
Nephrology Fellowship
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, in collaboration with Emory University School of Medicine, offers a three-year fellowship in pediatric nephrology to qualified physicians.
Our goal is to train academically oriented pediatric nephrologists who will be involved in a lifetime of excellence in patient care, teaching and research. Upon successful completion of the Pediatric Nephrology Fellowship Program, fellows will:
- Be experts in the pathophysiology of pediatric kidney disorders.
- Be skilled in the clinical diagnosis and management of kidney disorders.
- Have developed a foundation for the scholarly advancement of nephrology.
As one of the largest pediatric clinical care providers in the country, Children’s has the expertise and clinical capacity to treat children with kidney disease from metro Atlanta and much of Georgia—a clinical catchment area with a population of more than 10 million. This is one of the country’s largest catchments for a single hospital system. Our dedicated team of 12 pediatric nephrologists is experienced in the medical management of children with all types of kidney diseases, from the most common to those rarely seen outside top pediatric hospitals.
Comprehensive program
With specially designed facilities, innovative equipment, educational programs and family support services, the Children’s nephrology team offers comprehensive care to patients and families. Our multidisciplinary approach integrates the efforts of many dedicated pediatric professionals, including:
- Physicians
- Nurse practitioners
- Nurses
- Pharmacists
- Nutritionists
- Social workers
- Child life specialists
- Psychologists
- Hospital teachers
- Chaplains
- Case coordinators
Facility features
Our modern facilities offer advanced equipment and:
- Pre- and post-transplant outpatient services in one centralized location
- An 18-bed inpatient unit for general nephrology and transplant patients
- Convenient access to Emory University School of Medicine (located across the street)
Population served
- Nearly 4,500 outpatient visits a year
- Average of 45 chronic dialysis patients
- Average of 28 pediatric kidney transplants performed a year
- More than 200 pediatric transplant recipients actively followed
Research
At Children’s, we are devoted to developing new and better preventive programs, diagnostics and treatments through clinical and lab research. In partnership with the Emory University Department of Pediatrics, a research department with the third highest funding in the country from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), we have a rich, diverse and fast-growing research environment and take pride in tailoring research experiences to the interests of our fellows. Our areas of interest include:
- Acute kidney injury
- Adolescent nonadherence and transition to adult care
- Behavioral consequences of solid organ transplant
- Cystinosis
- Effects of chronic kidney disease in children
- Hypertension
- Immunosuppressive strategies
- Nephrotic syndrome and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis
- New medications to prevent transplant rejection
- Noninvasive biomarkers to monitor kidney transplant recipients
Additionally, we are uniquely positioned to advance research nationally by leveraging the vast capabilities in Atlanta, including:
- Emory University School of Medicine
- Emory University Rollins School of Public Health
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
First-year fellows spend most of the year dedicated to clinical activities. Second- and third-year fellows primarily spend their time in research, with a total of 16 months of clinical emphasis and 20 months of research emphasis.
Our fellowship program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). There is funding for two new fellows each year (six positions total) to be fully supported through the entire three-year program.
First-year fellows
Clinical training (10 months)
Fellows will:
- Manage patients with a wide variety of kidney disorders in outpatient and inpatient settings.
- Learn skills like renal biopsy, renal ultrasound, and ordering and troubleshooting dialysis.
- Manage all acute dialysis modalities and a high volume of continuous renal replacement therapy.
- Manage all perioperative phases of pediatric renal transplant recipients.
Six weeks entail full-time assignment to our pediatric dialysis unit, where fellows have in-depth training in principles, literature and application of dialysis, as well as the opportunity for hands-on familiarity with hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis equipment and techniques.
Introduction to research (two months)
- Two months of the first year are dedicated to research orientation with an initial opportunity for project selection.
- Fellows also participate in department-wide courses in research fundamentals, teaching to teach, medical ethics and quality improvement methodologies, providing unique learning experiences as well as opportunities to interact with and learn from co-fellows (more than 30 years) across all pediatric subspecialties.
Second-year fellows
Research
- Fellows participate in consecutive research months in which they finalize the selection of research projects and mentors and initiate selected projects.
Clinical assignments (two months)
One month is a mixture of important experiences, including a course with Charles O’Neill, MD, a Nephrologist and Professor in the Emory University Division of Nephrology, learning about ultrasound for the nephrologist. This course is unique in the country and one that numerous practicing nephrologists have taken with excellent reviews.
Additional experiences include teaching sessions with the Emory Histocompatibility Laboratory (HLA), observation of pediatric renal transplant surgeries, interactions with our pediatric renal pathologists and clinical experiences with our pediatric urology colleagues.
