{"id":180,"date":"2018-04-02T15:29:41","date_gmt":"2018-04-02T15:29:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.uthscsa.edu\/nephrology\/?page_id=180"},"modified":"2024-05-29T10:43:02","modified_gmt":"2024-05-29T15:43:02","slug":"tracks","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/lsom.uthscsa.edu\/nephrology\/fellowship\/tracks\/","title":{"rendered":"Fellowship Tracks"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]All candidates are matched into the general nephrology track. During the first year of training, fellows may opt
\ninto an interventional radiology or critical care track.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Clinical Nephrology Track<\/h2>\n

This track is designed for individuals interested in pursuing a career in clinical nephrology in private, academic or federal settings. This track is also appropriate for those interested in a career as a clinician educator. The clinical training is centered within four training sites: University Hospital, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio Military Medical Center and the UHS Free-Standing Dialysis Units.<\/p>\n

Outpatient activity is at the Texas Diabetes Institute and at the VA clinics. Transplant experience\u00a0is at the University\u00a0Hospital setting and between 80-100 renal transplants are performed each year. In addition to the core rotations at these sites, elective rotations are offered to provide exposure to relevant complementary specialties and skills including\u00a0vascular surgery, interventional nephrology, critical care, and ultrasound.<\/p>\n

Fellows also have the opportunity to research at the basic, translational and clinical\u00a0levels.\u00a0During the first year, research symposiums are organized to enable fellows to identify faculty research mentors. Up to four months during the second year of training are dedicated to a successful research experience.<\/p>\n

Cardiorenal Track<\/h2>\n

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to be the greatest cause of mortality and a major cause of morbidity in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), on maintenance dialysis and after kidney transplantation. Yet, the role of nephrologist in the screening, diagnosis, and management of wide spectrum of CVD in kidney diseases remain peripheral.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, presence of kidney disease introduces a significant layer of complexity in the management of patients with CVD, e.g., CKD patients have higher risk of stroke with co-existent atrial fibrillation but have higher risk of bleed with preventative anticoagulants at the same time; frequent electrolyte shifts during dialysis can precipitate arrhythmic sudden death in patients with congestive heart failure. Therefore, cross-training in these two specialties is essential to treat these complex patients.<\/p>\n

The cardiorenal training track with in the nephrology fellowship is a concerted effort to bridge the knowledge and skills between fields of cardiology and nephrology. The goal of the track is to foster the development of a cardionephrologist who is competent managing complex cardiorenal interactions and is a critical member of the multidisciplinary patient care team.<\/p>\n

The fellow opting for this track will spend the elective months and\/or research months within variety of cardiology disciplines such as CCU, heart station learning non-invasive imaging, heart failure program, cath lab and general cardiology consult, working with cardiology colleagues with focus on patients with heart and kidney ailments. Fellows opting for research will join the faculty with cardiorenal expertise in their ongoing projects or develop new projects. The majority of these elective and research months will be offered during first year of fellowship to the fellow interested in applying for future cardiology fellowship to have a strong cardiology application by the beginning of the second year.<\/p>\n

After completing 2 year- nephrology fellowship -cardiorenal track, fellows will be eligible for nephrology board certification. However, this track does not full fill any of the requirements of future cardiology fellowship or board certification.<\/p>\n

Critical Care\/Nephrology<\/h2>\n

We are\u00a0 not offering this track for the upcoming Match.<\/p>\n

Interventional Nephrology<\/h2>\n

There is a growing need for clinicians with the perspective of a clinical nephrologist and the skills of a proceduralist.\u00a0 The fellows interested in pursuing a career in interventional nephrology will commit for this track by the middle of the first year. This training will be provided over 5-6 months during the second year at the San Antonio Kidney Disease Center Vascular Access Center which is accredited by American Society of Diagnostic and Interventional Nephrology (ASDIN). During this training, the fellows will perform set number of procedures under the supervision of ASDIN accredited faculty to become eligible for ASDIN certification. Demonstration of pertinent scholarly activity is also expected.<\/p>\n

Research<\/h2>\n

Each second-year fellow is provided with 4 months to work with a research mentor. The mentor is identified during the fellow\u2019s first year. There are ample opportunities for research at the basic, translational and clinical levels. The division takes pride in its rich contribution to the research in diabetes, acute kidney injury, aging, cardio-renal disease, fibrosis and genetic basis of kidney disease.<\/p>\n

We are also major contributors and active in the NIH funded Kidney Precision Medicine Project, which is the future of kidney disease. We participate in multiple NIH consortia, individual and large multi-PI grants, and industry-sponsored clinical trials. An optional third year is available to the interested fellows in pursuing their research projects and applying for career development grants.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″]