Nephrology Fellowship Curriculum Overview - Wake Forest School of Medicine | Wake Forest University School of Medicine

The two-year clinical Nephrology Fellowship program involves intensive experience and instruction in all areas of clinical nephrology. Learn more in our overview of clinical training and education video.

Highlighted Rotations

Fellows rotate through the following clinical services, as well as a clinical/research elective rotation:

Intensive Care Unit Consult Service

Fellows provide consultative care to intensive care unit patients with acute kidney injury, electrolyte disorders, hypertensive diseases, chronic dialysis and kidney transplant, with a focus on critical care medicine and continuous renal replacement therapies. Fellows consult on patients in medical, surgical, cardiac, trauma, burn, neurological and oncology ICUs as well as our intermediate care unit while on this rotation.

Floor Consult Service

Fellows provide consultative care to hospital ward patients with exposure to all aspects of clinical nephrology, including acute kidney injury, electrolyte disorders, glomerulonephritis, hypertension, kidney transplant care, and use of acute and chronic hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis in the hospital ward setting.

Outpatient Clinic Rotation

Fellows see ambulatory patients with expert clinical faculty supervision. Clinic time is divided among transplant clinic, outpatient nephrology clinic (including exposure to all types of nephrology patients – CKD, genetic kidney disease, electrolyte disorders, glomerular disease, nephrolithiasis, end-of-life care, renal replacement therapy education, etc), and home dialysis clinic. This includes the fellows' own weekly continuity clinic.

Inpatient Float Rotation

Fellows back up the ICU and Floor consult services, providing extra help in the afternoons and bridging inpatient coverage to the night float. Fellows have time to focus on seeing new inpatient consults and perform procedures when needed.

Elective Rotation

Fellows have the opportunity to pursue clinical or research electives under the supervision of School of Medicine faculty, including clinical research, inpatient or outpatient dialysis, quality-improvement projects, resident education, interventional nephrology, kidney transplantation, pediatric nephrology, renal pathology or whatever choose-your-own adventure you want to create!

Night Float Rotation

Fellows take at-home call for nephrology emergencies at our hospital while on the night float rotation. They see new, emergent consults overnight and field overnight, emergency patient calls while on this rotation.

Nephrology Transplant Program

Evaluation

Fellows are evaluated by their supervising faculty based on performance during clinical rotations. Evaluations are based on the Clinical Milestones format used by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, and are reviewed with fellows on a semi-annual basis by the program director. Graduation from the program is contingent upon successful completion of milestones and competency in required procedures.

Fellows also participate in an annual In Training Examination sponsored by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Didactic Learning Opportunities

Fellows participate in scheduled nephrology conferences throughout the week. Conferences include:

Journal Club, hosted by both faculty and fellows
Seminar/Research Conference
Nephropathology Conference
Fellow's Physiology Series
Peritoneal Dialysis and CRRT Basics
Board Study Review Sessions
Other topics in Nephrology Conferences

In addition to our comprehensive conference schedule, we begin each academic year with a "survival skills" series that quickly introduces new fellows to high-yield topics, such as nephrology emergencies (including ingestions and severe electrolyte abnormalities), prescribing all varieties of renal replacement therapy, and troubleshooting common problems that arise while on call.

All fellows attend the American Society of Nephrology Board Review Course between their first and second years, funded by the fellowship program.

Technology Transfer and Commercialization

Research Focus Areas

Translation to Care

More Resources

Nephrology Fellowship Curriculum