Third-year fellows
Fellows will:
- Complete a research project, abstract(s) and manuscript(s).
- Complete a quality improvement project.
- Have advanced clinical responsibilities in the inpatient wards for two months.
Continuity clinics
During the entire three-year training period, fellows attend assigned continuity outpatient clinics one half-day per week under the supervision of the Program Director, providing care for their own cohorts of nephrology patients.
On-Call
Fellows on-call weekends are on average every fourth weekend and weeknight call no more often than every fourth weeknight throughout the three-year training period. Night call is always taken from home. An attending pediatric nephrologist is always on backup call with the fellow.
Vacation
Fellows have three weeks of vacation each year that may be taken at any time during research or outpatient rotation months with approval from the program director.
Advocacy
Each fellow is given the opportunity to attend Camp Independence—one of the oldest and largest camps in the country for children with kidney failure. Camp Independence takes place one week each summer at Camp Twin Lakes, a venue developed specifically to provide life-changing programs to Georgia’s children with serious illnesses, disabilities and other challenges. In addition, each year, interested second- or third-year fellows have the opportunity to accompany one of our faculty members to the nation’s Capitol to meet legislators during the annual American Society of Pediatric Nephrology Hill Day.
Teaching is enhanced by a highly organized curriculum comprising a variety of conferences and seminars that are offered throughout the year.
Daily conferences
- Multidisciplinary Inpatient Care Rounds
Weekly conferences
- Practical Nephropathology Course for Nephrology Fellows (first-year fellows)
- Emory Adult Nephrology Grand Rounds
- Pediatric Departmental Grand Rounds
- Emory Transplant Conference
Monthly conferences
- Pediatric Nephrology Renal Pathology Conference
- Pediatric Nephrology Journal Club
- Pediatric Nephrology Invitee Conference
- Pediatric Nephrology Orientation and Core Curriculum Course
- Multidisciplinary Pediatric Renal Transplant Patient Care Conference
- Multidisciplinary Patient Care Dialysis Conference
- Combined Urology and Nephrology Conference
Quarterly conferences
- Research in Progress Seminar
- Combined Rheumatology and Nephrology Journal Club
Biannual conferences
- Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Workshop
National conferences
- We have a strong tradition of supporting fellow attendance at a variety of national subspecialty conferences conducive to their learning and career goals throughout the three years of training.
In order to be considered, applicants must have completed a three-year pediatric residency, accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), by the beginning of the Pediatric Nephrology Fellowship Program.
A completed application file includes:
- Completed application form
- Current curriculum vitae
- Personal statement, including:
- Description of previous research and clinical experience
- Reason for interest in a fellowship
- Indication of career goals
- Three letters of reference (one should be from the residency training program director)
- United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Steps 1, 2 and 3 Score Reports
- Official medical school transcript
- Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) report, if applicable
- Recent photograph (optional)
Interviews are required. Application selection is done through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).
For questions, contact:
Roshan P George, MD, Program Director, Pediatric Nephrology roshan.punnoose.george@emory.edu or MaryJane Polizzotto, Nephrology Program Coordinator mkell10@emory.edu.
The Children’s Nephrology Program boasts one of the country’s largest and most diverse faculties by virtue of age, experience, gender and ethnicity. Building on exceptional camaraderie, each faculty member is unified in supporting fellows professionally and personally.
Our leadership
Larry Greenbaum, MD, PhD, Chief of Pediatric Nephrology at Children’s, is a highly respected clinician who balances an incredible portfolio of clinical research studies while also actively supporting his faculty and fellows. He is a national academic leader who brings a special passion and energy to his patients and co-workers.
Barry Warshaw, MD, Former Program Director of the Pediatric Nephrology Fellowship Program, is a distinguished physician who founded our division and has helped lead the Children’s nephrology and kidney transplant programs for more than 40 years. He is Vice Chair for Education for the Emory University Department of Pediatrics and serves as the primary mentor for our weekly fellow continuity clinic.
Roshan George, MD, Program Director of the Pediatric Nephrology Fellowship Program, is a 2013 graduate of our program. A multitalented individual, she has special interest in the education of fellows and residents. Her areas of major professional focus include pediatric renal transplantation, transplant immunology, transition of care, chronic kidney disease, quality improvement and faculty development.
Current fellows
- Mary Borst, MD
- Divya Reddy, MD
- Paola Zayas Borges, MD
- Emilia Cadiz, DO
- Ammad Malik, DO (began July 2022)
- Rajavee Panchal, MD (began July 2022)