Mission Statement
The mission of the Pediatric Nephrology Training Program is to produce physicians and investigators of exceptional caliber, who will assume leadership roles in the field of academic Pediatric Nephrology.
Program Aims
Produce physician leaders, advancing the field of pediatric nephrology through investigation, education and/or administration.
Train excellent clinicians who are capable of working in multidisciplinary teams that care for children with kidney disease.
Develop young investigators who are competent in the process of scientific inquiry, from study design to data analysis and knowledge dissemination.
Program Overview
Established in 1989, the Pediatric Nephrology Fellowship program benefits from a strong multidisciplinary clinical program that partners a wealth of expertise from specialized nurses (dialysis, transplant and general nephrology), social workers, dietitians and physicians. As the only freestanding children's hospital within a five-state region, we serve children from a large and geographically diverse area, providing our fellows with a breadth of exposure to clinical nephrology.
Our fellowship program is designed to train academic pediatric nephrologists committed to careers with significant teaching and research activities. Each fellow works with the faculty to design an individualized research program in basic science, clinical research or translational investigation. Members of the division engage in basic or clinical research studies and have considerable experience as research supervisors, in addition fellows may select primary research mentors outside the division. As a robust teaching and research institution, the University of Washington School of Medicine (UWSOM) is home to the Kidney Research Institute (KRI), the highly ranked School of Public Health and many other research centers engaged in innovative investigation.
Diversity Statement
We value providing our patients with culturally sensitive care. We seek applicants that are dedicated to providing this care and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.
The University of Washington has pledged to fight and dismantle systemic racism within our institutions, our policies, and our practice of medicine. We are fortunate to have a number of outstanding resources for these tasks in our community, including the University of Washington Center for Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, the Network of Underrepresented Residents and Fellows, the Seattle Children's Center for Diversity and Health Equity, and Dr. Jason Deen, the Department of Pediatrics Associate Vice Chair for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
Information and Resources for UW/Seattle Children’s Pediatric Nephrology Fellowship Applicants (password protected)
Curriculum
Clinical Year
Fellows typically begin their training with the clinical year. Clinical activities occur under the supervision of division faculty members who serve as inpatient and outpatient attending physicians on a rotating basis. The clinical year experience encompasses all aspects of clinical pediatric nephrology, including all modalities of renal replacement therapy (acute/chronic dialysis and renal transplantation). Inpatient rotations cover the primary nephrology service and the nephrology consult service for the ICUs (PICU/CICU/NICU), wards and emergency department. Outpatient care includes home or in-center chronic dialysis, renal transplant care, percutaneous renal biopsies, telephone consultations from outside providers and a dedicated fellows’ clinic. Fellows complete all rotations on site at Seattle Children’s Hospital, with opportunities to participate in prenatal consults and regional clinics offsite.
Research Years
The research component of the fellowship program is typically two consecutive years. The University of Washington has many cross-disciplinary and collaborative opportunities for research projects within and outside the division. Starting in the first year, fellows work with faculty to identify a research project and research mentors within the desired area of study. Research opportunities and mentors are available in a wide variety of areas, including basic, translational and clinical research. Coursework may be pursued, depending on the research topic, at the University of Washington School of Public Health.
Each fellow has a Scholarship Oversight Committee, composed of faculty mentors within and outside the division. The SOC meets regularly to provide structure and guidance for research and career planning. Fellows will typically present their work at one of the major national meetings, with travel support provided by the fellowship program.
Research Projects of Current Fellows:
Elizabeth Yu, MD (2018-2021)
Research Mentors: Dr. Jodi Smith, Dr. Shina Menon, Dr. Kirk Liesemer
Dr. Yu is interested in improving systems based care of the complex medical child with renal disease. She is currently working on utilizing the North American Pediatric Renal Trials and Collaborative Series (NAPRTCS) dataset to describe the clinical characteristics and survival of infants on hemodialysis compared to their counterparts on peritoneal dialysis. She also is beginning to explore ideas for quality improvement, and would like to improve the vaccination rates of children with late stage chronic kidney disease.
Taylor House, MD (2019-2022)
Research Mentors: Dr. Abby Rosenberg, Dr. Susan Wong, Dr. Aaron Wightman
Dr. House aspires to be a leader at the intersection of pediatric nephrology and palliative care, she is interested in investigating, understanding, and improving the communication that takes place with parents and patients regarding initiation, withholding, and withdrawal of renal replacement therapy.
Reya Mokiao, MD (2019-2022)
Research Mentors: Dr. Jason Deen, Dr. Bessie Young, Amanda Fretts, Dr. Sangeeta Hingorani
Dr. Mokiao is interested in social determinants of health such as food insecurity, housing status and its associations with renal outcomes. She is also interested in indigenous population health including American Indians, Alaskan Natives, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. Her research will explore associations between dietary quality as a proxy for food insecurity and renal outcomes using data from the Strong Heart Study.
