Department of Medicine

Nephrology Fellowship Training Sites

Master
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Overview of the Clinical Training Sites

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We offer a comprehensive clinical training environment and our trainees are involved in all aspects of kidney disease. Our graduates highlight the diversity of patients and healthcare systems along with dedicated teaching faculty as the main strengths of our training program. From glomerular diseases to complex acid-base and electrolyte disturbances to pregnancy-related kidney disease to critical care nephrology, our fellows truly see it all!

This is an approximation, as the exact number of weeks may vary yearly for each fellow.

PGY 5 Rotations in Weeks

  • Ben Taub: 15 (inpatient rotations)
  • Baylor St. Luke’s: 10 (inpatient rotations)
  • Houston Methodist: 5 (inpatient rotations)
  • VA Medical Center: 10 (inpatient rotations)
  • Ben Taub Histopathology and Glomerular Diseases: 2 weeks
  • Baylor St. Luke’s Plasmapheresis: 2 weeks
  • Elective: 2
  • Night Float: 2
  • Vacation, Conference and Educational Leave: 4

PGY 6 Rotations in Weeks

This is an approximation, as the exact number of weeks may vary yearly for each fellow based on preference- some prefer more nights, others prefer more inpatient rotations.

  • Ben Taub: 2 (inpatient rotations)
  • Baylor St. Luke’s: 2 (inpatient rotations)
  • Houston Methodist: 4 (inpatient rotations)
  • VA Medical Center: 11 (inpatient rotations)
  • Outpatient Rotations: 8 
  • Night Float: 6
  • Elective: 14
  • Vacation, Conference and Educational Leave: 5
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Outpatient Rotations

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We believe that a robust outpatient experience is critical to educating the future nephrologist. The table below highlights the various clinics that our fellows rotate through during the fellowship.

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Outpatient Clinic

Location(s)

General NephrologyMichael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
Harris Health Smith Clinic
Kidney Transplantation
(Pre- and Post-)
Houston Methodist Hospital
Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center
Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
Pediatric NephrologyTexas Children’s Hospital
Home DialysisDavita Home at the Museum
In-Center HemodialysisHarris Health Riverside Dialysis Clinic
U.S. Renal Baylor Scott Street Dialysis Unit
GlomerulonephritisHarris Health Smith Clinic
Elective Kidney BiopsyHarris Health Ben Taub Outpatient Center
Vascular AccessOrbis Vascular
Medical Directorship
Clinical Quality Meeting
U.S. Renal Baylor Scott Street Dialysis Unit
Davita Home at the Museum
Riverside Dialysis Clinic
Kidney PathologyMcGovern School, University of Texas
Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center

Each fellow will have 12 months of monthly continuity clinic at the above in-center and home dialysis clinics. This will involve longitudinal care with the same patients and faculty mentor.

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Inpatient Rotations

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The variety in hospital systems is a major strength of our program. Our program is like a podocyte, interdigitating with all pavilions in the Texas Medical Center! Each four-week block exposes the trainee to the diversity of patients that reside in or travel to Houston, Texas. Kidney transplantation is a major strength of the program. Our fellows directly participate in the care of around 150 new kidney transplants each year at three different transplant centers: Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center (BSLMC), Houston Methodist Hospital, and Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center.

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Hospital

Rotation

Michael E DeBakey VA Medical CenterGeneral Nephrology
Critical Care
Nephrology
Harris Health Ben Taub HospitalGeneral
Nephrology/Dialysis
Baylor St Luke’s Medical CenterGeneral
Nephrology
Houston Methodist HospitalTransplant/General
Nephrology
Texas Children’s Hospital Pavilion for WomenObstetric Nephrology
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Night Float

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We are committed to the well-being of our fellows; therefore, based on internal feedback, our fellowship program switched to a night float system as of the 2020-2021 academic year to replace traditional weeknight at-home call. The night float system also reduced on-call time on weekends. This system has effectively reduced fellow fatigue, improved fellows’ well-being/quality of life, and ensures patient safety.

Starting 2023, the night float rotation will be done primarily by second-year fellows. We designate one fellow to take overnight calls for all pavilions from Sunday through Friday nights, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. This fellow has no daytime responsibilities. The fellow typically manages consults that require urgent evaluation. The night float rotation is home call, and we have a dedicated call room at Baylor McNair Campus if needed.

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Elective Rotations

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Our fellowship program added blocks of elective rotations into fellow schedules as of the 2023-2024 academic year. Below is the list of electives fellows get to choose:

  • Ben Taub Histopathology and Glomerular Diseases
  • Riverside PD and Interventional Nephrology
  • Riverside HD and Interventional Nephrology
  • Riverside Hemodialysis with Medical Directorship Course
  • Riverside Nutrition Management
  • McNair Outpatient Nephrology
  • Baylor Medicine Home Dialysis
  • Baylor St. Luke’s Hepatorenal+Transplant
  • Baylor St. Luke’s Histopathology
  • Baylor St. Luke’s Plasmapheresis
  • VA Transplant
  • VA Intensive Care + Procedures
  • VA Outpatient Nephrology
  • VA Inpatient Transplant and Interventional Nephrology
  • VA Interventional Radiology/Nephrology
  • VA Research