Nephrology Fellowship

Program Information

Vassar Brothers Medical Center (VBMC) is a 350-bed facility that has served New York’s Mid-Hudson Valley since 1887. VBMC includes 294 private patient rooms, 13 surgical suites and a 66-room emergency and trauma center. As part of the larger health system of Nuvance Health, a network of seven hospitals and numerous outpatient facilities throughout the Hudson Valley and across western Connecticut, our patients benefit from the various services and multispecialty groups across the health system. VBMC was also rated as a high performing hospital in the treatment of Kidney Failure by US News and World Report. VBMC has been recognized in its expertise for a variety of services including cardiac services, cancer care and women and children’s health services. In addition, the hospital contains the area’s first and only cardiothoracic surgery program between Westchester and Albany and the only Level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in the region for premature and critically ill infants. VBMC prides itself on providing innovative procedures and services including robotic orthopedic surgery, liver and pancreatic surgery, interventional neuroradiology, surgical oncology and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Advanced Kidney Care of Hudson Valley’s team of physicians provides care in the area’s hospitals including at VBMC. Advanced Kidney Care of Hudson Valley specializes in Dialysis Access Procedures, Peritoneal Dialysis, Hemodialysis, End-Stage Renal Disease, and Chronic Kidney Disease among others. As the primary clinical training site for the Nephrology Fellowship Program, VBMC will provide fellows with high quality clinical training experiences as well as access to exceptional education, scholarship, and GME spaces throughout the hospital. Most program rotations will occur at this site including Consults, Nephrology Office, Peritoneal Dialysis, Home Hemodialysis, Electives, and Research. Under the careful supervision of board-certified and licensed physicians, rotations and educational activities will be properly staffed and managed in compliance with the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requirements. The Program Director and clinical faculty will provide supervision of the Nephrology Fellowship Program. The Site Director and Program Director, Payam Shakouri, MD is board certified in Internal Medicine and Nephrology by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM).

Academic Offerings

Core Curriculum Conference Series

The Core Curriculum Series for Nephrology is a weekly meeting (during the academic half day) occurring for 1 year that covers nephrology topics including renal pathophysiology, hypertension and fluid balance, pharmacotherapies for treating hypertension and their role in the renal system, renal infection, acute kidney injury, electrolyte abnormalities, abnormal urinalysis and interpretation, and procedures including catheters. This curriculum will repeat on an annual basis and will be presented by faculty as well as guest lecturers.
Case Conferences
Fellows will attend Case Conferences as part of the program’s conference series on a weekly basis (during the academic half day). This didactic experience involves presentation of challenging patient cases by rotating fellows, with guidance of the faculty. Fellows additionally will perform literature reviews relating to the patient cases. Discussions will then follow by the fellows and faculty regarding challenges, diagnoses, and applications to improving patient care by the group.

Quality Improvement/Morbidity and Mortality

Fellows and faculty in the Nephrology Program will participate in Morbidity and Mortality (M&M) and/or Quality Improvement Conferences (QPI) as part of the conference series during the academic half day. The Morbidity and Mortality Conference will be a discussion regarding actual patient cases that had adverse or unexpected patient outcomes. Discussions will be held regarding the analysis of the case as well as impacts the system had on the patient case. QPI Conferences will involve reviewing of data and patient care outcomes to discuss improvement of particular patient care processes to lead to higher quality patient care.

Board Review

Fellows will take part in a Board Review conference preparing them to take the Board-Certification examination through the ABIM. Faculty will help guide fellows through this review and assist in identification of weak areas. This will additionally occur during the academic half-day.

Journal Club

Journal Club will occur as part of the Nephrology conference series during the academic half-day and will involve rotating fellow presenters. Fellows will choose an article based on recent clinical experiences or advances in evidence-based research. The fellow will guide the discussion regarding the article involving fellows and faculty, involving focus on the statistical design, methodology, and soundness of the presented study/information.

Fellow Teaching Presentations

The fellows in the Nephrology Fellowship Program will provide education and instruction to the residents in the Sponsoring Internal Medicine Program during the academic half-day. These Nephrology focused education sessions will be an opportunity for the Nephrology fellows, on a rotating basis, to assist with the improvement of resident knowledge specific to the area of Nephrology. All materials are reviewed by faculty before presentation.

Grand Rounds

Fellows in the Nephrology Fellowship Program will participate in monthly Grand Rounds conferences with the Internal Medicine residents. During this conference, fellows will participate in group discussions regarding specific patient cases. These faculty guided discussions will lead to improved clinical reasoning skills and the sharing of knowledge amo

Research Presentation

Fellows in the Nephrology Fellowship Program will participate in the Nuvance Belsky Research Day. This day is an opportunity for both residents and fellows to present their research projects to peers and faculty from a variety of disciplines and receive constructive critique and feedback, aiding the fellows in the creation of habits that will lead to the pursuit of lifelong learning and improvement.

Simulation

Fellows will participate in simulations with the other Internal Medicine fellows at Nuvance Health. These simulations will be guided by the Director of Simulation for Nuvance Health and will seek to ensure all fellows are prepared for independent practice and maintain a dedication to lifelong learning.

How to Apply

 

The Nuvance Health Nephrology Fellowship Program at Vassar Brothers Medical Center (ACGME 1483514002 ) thanks you for your interest in applying to our program. We accept all applications through ERAS only and participate annually in the NRMP Match Program. We hope you choose to join us.

Requirements: The following items are required for consideration of interview. All items must be received through ERAS application portal:

  • Personal Statement
  • Current CV
  • 3 Letters of Recommendation
  • USMLE Step 1 CK or COMLEX Level 1 Score
  • USMLE Step 2 CS or COMLEX Level 2 PE Score (we understand that due to COVID-19 and USMLE changes some people may not have been able to take CS or PE)
  • USMLE Step 2 CK or COMLEX Level 2 CE Score
  • Program Director’s Letter

Timeline: We will interview candidates during select dates in August, September, and October. Exact dates will be provided to the invited fellowship applicants via email notification.

After reviewing applications in ERAS, we will send out invites via e-mail with available dates for interviewing. All interviews will be done virtually for the 2022 interview season.

Contact

Meredith Meyer, Fellowship Program Manager
Meredith.Meyer@NuvanceHealth.org
Vassar Brothers Medical Center, 45 Reade Place Poughkeepsie NY 12601
Phone: 845-483-6013