Machi Kaneko, MD (2020-2023)
Research Mentors:
Jacob Little, MD (2020-2023)
Research Mentors: Dr. Shina Menon, Dr. Jodi Smith, Dr. Gerry Zimmerman, Dr. Reid Farris
Dr. Little is interested in neonatal and pediatric acute kidney injury, and the overlap between nephrology and critical care medicine. His current research is investigating the association between acute kidney injury and functional outcomes in critically ill patients.
Board certification eligibility upon completion of program, and completion of previous certification eligibility requirements: Sub-board in Pediatric Nephrology
Length of fellowship: 3 years for ABP eligibility
Core Training Sites
Seattle Children's Hospital & Sand Point Clinic
Seattle Children's Hospital is both a community hospital for greater Seattle and the pediatric referral center for the Northwest providing excellent pediatric care to meet the medical, surgical and developmental needs of children in the WWAMI region. Serving as the main clinical training site for pediatric residents, this 420-bed hospital is conveniently located one and one-half miles from the University of Washington campus in an attractive, residential neighborhood of Seattle. The staff consists of University faculty and Seattle Children's full-time physicians.
Other sites include Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Harborview Medical Center, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and the University of Washington Medical Center.
Faculty
Aaron G. Wightman, MD, MA
Co-Director of Education, Treuman Katz Center Associate Fellowship Director, Bioethics Fellowship Quality Director, Clinical Bioethics Associate Professor, Division of Bioethics and Palliative Care, Department of Pediatrics Associate Professor, Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics
Fellows and Alumni
Current Fellows
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Elizabeth Yu, MD (2018-2021) |
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Taylor House, MD (2019-2022) |
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Reya Mokiao, MD (2019-2022) |
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Machi Kaneko, MD (2020-2023) |
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Jacob Little, MD (2020-2023) |
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Chloe Douglas, MD (2021-2024) |
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Caroline Jackson, MD (2021-2024) |
Alumni
Alex Kula, MD. MS (2018-2021)
Position after graduation: Assistant Professor, Northwestern University
Elizabeth Nguyen, MD, PhD (2018-2021)
Position after graduation: Acting Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle Children's Hospital Division of Nephrology
Russ Whelan, MD, PhD (2020-2021)
Position after graduation: Research - ASN/Kidney Cure Grantee; University of Washington Dept. of Bioengineering, Ying Zheng Lab
Jessica Stahl, MD (2017-2020)
Position after graduation: Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina
Abbie Bauer, MD (2016-19)
Position after graduation: Assistant Professor, University of Texas-Southwestern
Eliza Blanchette, MD (2016-19)
Position after graduation: Assistant Professor, University of Colorado
Michelle Starr, MD (2016-19)
Position after graduation: Assistant Professor, Indiana University SOM
Ranita Patel, MD (2015-18)
Position after graduation: Research Fellowship Seattle Children's Division of Nephrology
Kelsey Richardson, MD (2014-17)
Position after graduation: Assistant Professor Pediatrics,Oregon Health & Sciences University, Division of Nephrology
Rachel Engen, MD (2014-17)
Position after graduation: Assistant Professor, Pediatrics Northwestern University Feinberg SOM, Lurie Children’s Hospital, Division of Nephrology
Sonia Krishnan, MD (2013-16)
Position after graduation: Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, The University of Illinois COM
Michael Semanik, MD (2013-16)
Position after graduation: Associate Professor, Pediatrics University of Wisconsin, American Family Children’s Hospital, Division of Nephrology
Ian Macumber, MD (2012-15)
Position after graduation: Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, University of So. Cal. Keck School/ of Medicine/ CHLA
Neil Paloian, MD (2012-15)
Position after graduation: Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin SOM and Public Health / American Family Children’s Hospital
Aaron Wightman, MD, MA (2011-14)
Position after graduation: Associate Professor, Pediatrics University of Wisconsin, American Family Children’s Hospital, Division of Nephrology
Ari Pollack, MD, MS (2011-14)
Position after graduation: Acting Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, University of Washington; Seattle Children's Hospital, Division of Nephrology & Research Institute
Robin Kremsdorf, MD, MS (2010-13)
Position after graduation: Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, Brown University, Providence, RI
Yolanda Ng, MD (2010-13)
Position after graduation: UCSF Sarwal Lab Associate Specialist
How to Apply
Requirements
- Prerequisites/post-medical school requirements: U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident; board-eligibility in pediatrics
- Application forms: All applications must be submitted through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS)
Timeline
- Application deadline: October 6th
- Interview Time Period: Late August — mid October
- Match Participation: Fall Match
- NRMP Match Day: December 16th
- Fellowship start date: July 7th
Interview Process
- All interviews will be conducted online for the 2021 interview season.
