Fellow Education

The goal of the Pediatric Nephrology training program is to train postdoctoral fellows for careers in academic pediatric nephrology.   The training program trains fellows to evaluate and manage patients with fluid and electrolyte disorders and renal disease.   The training program gives didactic lectures and one on one teaching to provide a strong foundation in clinical nephrology. The training program is designed to insure the competence of the trainee in the clinical diagnosis and management of disorders of the kidney, urologic system, hypertension, renal replacement therapy and fluid and electrolyte disorders in neonates, infants, children and young adults.

Research Goals- Our training program is funded in part by the National Institutes of Health.   During their training, fellows are given their own project that they start in the first year.   The first project is usually an easy project or one which was left incomplete by a previous fellow.  Once the first project has been completed they are given a more challenging research project during their second or third year.  Most of our fellows do laboratory research, but most fellows also complete a clinical project as well during their training.  Fellows involved in a pure clinical research tract are expected to obtain a Masters Degree in Public Health which is offered at our institution.  Two of our fellows have won the research award by the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology. 

Clinical Goals- The fellows are expected to see and evaluate consults and new patients first and present their history and physical examination and laboratory evaluation to the attending nephrologist.   The attending sees all of the patients that are seen by the fellows.   The fellows provide an evaluation and plan of action and the attending evaluates these with the fellow.  As the fellow gains more experience, they are given more responsibility.  However, the patient is always evaluated by the attending as well.

The Goal and Objectives of the clinical and research aspects of the program are chronologically outlined in the competencies which are expected to be achieved during each year of training.   The program director in collaboration with the attending staff ascertains whether each of the goals are met for each fellow each year.   The fellow is apprised of their progress in achieving the goals of the program.

Prospective fellows can call 214-648-3438 or email amy.becker@utsouthwestern.edu.

Current Nephrology Fellows