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Department of Medicine

Since 2009: “Rekindling the Passion”

Report to Stakeholders by Maria Ferris, MD, MPH, PhD; John Mahan, MD; and Peter Kotanko, MD, PhD

International Pediatric Kidney Fellows Conference

History

The International Pediatric Nephrology Fellows Conference was the product of discussions between Maria Ferris, MD, MPH, PhD (UNC at Chapel Hill) and Mohsen Reihany (VP of Research and Development, Fresenius Medical Care) when they first met in Cancun, Mexico at a Renal Research Institute Board Conference in January 2008. At a meeting with the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology Corporate Liaison Board in June 2008, Patt Ryder, RN (Fresenius Medical Care) suggested the association of these pediatric fellows’ training program with the Annual Conference of the Renal Research Institute (RRI). Drs. Nathan Levin and Mary Carter from the RRI welcomed our proposal and made this international fellows conference a reality. The friendship and previous collaborations between John Mahan, Tim Bunchman, and Maria Ferris made them automatic program co-chairs who set the tone of the meetings: “Rekindling the Passion”.

Ms. Ingrid Adelsberger from RRI and Ms. Kristi Bickford from UNC (Kristi_bickford@med.unc.edu), coordinated the pediatric fellows’ registration and activities and Drs. Bunchman, Ferris and Mahan coordinate the volunteer interdisciplinary faculty members. The Pediatric Nephrology Fellows Conference now enjoys the guidance and support of of Dr. Peter Kotanko from RRI and various supporting organizations.

In 2015 the Women in Nephrology Group joined us to become an important partner to help with adult focused fellows, as they now join our review session for questions pertinent to their certifying examination. Pediatric- and adult-focused fellows also participate in the joint speed mentoring sessions.

In 2016, Ms Crystal Johnson from the Renal Research Institutie, has become the coordinator of this event, and Drs, Joseph Flynn and PIerre Cochat continue to represent the ASPN and IPNA respectively.

Mission

The mission of the International Pediatric Nephrology Fellows Conference is to provide a forum where fellows and teaching faculty share teaching and collaborative experiences that will ultimately produce well-prepared and productive pediatric nephrologists. This will be accomplished through a) this website providing learning material and b) our yearly conference with topics centered on administration, teaching, patient outcomes, quality improvement, leadership, and research. The fellows submit abstracts to earn travel scholarships that allows their attendance free of charge. We enable the fellows to face the challenges of their post-training careers, grow as people, value differences amongst individuals, achieve their fullest potential, become responsible physicians, value lifelong education/collaboration, and adapt to a changing world. Fellows, teaching faculty and funding organizations are equal partners in this mission.

Vision

The mission of the International Pediatric Nephrology Fellows Conference is to improve the lives of children adolescents and emerging adults with chronic kidney disease by fostering friendships and future collaboration among pediatric nephrology trainees

Goals

  1. To provide tools necessary for a successful career as a health care provider of children, adolescents and emerging adults with chronic kidney disease.
  2. To teach pediatric nephrology trainees pearls on administration, teaching, patient care, quality assurance, leadership, and research.
  3. To foster friendships and collaboration between the fellows that will translate into future multi-institutional and interdisciplinary research projects.
  4. To allow fellows to “borrow” the teaching material for their own lectures (password-protected site)