Nephrology Fellowship

Overview

Dear Fellowship Applicants, 

Welcome to the George Washington University nephrology fellowship program! The GW nephrology fellowship prides itself on outstanding clinical training since its inception in 1970. Located in the heart of the Nation’s Capital, our program offers diverse training opportunities at the George Washington University Hospital, Washington DC VA Medical Center, and Inova Fairfax Hospital. 

GW nephrology has the largest peritoneal dialysis program in Washington DC, a growing home hemodialysis program, and a wide variety of subspecialty training opportunities. Our fellows have the opportunity to work with faculty who are recognized experts in glomerular diseases, hypertension, transplantation, onconephrology, therapeutic apheresis, and point-of-care ultrasonography. We serve as the tertiary care referral center for the management of complex acute kidney injury, resistant hypertension and glomerular disease. The division has pioneered precision kidney medicine through innovative collaboration. Fellows also enjoy broad exposure to transplant nephrology with the opportunity to train at two regional transplant medical centers at both the George Washington University Hospital and Inova Fairfax Hospital.

Our fellowship program provides a foundation for trainees to use evidence based care for patients with common as well as rare kidney disorders. We are committed as a group to scholarly excellence in patient care, education, and research in a collegial learning environment. Fellows have ample opportunities to further develop their teaching abilities, procedural competence, leadership qualities and to foster educational skills. The program centers upon the fundamental tenet that "research improves the mind that teaches; teaching improves patient care; quality care provides opportunities for research”.

Training at a tertiary care center, GW fellows encounter a diverse patient population. Clinical competence develops through a structured system of bedside learning and from formal learning sessions. The nephrology fellowship encompasses two years of comprehensive training. By the completion of the first year, trainees will learn to evaluate patients with kidney disease and will learn the fundamentals of renal replacement therapies, including continuous renal replacement therapies and plasmapheresis. By the completion of the second year, trainees will learn to independently evaluate and manage patients with kidney disease, complex glomerular diseases, onconephrology and complicated hypertension. Fellows will also learn to critically evaluate the scientific literature and learn the fundamentals of research.

Trainees participate in our program to learn, not to provide service. Education and trainee wellness are the top priorities of this fellowship program. We have developed a highly innovative didactic curriculum to supplement clinical learning, including weekly case-based presentations, board review sessions, knowledge bowls, journal clubs, core curriculum sessions, patient safety, and pathology conferences. All of our conferences can be accessed on a virtual platform. Our fellows also receive online access to all major medical journals and clinical nephrology textbooks.

Our fellows come from all parts of the United States and around the world and are a very cohesive group. The fellowship has built in flexibility, and fellows can be mentored toward clinical or academic research careers. We continue to support our fellows even after graduation and have a vast GW fellow alumni network. Our fellowship graduates have gone on to successful careers in private practice or academia, becoming division directors and fellowship program directors in prestigious institutions. Two of our recent nephrology fellowship graduates completed transplant nephrology fellowships.

Driven by the popularity of the teaching on the consult and transplant services, all GW internal medicine residents have a nephrology rotation built into their training experience. The success of our educational mission was most evident when our program won the 2019 Nephmadness educational contest sponsored by the American Journal of Kidney Disease, the journal representing the National Kidney Foundation.

Thank you very much for your interest in the GW nephrology fellowship program. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.

All the best,
Scott D. Cohen MD, MPH, FASN
Fellowship Program Director,
GW Nephrology
Associate Professor of Medicine
George Washington University
imfellowships@gwu.edu