Specialty: Nephrology

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MD2B Connect Physician ID # 235

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Where will this rotation take place: This outpatient and inpatient US clinical experience will take place in Chicago, Illinois (approximately 40 miles north of downtown Chicago). ​The inpatient component will take place in dialysis centers, and one or two hospitals. 

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Hours: Monday - Friday 8 AM to 5:30 PM (please note that the doctor is on call one weekend out of every five weeks. Rotators are not required to take call with the attending but if you are interested in participating, please let the preceptor know). Because of the multiple locations, it will be necessary to have your own transportation. 

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Hours have been provided by the preceptor. Hours are subject to change at the preceptor’s discretion, but the minimum total hours will remain approximately the same.

 

What you will do: You will be under the supervision of a physician who is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Nephrology. The physician is on staff at Advocate Health Care and Northwestern Medicine, two of the largest health systems in Illinois. He is also a faculty member at a medical school in Chicago where he works primarily with first- and second-year medical students in case-based learning. He is also involved in the school's diversity and inclusion course. 

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During this rotation, you will learn how to diagnose and manage patients with kidney disease presenting to a nephrologist in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Your time will be split between three settings - the hospital, dialysis center, and outpatient clinic. Hospital rounds will primarily take place in the morning followed by dialysis rounds or clinic. There will be 3-4 clinics per week, a combination of chronic kidney disease clinics and peritoneal dialysis clinics. To make the most of the learning opportunities offered in this rotation, we recommend reading the following resources:

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Management of Chronic Kidney Disease

Management of Acute Kidney Injury: Core Curriculum 2018

Renal Association Clinical Practice Guideline on Peritoneal Dialysis in Adults and Children

Managing Hospitalized Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: Ten Practical Points for Non-Nephrologists
 

The patient population served by this physician at the clinic and in the hospital is largely underserved. The community has a sizable immigrant population and delays in care often lead to advanced presentations of disease. Students rotating at this site will be exposed to patients with multiple comorbidities and social complexities and will therefore learn how a nephrologist can utilize the available resources to help such patients overcome barriers to quality care. 

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After a few days of observation, you will take on an increasing role in patient encounters and learn the following under the preceptor’s supervision:​

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• Taking patient histories.

• Performing physical exams under the physician's supervision.

• Presenting patients.

• Researching the literature to answer clinical questions at the point of care.

• Spending time with other healthcare professionals in the office to understand their roles and responsibilities.

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The activities above will mostly take place in the outpatient setting. As a result of hospital policies, inpatient activities will be more observational.​

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​Who should consider this rotation: International medical graduates (IMGs) and students seeking US clinical experience. IMGs seeking careers in family medicine or internal medicine will find this rotation useful.

 

​How to obtain a letter of recommendation: The rotator should ask the preceptor for a LOR near the conclusion of the rotation. Dr. Desai has provided the physician with guidelines about best practices in letter writing that meet residency program requirements. In some cases, the preceptor may ask the rotator to write a letter of recommendation draft. 

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​During the rotation: Our team will be checking in periodically with you to ensure that you are having an optimal experience. We encourage you to contact us if you have any questions during the rotation.

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See Where Our Students Applying to Internal Medicine Have Received Interviews or Matched

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Read Dr. Desai's Interview with Dr. Roy Ziegelstein (Vice Dean for Education at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Former Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center) about How to Match Successfully in Internal Medicine