The first year is organized with eight months on our inpatient consultative services (divided between three hospitals), two months on the inpatient renal transplant service at UPMC Presbyterian and two months on outpatient dialysis and outpatient transplantation. Longitudinal outpatient training is provided by attendance at a half-day clinic per week for two years.
The Renal-Electrolyte Division offers our clinical trainees a broad-based didactic curriculum. During the first two to three months of the academic year all clinical trainees meet with the faculty for a series of lectures and discussions organized to provide an introduction to the science and art of nephrology. These sessions serve as an introduction to important areas of nephrology, and highlight areas pertinent to certification examination requirements. Over the academic year, the division hosts a regular series of clinical and research conferences, including renal grand rounds, renal biopsy conference, renal journal club, renal research seminar series and a clinical renal lecture series. Fellows present at renal grand rounds and journal club, and participate in the teaching of University of Pittsburgh medical students, and house officers on the renal consult services. Our training faculty present ongoing research from their laboratories at a weekly Research Seminar. This format is intended to introduce clinical fellows to the scope of research opportunities for their research year(s). Conferences are also designed to allow research trainees to present progress reports of ongoing or completed work. In addition, there are weekly research conferences held by the Departments of Cell Biology and Physiology, Pharmacology, Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Pathology and Biological Sciences. Fellows are encouraged to attend a national meeting during their second year of training hosted by the American Society of Nephrology or by the National Kidney Foundation.