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Renal Structure and Function Curriculum

Renal Structure and Function Curriculum

In the Renal Structure and Function Curriculum, fellows will acquire expertise in understanding normal renal biology including renal anatomy and histology, renal physiology, fluid and electrolyte regulation, acid-base balance, mineral metabolism, blood pressure regulation, renal drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics, drug effects on renal function, renal function in pregnancy, renal functional changes with aging, and basic immunologic principles.

Training Methods

  • Handouts
    • Fellows are given several books for their personal use. The books include: Clinical Nephrology (Johnson and Feehally), Urinalysis (Sister Martine Graf), Handbook of Dialysis (Daugirdas and Ing), Handbook of Renal Transplantation (Danovitch), The AST Handbook of Transplant Infections (Kumar and Humar), and How the Immune System Works (Sompayrac). Fellows are also given access to UpToDate. While many of these sources primarily deal with renal disorders, they provide fundamental information on normal renal biology as well.
  • Didactic sessions
    • While normal renal biology is discussed during more informal sessions (attending rounds, renal clinics) it is recognized that a structured approach is necessary to guarantee coverage of the basics of normal renal biology. To accomplish this, a didactic conference is held each Wednesday from 3:00 -4:00 PM. During the session, a faculty member facilitates discussion of the assigned material.
  • Conferences
    • A renal pathology conference is held each Friday from 12:30-1:30 PM. Diseased kidneys are compared to normal kidneys throughout this conference. Fellows use a multiheaded microscope is for simultaneous viewing.