numerous teaching awards for his work with medical students, residents, and fellows. Dr. Shah enjoys general GI and has specialized expertise in esophageal manometry and biliary diseases, including ERCPs.
ANN CHEN, MD
Associate Chief of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Director of EUS and Interventional Endoscopy
Clinical Assistant Professor (affiliated), Stanford University School of Medicine
Dr. Chen received her M.D. from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 2000. She completed her residency and fellowship at California Pacific Medical Center, following which she spent an additional year pursuing advanced training in therapeutic endoscopy and endoscopic ultrasound at U.C. Irvine. She is board certified in gastroenterology.
Dr. Chen has worked in a variety of settings, including academic and private practice. She has served as chairperson of the EUS section of the AGA and ASGE scientific program committees, and was previously director of endoscopic ultrasound at Stanford. She specializes in advanced interventional endoscopy and endoscopic ultrasound, with a particular interest in gastrointestinal cancer and pancreatic disease.
ALVARO DAVILA, MD, AGAF
Associate Chief of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Clinical Associate Professor (affiliated), Stanford University School of Medicine
Dr. Davila earned his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, following which he completed internal medicine residency at UCLA and a GI fellowship at USCF. He then stayed at UCSF for an additional year for advanced training in endoscopic procedures as well as clinical research. He is board certified in gastroenterology.
Dr. Davila joined the faculty at SCVMC in 1998. Prior to starting fellowship, he won a National Institutes of Health research award. During his time at SCVMC, he has won several customer service award, and in 2009 was inducted as Fellow of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA).
ANDREW HO, MD
Associate Chief of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Clinical Assistant Professor (affiliated), Stanford University School of Medicine
Director of Quality & Informatics
Dr. Ho received his undergraduate degree from University of California, Los Angeles and earned his medical degree from University of California, San Diego School of Medicine. He subsequently completed his internal medicine residency at the combined Cedars Sinai Medical Center/West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs program and also served an additional year as Chief Medical Resident. He completed his gastroenterology fellowship at the UCLA digestive diseases fellowship program. After completing his gastroenterology fellowship he joined the division of gastroenterology at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.
His clinical interests are in inflammatory bowel diseases, specifically ulcerative colitis and Crohn's Disease. He is also interested in hepatology, gastroesophageal reflux disease, celiac disease, gastrointestinal motility disorders, and gastrointestinal bleeding. His research interest have centered on clinical outcomes in inflammatory bowel disease. He is a member of the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, American Gastroenterological Association, American College of Gastroenterology and American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Dr. Ho is board certified in internal medicine and gastroenterology.
ELIZABETH HWANG, MD, AGAF
Associate Chief of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Director of Hepatology
Co-Director of Clinic
Clinical Assistant Professor (affiliated), Stanford University School of Medicine
Dr. Hwang received her medical degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 2005. She subsequently completed a residency in internal medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, a fellowship in gastroenterology at Stanford University Medical Center and an additional fellowship in transplant hepatology at Columbia University Medical Center. She is board certified in Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology and Transplant Hepatology.
Dr. Hwang joined the faculty at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in 2012. Her clinical focus is in liver disease, particularly hepatitis B, hepatitis C and cirrhosis; however, she also enjoys practicing general gastroenterology. Her primary research interest has been in clinical outcomes in hepatitis C treatment. She is a member of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, American Gastroenterological Association and American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. She serves as the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Site Director for the Gastroenterology Fellowship Program at Stanford University School of Medicine. She is conversant in Korean and Spanish.
AHMAD KAMAL, MD, MSC, AGAF
Associate Chief of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Vice chair of Internal Medicine
Director of Research Learning Pathway
Clinical Associate Professor (affiliated), Stanford University School of Medicine
Dr. Kamal graduated from the University of California at Irvine in 1995 with a B.S. in Biology and received his M.D. from Harvard Medical School in 1999. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine and fellowship in Gastroenterology at Stanford in 2006, during which time he also earned an MSc in Clinical Epidemiology.
In addition to serving as associate chief of the division of gastroenterology. Dr. Kamal is vice chair of internal medicine and director of the clinical research pathway, an innovative program that provides internal medicine residents mentoring and protected time for clinical research. He is also an associate professor of medicine (affiliated) at Stanford, and is active in teaching medical students, residents, and fellows. He has also received an outstanding mentor award from Stanford's biodesign program.
Dr. Kamal has been named a fellow of the American Gastroenterological Association, and been recognized several times in the "Top Doctors" list. Most recently, he was one of 6 recipients of Silicon Valley Business Journal's Excellence in Healthcare Award. Dr. Kamal has also been active in clinical and health services research, authoring 20 peer-reviewed publications, over 40 abstracts, and 7 book chapters.