Clinical Breadth and Quaternary Care
As the state’s only nephrology fellowship program, we serve as a major quaternary referral center. This provides our fellows with unparalleled exposure to a highly diverse patient population and the management of rare, complex kidney diseases referred from across the region.
Transplant Excellence
Gain extensive, high-volume exposure to transplant nephrology at an institution performing more than 250 kidney transplants annually. In addition, the center performs 30 pancreas transplants and 150 liver transplants per year. We are also one of the few centers in the country that perform intestinal transplants. A dedicated transplant fellowship track is available for interested candidates.
Home Dialysis Leadership
Our robust home dialysis program is a core strength, encompassing both Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) and Home Hemodialysis (HHD). We manage more than 150 home dialysis patients, and our program is unique in its integration of Urgent Start PD and a Transitional Care Unit (TCU). We provide comprehensive training for those seeking advanced longitudinal experience in home-based kidney replacement modalities, with a dedicated fellowship track available for interested candidates.
Intersession Educational Immersion
Fellows benefit from four weeks of protected, non-clinical time annually, with two weeks in December and two in April. During these blocks, fellows are off-service and exempt from call, providing essential time for intensive educational immersion in kidney replacement therapies, dialysis facility water treatment, home dialysis, and medical director responsibilities, as well as dedicated time for professional development and rest.
Research and Quality Improvement
Our program fosters a strong culture of academic inquiry. Fellows receive dedicated mentorship and institutional support for clinical research, as well as opportunities to lead high-impact quality improvement (QI) initiatives that directly enhance patient care and system efficiency.
Plasmapheresis
Fellows gain hands-on experience managing Plasmapheresis services at Eskenazi Health, in addition to comprehensive, high-acuity training in hemodialysis and continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT).
POCUS Training
We offer integrated Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) training, featuring faculty-led lectures and hands-on guidance during bedside rounds. Fellows have access to Sonosite devices throughout our hospital sites. Additionally, the IU School of Medicine provides Butterfly devices for fellows to check out and utilize during their training to enhance their clinical assessment skills.
Critical Care Exposure
Our fellows gain experience in a high-acuity ICU environment, managing complex cases including patients supported by Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) and Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVAD), as well as multi-organ transplant recipients.
Onco-Nephrology
Fellows gain broad clinical exposure to complex onco-nephrology cases due to our close proximity to the IU Health Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in Indiana.
Interventional Nephrology
We provide diverse opportunities for procedural training, including hands-on kidney biopsies and specialized interventional nephrology rotations.
Pathology Education
Our fellows benefit from access to onsite kidney pathology expertise, with integrated biweekly educational sessions to ensure a deep understanding of kidney histology and its clinical correlation.
Fellow Perks and Benefits
-
Employment and Wellness: In addition to a competitive salary that is evaluated annually to ensure national standing, IU School of Medicine Graduate Medical Education (GME) offers excellent health and wellness benefits with no monthly premiums charged to fellows or their families. This allows for a comfortable lifestyle in Indianapolis, a city with an affordable cost of living.
-
Parking: Free parking is provided for all fellows.
-
Meals: Benefits include Gold Card access for meals at IU Health hospitals and a 40% discount on meals at Eskenazi Health.
-
Educational Support: The program provides dedicated time off for conferences such as ASN and NKF, with an annual stipend of $1,500. Additionally, the program covers the cost of the Board Review Course and Update (BRCU) online course for second-year fellows.
Specialized Clinical Rotations
Fellows have access to a wide array of sub-specialty clinics during elective blocks and throughout their second year of training:
- Stone Clinic
- Home Dialysis Clinic
- Hypertension Clinic
- Glomerular Disease Clinic (Launching 2027)
- Transplant Clinics (Pre-transplant evaluation and donor clinics)
- Women’s Health Clinic
- Cardio-kidney Clinic
- Polycystic Kidney Disease Clinic