Enhancing Nephrology Career Interest through the ASN Kidney TREKS Program

Abstract

The Kidney Tutored Research and Education for Kidney Students (TREKS) Program is a product of the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Workforce Committee that seeks to connect medical and graduate students to nephrology. This program starts with a weeklong camp-like course introducing participants to renal physiology through classic and modern experiments. Next, each student is matched with a nephrology mentor at his or her home institution to foster a better understanding of a nephrology career. Lastly, the students are encouraged to participate in scholarly activities and attend the ASN Kidney Week. Now in its third year, with a total of 84 participants, survey data suggest early success of the program, with a selfreported 40% increased interest in nephrology fellowship and/or research careers. In addition, students give high ratings to the course components and mentorship pairings. Continued student tracking will be necessary to determine the long-term program effect.

Perspectives on the Nephrology Match for Fellowship Applicants

“…The ASN sponsors the Kidney Students and Residents program and provides funding for up to 200 medical students, residents, or hospitalists to attend Kidney Week, where they are mentored by the TPDs and provided with several trainee-oriented sessions. The innovative ASN Kidney Tutored Research and Education for Kidney Scholars program was established by the ASN to increase interest in nephrology and research through a week-long research retreat and long-term mentorship (7).…”

Increasing Medical Student Interest in Nephrology

“…Another option is ASN's Tutored Research and Education for Kidney Students Program, which pairs an intensive renal physiology experience with longitudinal mentoring [21].…”

Point‐of‐care ultrasound education to improve care of dialysis patients

“…Studies have shown that the top reasons for residents not choosing nephrology are the belief that patients with end‐stage renal disease were too complicated, the lack of a mentor, and that there are insufficient procedures in nephrology . Recent innovations in nephrology curricula have focused on altering the inpatient experience, and providing additional training in physiology . Adding novel procedural and diagnostic aspects to a curriculum, including POCUS, may increase both the flexibility in skills for fellow trainees, and also combat the perceptions of what nephrology has to offer in a career.…”

“…56 Recent innovations in nephrology curricula have focused on altering the inpatient experience, 57,58 and providing additional training in physiology. 59 Adding novel procedural and diagnostic aspects to a curriculum, including POCUS, may increase both the flexibility in skills for fellow trainees, and also combat the perceptions of what nephrology has to offer in a career. These experiences could be elective or required elements, as programs need to continue to demonstrate competency in the core aspects of nephrology.…”