Abstracto

Why pursue a fellowship in nephrology?

Kenneth A Fisher

A significant portion of today’s nephrologist activities is hospital consultation, being asked to see patients with newly acquired decrements in renal function (acute renal injury) or patients with hematuria or proteinuria, acid base disorders, electrolyte abnormalities, and difficult volume and blood pressure issues. Nephrologists also care for their own group of patients. The increasing number of obese individuals with type II diabetes and advancing renal insufficiency require well trained physicians to deal with the underlying disease along with the many aberrations caused by renal insufficiency such as anemia, bone disease and changes in mineral metabolism. There are patients with decreasing renal function from another myriad of causes that require similar attention to changes in physiology that depend on normal renal function. There are patients with end-stage kidney disease requiring dialysis that create challenges beyond that of managing their previous declining renal function.