Pediatric Nephrology Elective

Course Overview

The goals of this elective are to:

• Better understand the diagnosis and management of acute and chronic kidney disease, hypertension, and fluid/electrolyte problems in children
• Be exposed to children with kidney transplants, those on hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, and those with acute kidney injury
• Become familiar with renal diagnostic tests including urinalysis, renal electrolyte handling, kidney ultrasound, kidney biopsy, and measurement/estimation of glomerular filtration rate

Learn about the Division of Pediatric Nephrology.

Learning Objectives

• Identify patients for whom consultation with a pediatric nephrologist is indicated
• Attempt to focus on specific aspects of diagnosis and management
• Become familiar with basic aspects of fluid and electrolyte disturbances, as they relate to renal and nonrenal patients
• Develop familiarity in analyzing urine under the microscope
• Become familiar with normality in growing children as it pertains to blood pressure, protein excretion, and growth and development
• Become familiar with the most common types of referrals to a pediatric nephrology practice, including the diagnosis of persistent microscopic hematuria and proteinuria
• Develop a familiarity in reviewing renal ultrasounds
• Become familiar with end-stage renal patients, particularly those who have been transplanted or are on peritoneal/hemodialysis
• Become acquainted with non-dialytic modes of supporting renal insufficient children during growth
• Better understand the relevance of adequate renal function in the process of growth and development in children

Schedule of Activities

• Students are assigned to SMH under the direction of the faculty member and/or fellow on service from approximately 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
• The student will participate in rounding on inpatients, compiling a summary of the results in the past 24 hours with recommendations for subsequent diagnosis and management in consultation with the faculty member.
• One or two mornings per week, the student will participate in the outpatient clinic: seeing patients, making his/her own formulations prior to reviewing, and seeing the patient with an attending nephrologist. During the outpatient clinic, the student will have an opportunity to review the urinalysis on each patient that he/she has seen with the help of the faculty member.

Didactic Activities

The students are expected to attend major divisional educational conferences, including weekly clinical conferences and journal clubs as well as monthly scheduled conferences when they occur, including Pediatric Renal/GU, research, and pathology conferences.

Student Evaluations

Students will receive a satisfactory evaluation if they keep a log noting that they have seen each of the inpatients and at least three outpatients per week and that they have indicated that they have learned about each of the specific objectives listed above, and, finally, that they have read at least 10 articles from the syllabus provided by the division.