Research and Education in Nephrology for Undergraduate Medical Students-Florida (RENUM-FL)

There is a significant prevalence of kidney diseases and hypertension in the United States, which is associated with a tremendous economic burden. This coincides with a well-documented decline in the nephrology workforce, leading to a critical shortage of nephrologist to care for the growing patient population, and a decrease in the number of physician-scientists as well as percentage of NIH dollars committed to kidney-related research. The overarching goal of this proposal is to enhance the training of a scientific and clinical workforce in nephrology to meet the growing healthcare need of patients afflicted with kidney disease and/or hypertension. We will accomplish this goal through three educational specific aims: 1) expose pre-clinical medical students early in their career decision-making process to applied renal physiology research to demonstrate how basic science discoveries can translate into meaningful patient outcomes; 2) establish a nephrology Learning Community (LC) comprised of basic scientists, physician-scientists, and nephrologists who will provide structure and oversight of enrichment activities and mentoring to promote interest in a career in nephrology; and 3) establish proficiency conducting hypothesis-driven renal basic science and/or clinical research. The proposed program, named Research and Education in Nephrology for Undergraduate Medical students – Florida (RENUM-FL), will provide 12 rising second-year medical students with 10 weeks of hands-on research education in foundational concepts of renal physiology and will establish a LC to foster engagement in nephrology for the duration of their medical education. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how the kidney maintains homeostasis, engage in experimental methods to elucidate kidney function, and see first-hand how basic science and clinical research translates to the patient bedside. We will introduce participants to role models in the field of nephrology who will familiarize them to the life of a nephrologist and physician-scientist. The RENUM-FL program will consist of a 1-week Fundamental Concepts in Renal Physiology didactic course comprised of 5 formal training modules in applied renal physiology (glomerular function, tubular function, renal transport, implications of renal disease, and acid-base & electrolyte disturbances in renal disease) and a 9-week immersive research experience where participants will be matched with a mentor to conduct a kidney-related research project. The LC will include activities such as clinical shadowing, journal club, biomedical ethics case discussions, seminars, work-in- progress, career mentorship sessions that occur during the summer but also throughout the remainder of the participants’ medical education. At the conclusion of the summer program, students will present their research findings at the RENUM-FL Research Symposium. One of the main long-term outcomes is how many of the RENUM-FL participants 1) entered a nephrology specialty, and/or 2) continued to engage is kidney research.