C. S. Mott Children's Hospital

University of Michigan Health System

Nephrology: Fellowship

Clinical Training | Research Opportunities | How To Apply | Eligibility and Selection | Supervision Policy

Current Fellows

Mission and Overview

The Pediatric Nephrology Program encompasses three years of training, with the goal of preparing trainees for an academic career in Pediatric Nephrology. Over the last dozen years 100% of our trainees have completed the program on time and have subsequently passed the Pediatric Nephrology Boards. Past trainees currently have faculty positions at the University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins University, Wayne State University, and Georgetown University.

The program is structured so that the first year provides comprehensive clinical training in all aspects of inpatient and outpatient pediatric nephrology. The typical first year is divided into 1/2 inpatient and 1/2 outpatient care. The second and third years of Fellowship are focused on research training with additional clinical training. In addition the Division has a four-year combined internal medicine and pediatric nephrology-training program. Information on the internal medicine nephrology training program can be found at http://www.med.umich.edu/intmed/nephrology/edu/fellowinfo.htm.

The Pediatric Nephrology Program is under the direction of David Kershaw, M.D.

Clinical Training

The program is based at the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital within the University of Michigan Health System (UMHS). The fist year includes 6-7 months of inpatient service and 4-5 months of outpatient service. Inpatient duties include direct involvement in the management of children with all forms of renal disease, acute and chronic dialysis (PD, HD, and CRRT), hypertension, and solid organ transplantation. Educational seminars, such as Renal Grand Rounds, Renal Journal Club, the Renal Fellows' Board Preparation Conference, and the Renal Basic Science Seminar occur weekly. Invited speakers for these seminars include investigators from the University, as well as national and international speakers.

Our clinical service typically follows 15-20 new transplants per year, performs 50-60 renal biopsies per year and provides an acute dialysis program that utilizes all modalities. The inpatient volume includes approximately 10-25 children being followed by the Pediatric Nephrology Service on a daily basis. Acute or chronic renal replacement therapy is initiated in approximately 60 new patients each year. Adjacent to the hospital in the Alfred Taubman Health Care Center, approximately 50-60 outpatients are seen weekly. The outpatient clinics, which are held four days a week, include general pediatric nephrology, dialysis, transplant, hypertension, and combined clinics with Pediatric Rheumatology and Pediatric Urology. A particular strength of our training program is our close working relationships with our colleagues. Through weekly combined meetings, including, Uro-Radiology conference, Nephrology Grand Rounds, Basic Science Rounds and, combined conference, working relationships are strengthened and enhanced through discussion and sharing of ideas.

Research Opportunities

Fellows will be provided challenging opportunities for either clinical or basic research projects, and will be taught how to prepare abstracts and manuscripts for submission, as well as how to prepare posters and oral presentations for national meetings. During the Fellowship program, submission of at least one first-authored basic science or clinical research manuscript and at least one grant proposal will be required. A research project and mentor will be identified during the first year of training. The project may be under the direction of a pediatric nephrologist, adult nephrologist, or (with arrangement) another faculty member at the University of Michigan.

Clinical research training opportunities include a NIH K-30 supported training program in clinical research and a master's in public health program. The Kidney Epidemiology and Cost Center provides for unique opportunities in outcomes research. Basic science research opportunities exist both within the division and in numerous labs throughout the medical school. A 12-week postdoctoral research-training course is also available for selected trainees at the beginning of their second.

How To Apply

Thank you for your interest in the University of Michigan’s Pediatric Nephrology Fellowship Program.  Applications are accepted through ERAS at: www.aamc.org/eras/ais/start.htm

We will begin accepting applications through ERAS on November 15, 2007 for the 2009 academic year.

To be considered by the fellowship selection committee, applicants must meet our eligibility criteria and submit the required documents:

- 3 letters of recommendation from members of your faculty
- Completed applicant evaluation form to be completed by your references
- Personal statement
- USMLE transcript of your USMLE step I and Step II scores
- Photograph
- CV
- ECFMG Transcripts
- In-training examination scores

*We are only able to accept fellows who are US citizens or have permanent residency because of our sources of funding.  Otherwise, it is necessary for fellows to provide funding from other sources for the three year fellowship.

After applications have been screened, selected applicants will be invited for interviews to meet our faculty, fellow, and staff and to tour the facility.

Eligibility and Selection

The primary mission of our fellowship program is to train fellows for an academic career in Pediatric Nephrology. Graduates of 3 year ACGME approved residencies or equivalent are encouraged to apply. We accept applications from foreign medical graduates however fellows are supported during the second and third years on an NIH funded institutional training grant and NIH restrictions on support apply. Fellows are selected primarily on the basis of likely success in an academic career in Pediatric Nephrology. Interviews will be offered to select applicants after revew of their application and supporting documents in ERAS.

Supervision Policy

To see the Pediatric Nephrology Supervision Policy, Job Description and Responsibilities and Expectations, please click here.