Getting Started

The University of Louisville has an active, ACGME accredited Fellowship Program, which leads to certification by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Our goal is to train superb clinical nephrology consultants to practice in the community and physician scientists to join the academic community of scholars.

In order to serve as a Fellow in our program, you must be eligible to take the American Board of Internal Medicine certification exam or be certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. In addition, you must qualify for a Kentucky medical license.

One requirement for licensure in Kentucky is completion of a least a PGY 1 (Internship) training year in the United States or Canada. The University of Louisville does not support H1-B visa for a clinical fellowship applicant. International graduates must be ECFMG certified.

If you have finished your residency please send your ABIM board scores. Fellows are selected for interview at this program based on academic performance, quality of pre-fellowship training, and evidence of significant interest in the subspecialty of nephrology.

About the Program

The Kidney Disease Program accepts three to four new qualified candidates each year into our two or three year training program. During their first year, these individuals gain clinical nephrology skills. They are encouraged to establish a relationship with one of our faculty members who assist them in developing a plan of research training for their second and third years.

Clinical training is completed during the second year. Fellows who wish to pursue an academic career are encouraged to spend a third year doing either clinical or basic science research. Fellows may take classes in the Basic Science Department at the University and are encouraged to seek an advanced basic science degree during their fellowship.

The optional third fellowship year is spent almost entirely in the laboratory or doing clinical research.

Locations for the Program

Fellows receive their clinical training at four hospitals on the Medical Center Campus and the Kidney Disease Program dialysis unit and outpatient office.

• University of Louisville Hospital is one of Kentucky's only level-one trauma centers and has an active bone marrow transplant unit. Fellows gain experience in all aspects of extracorporeal circulation for acute kidney failure, including acute hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, slow continuous dialysis/ultrafiltration and plasmapheresis.
• Jewish Hospital is the site of the University of Louisville's solid organ transplant programs and is one of the top kidney transplant programs in the United States. More than 80 kidney transplants are performed each year. Fellows gain experience in tissue typing, the management of immunosuppressive drugs, and the treatment of transplant complications. Jewish Hospital also has programs in transplantation for multiple solid organs including heart, lung, pancreas, and liver; innovative research in mechanical assist devices for the treatment of heart failure; and world-recognized novel treatments for spinal cord injury at its neighboring partner, Frazier Institute for Rehabilitation.
• Some of the Kidney Disease's Program patients are also admitted to the adjacent Norton Hospital. The Norton Health Care system boasts two hospitals on the downtown medical campus including the Norton Hospital and Kosair Childrens Hospital where many of our dialysis patients are admitted for care related to vascular access or other medical problems. Renal fellows have the opportunity on elective months to see pediatric patients in the outpatient and inpatient setting.
• The Robley Rex Veterans Affairs Medical Center is an integral part of the nephrology training program. Located less than three miles from the University Medical Center, this hospital cares for veterans throughout Kentucky and Southern Indiana.

Fellows are assigned equally whenever possible among the hospitals to broaden their clinical experience. A faculty member is always on call to support the Fellow's activities.

Opportunities for Research

Research opportunities are available to Fellows in the basic science research labs in the Baxter buildings or in the clinical research program of the Kidney Disease Program. Basic science research interests include proteomics,  molecular biology, signal transduction, and cell biochemistry. Clinical research projects in drug dosing in renal disease, nephrotoxicity, Erythropoetin Stimulating Agents, dialysis outcomes, dialyzers, transplantation are available for Fellows.

http://louisville.edu/medschool/medicine/about-us/endowed-chairs/klein.html

Interventional Nephrology Experience

University of Louisville is one of the  only four accredited programs across the country that offers an oppurtunity for interested fellows to gain an experience in Interventional Nephrology.

This  includes diagnostic renal ultrasonography, ultrasound guided native & transplant renal biopsies, sonographic and radiological investigation of vascular access dysfunction including shuntograms, fistulograms and access stenting , non tunnelled  & cuffed tunnelled dialysis catheter placement and removal etc.

The fellows have dedicated time in the interventional suite both in their first and second years under the supervison of 2 trained, ASDIN certified ,faculty members and their staff.

To Find Out More

Eleanor D. Lederer, M.D., FASN, is the Nephrology Fellowship Program Director.

Any further inquiries can be sent to:

Cynthia Brown - Program Coordinator

University of Louisville Kidney Disease Program

615 South Preston Street

Louisville, KY 40202-1718

Tel: 502-852-7350 -- Fax: 502-852-7643

Email: cabrow03@louisville.edu

Thank you again for your interest in our program and we look forward to receiving your application via ERAS.