Residencies & Fellowships

NewYork-Presbyterian Queens

Nephrology Fellowship

About the Program

The Nephrology fellowship is a certified, 2-year program that trains graduates of A.B.I.M. accredited medical residencies. There are five positions, with two or three fellows accepted in alternating years.

The Division of Nephrology at NYP Queens offers an accredited two year clinical fellowship program designed to train qualified candidates to become specialty consultants in Nephrology. The program provides an in-depth exposure to clinical nephrology and extra-corporeal treatments in both in-patient, critical care and out-patient settings. Fellows receive training in transplantation and clinical research as well.

The Nephrology training program is composed of inpatient and ambulatory training. The inpatient nephrology service at NYP Queens is divided into three rotations that provide dialytic, consultative and primary care experience. The fellow rotates on each service, each for one month intervals, for a total inpatient experience of 6 months per year.

The patient population differs on the three rotations but in total comprise private and non-private renal consultations and primary care nephrology and dialysis patients on the medical and surgical services as well as in the intensive care units. The fellow gains experience in critical care nephrologic problems, electrolyte and acid-base disorders, acute and chronic renal diseases, hypertensive emergencies, ESRD patient complications and all forms or dialysis and other extra-corporeal treatments. The fellow functions as an consultant and primary care physician for renal patients under the guidance and supervision of a board certified rounding nephrologist. The renal fellow closely interacts with other services such as surgery, interventional radiology and pathology during these rotations. The renal fellow functions as a junior attending while rotating on the renal floor, where the majority of nephrologic patients are admitted. The fellow guides the care of the medical residents assigned to the renal floor service as well as the residents rotating on the renal elective.

The fellow directs the management of the consultations, supervises the residents patient care, and plays an active role in educating the medical housestaff. During these inpatient rotations the fellow also cares for patients in the inpatient dialysis unit. The fellow is responsible for writing dialysis prescriptions, dialysis scheduling and caring for the dialytic and medical issues that arise. Daily rounds with an assigned attending occurs 6 days a week. The sessions are divided into patient care work rounds as well as informal teaching sessions on selected topics guided by the cases presented. The fellow will gain expertise for a variety of nephrologic skills during these rotations. An attending is always available for supervision and training of all procedures such as placement of central dialysis catheters, renal biopsies, bone biopsies, placement of acute peritoneal catheters, dialysis and extra-corporeal procedures, and plasma pheresis.

The outpatient experience occurs at the Trude Weishaupt Satellite Dialysis Center where 224 hemodialysis patients and 45 peritoneal dialysis patients are treated in a state of the art facility. During this rotation, for 5 months per year, the trainee gains experience in outpatient hemodialysis and perititoneal dialysis patient care. The trainee also becomes familiar with the water treatment systems, dialysis equipment, and ESRD regulations and requirements. The trainee participates in interdisciplinary patient care meetings and CQI conferences. The fellow gains further ambulatory nephrology experience by participating in several ambulatory care sessions:

  1. Throughout both years the fellow attends weekly renal and HTN clinics where he/she cares for a panel of patients.
  2. During the outpatient experience the fellow attends CAPD dialysis clinics twice per week.
  3. Throughout the training program the fellow attends weekly faculty practice office hours where the trainee follows a panel of chronic transplant patients and patients with other hypertensive/nephrologic issues.
  4. During the outpatient experience, the fellow attends geriatric rounds with an attending at Silvercrest Nursing Home.
  5. The trainee is also encouraged to participate in lithotripsy sessions at NYP Queens under the guidance of the Urology faculty.

The renal fellow is encouraged to achieve a level of independent thinking and patient care deliverance during the training program. They are given increased responsibility proportional to their level of training and expertise achieved. A second year fellow will supervise and assist in technical training of a first year trainee, is responsible for several program administrative duties and is expected to actively participate in delivering lectures to the medical housestaff.

During training the renal fellow rotates for 2 months on the inpatient transplant service at NYP-Cornell Rogosin Institute transplant service. During this rotation the fellow is exposed to newly transplanted patients and chronic transplanted patients admitted with medical, surgical or immunologic complications. The fellows participates in daily rounds and patient care, attends outpatient transplant clinics and transplant conferences. This rotation is designed to educate the trainee on pre-operative transplant evaluation, peri-operative and post-operative patient care and the use of immunosuppressant agents in the treatment of acute and chronic rejection.

All fellows are required to participate in at least one clinical research project and QAP project. Specific time is allotted during outpatient and inpatient rotations for the fellow to complete their assigned projects. The fellow is assigned a faculty member as a research preceptor.

The fellow work week is restricted to less than 80 hours which includes "internal moonlighting" opportunities in the satellite dialysis unit. The daily work hours is from 7:30-8am to 5-6 pm. The fellow is on call one weekend out of 5 and 1 night per week. The fellow takes call at home on nights and weekends. Vacation time is one month per year.

On-call

  • Offsite, one night per week plus every fifth weekend.

Fellowship strengths

The Nephrology Fellowship Program offers a diverse educational experience. The trainees are taught by a distinguished and committed on-site faculty that have been rated as excellent teachers by the medical students and residents of the institution. The residents are exposed to a large and diverse patient population that present with diseases that span the entire spectrum of nephrology. The training includes a strong ambulatory, inpatient and critical care experience. The fellows have the opportunity to become adept in all nephrologic procedures. The program also offers state of the art facilities in dialysis, clinical services and computerized educational programs. The fellows have the opportunity to participate in several local and national conferences per year as well as the exposure to many guest lecturers which broaden their educational experience.

Application

The Nephrology fellowship at NYP Queens participates in an Nephrology match. Applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • American Citizenship or Permanent Residency.
  • Completion of a 3 year accredited internal medicine program in the United States.
  • Board Certification in Internal Medicine, if applicable.
  • Above average USMLE scores and performance record from their medical training program.
  • Apply through ERAS.

More about the program

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NewYork-Presbyterian Queens