I am glad I asked your expectation. I will be honest. Expect to see 25-30 pts at least daily(can go up to 40/50), much much more on weekend. No one will treat you like a princess, trust me--that I can guarantee. On call frequently(coming at night multiple times to start dialysis). Jackson memorial-you might have to push patients beds there because support staff work minimal, avoid it. Days will be 13-14 hours long at least, weekends can be 36 hours-48 hours non stop . You will learn for sure--you will learn that cardiology/GI-on call is nigth call with post call "off"-Something a nephro fellow will never get. Nephro attendings are notorious for not helping the fellows or believing in post call, they live in an imaginary world, far from reality. you will have no time to study nephro even if you like it. Academicians will sleep at home in peace and spend time with their families whil you are killing yourself. This is truth, rest up to you, goodluck,
I am a nephrology fellow. When i was going through this post, it felt like nephro007 was talking about my program. I think most programs will fit this description.
As someone mentioned earlier , "that resident should apply with responsibility and know what they are getting into". I disagree with this , as many of these details about the fellowship are note revealed till you join.
Broadly speaking , residents see nephrology as hard working specialty with low pay , so it already screens out many applicant.
Rest of us, who are very interested in subject matter and dont mind the hard working part, still go ahead and apply for fellowship . But , then there is more to it, such as once you graduate and go on to private practice, it can become very monotonous and boring. As its mainly about dialysis for AKI or ESRD , and routine AKI consults.
Actually there is widespread perception among nephrology fellows, that nephrology fellows are not treated with respect , due to their busy crazy schedule, and seen as dialysis docs ( if you exclude transplant part) . After all , dialysis is the main and probably only intervention in AKI or progressive CKD ( except GN , which is minority, and you dont see it commonly , even at a big center )