Nephrology Fellowship

322

Peer-Reviewed Publications in 2023

64K+

Patient Encounters

92

Active Clinical Trials

About the Fellowship

Our Program Faculty
Angelina Ruth Edwards, MD
Director, Nephrology Fellowship Program
Department of Medicine
Houston Methodist Hospital
headshot of Shafi Tariq
Tariq Shafi, MD, MHS
Acting Professor of Medicine, Houston Methodist Academic Institute
Jerold B. Katz Investigator
Director, Division of Kidney Diseases, Hypertension, and Transplantation
Houston Methodist Academic Medicine Associates - Nephrology
headshot of Horacio Adrogue
Horacio E. Adrogue, MD, FASN
Adjunct Associate Professor of Medicine
Texas A & M Health Science Center
Director, Transplant Nephrology Fellowship Program
Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension
Department of Medicine
Houston Methodist Hospital
headshot of George Nassar
George M. Nassar, M.D., FACP, FASN
Professor of Clinical Medicine
Institute for Academic Medicine
Weill Cornell University/Houston Methodist Hospital
Medical Director
Dialysis Access Management Center at North Shepherd
Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation Associates
Abdul-Jabbar Khan, MD
Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine
Houston Methodist Institute for Academic Medicine
Weill Cornell Medicine
Ruth Wintz, MD
Associate Professor, Baylor College of Medicine
Assistant Professor, UTMB Galveston and Weill-Cornell/Houston Methodist
Solaf Al-Awadhi, MBBS, MSc
Researcher, Division of Kidney Diseases, Hypertension, and Transplantation
Department of Medicine
Houston Methodist Hospital
Message from the Head of the Division

Welcome, and thank you for visiting the website of the Nephrology Fellowship Training Program at Houston Methodist Hospital. Our nephrology service is ranked among the best programs by U.S. News and World Report, and Houston Methodist Hospital is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the No. 1 hospital in Texas and one of America’s “Best Hospitals.”

Our faculty members engaged in teaching and training nephrology fellows are seasoned educators and clinicians who have been teaching medical students, residents and fellows for many years. The nephrology clinical program enjoys a wealth of diverse clinical expertise, spanning the entire spectrum of renal disease from acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease (CKD), end-stage kidney disease, dialysis to transplantation. Five large and busy ICU's (cardiac, medical, surgical, cardiovascular surgery, neurology/neurosurgery), a busy cardiovascular surgery service, and a large multi-organ transplant program contribute to the abundance of clinical experience available for training nephrology fellows at Houston Methodist Hospital. A comprehensive experience in outpatient in-center hemodialysis, home peritoneal and hemodialysis, outpatient CKD and post-transplant care, and the care of dialysis vascular access, at a large community nephrology group practice is also available to complement the clinical experience at the hospital.

Houston Methodist has its own research institute, located in the Texas Medical Center (the largest medical center in the world with two medical schools, the largest cancer hospital in the world, and Rice University across the street), which provides endless opportunities for those interested in pursuing scientific and clinical research.

We wish you every success in your future career.

Tariq Shafi, MD, MHS
Acting Professor of Medicine, Houston Methodist Academic Institute
Jerold B. Katz Investigator
Director, Division of Kidney Diseases, Hypertension, and Transplantation
Houston Methodist Academic Medicine Associates – Nephrology

Eligibility and Application

Thank you for your interest in Houston Methodist’s Nephrology Fellowship program. The department does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, age, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation or veteran status. There are certain criteria that must be met to apply to our program.


Application Requirements
  • Apply via the Electronic Residency Applicant Service (ERAS) and enroll in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP)
  • Obtain at least three (3) letters of recommendation that attest to your academic and professional qualifications.  One letter should be from the chair of the department of medicine and all letters should be current or within the last 2 years. 
  • Graduate from medical school within the last five years and include an official medical school transcript.
  • Graduate from an ACGME-accredited internal medicine residency three-year training program
  • Take and pass all three steps of USMLE Exams. 
  • Board-eligible in internal medicine by time of fellowship appointment
  • Personal statement highlighting the reasons for pursuing nephrology and your career goals.
  • Only J-1 Visas are offered and applicants must be eligible for two years of training at the beginning of the fellowship.  H-1 visas are not accepted.

Houston Methodist is committed to improving the health of our patients, employees, and communities around us. As a health care provider, it’s our responsibility to promote a healthier environment for our employees.


Responsibility
  • Drug and Tobacco Screening- Job seekers will be tested for nicotine and drug usage during the post-offer physical. If a job seeker tests positive for nicotine use, including nicotine gum and patches, the offer will be rescinded, and individuals will be given the opportunity to participate in a free Houston Methodist-provided tobacco cessation program. Job seekers wishing to reapply after testing positive for nicotine may do so 90 days after the date the initial offer was rescinded. If the job seeker tests positive for drug use, the offer will be rescinded. Job seekers wishing to reapply after the drug screening is positive may do so one year after the date the initial offer was rescinded.
  • Background Check - Prior to employment start date, job seekers must complete a criminal background check.

Curriculum

Our curriculum and rotation schedule offers a broad exposure to all aspects of Nephrology during the 1st year of Training.  During the 2nd year of training, Fellows have the opportunity to establish individualized pathways to meet their career goals.  Below is a description of the rotation structure and the core rotations.

Rotation Structure

a spreadsheet of a the nephrology fellowship rotation

HMH Inpatient Consult- The Houston Methodist Hospital (HMH) Nephrology Inpatient Consult rotation encompasses the full spectrum of acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease, electrolyte derangements, acid-base disorders, and fluid balance.  It also involves management of kidney transplant recipients and multi-organ transplant, including simultaneous pancreas kidney, simultaneous liver kidney, simultaneous heart kidney, simultaneous lung kidney, and at times, combined heart-liver-kidney transplantation.  The Fellow will work closely with the Academic Nephrology Attendings.  Fellows rotate Monday-Friday, with overnight and weekend call responsibilities.

Renal Replacement Therapy- The Renal Replacement Therapy Rotation encompasses the outpatient care of dialysis patients including vascular access management, evaluation of pre-transplant candidates and the management of post-kidney transplant patients.  The Fellow will round at two dialysis centers in the Medical Center, gain exposure to in-center and home dialysis therapies, and longitudinally follow patients on home therapies.  The Fellow will gain outpatient experience in transplantation by attending clinic at the JC Walter Transplant Center at Houston Methodist.
Our Fellows
David Lyu, MD - PGY1
Medical School: National Yang-Ming University
Residency: Mercy Health GME
Renuka Tolani, DO - PGY1
Medical School: Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: Palmetto General Hospital Program
Yariana Rodriguez, MD - PGY2
Medical School: Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Residency: Wyckoff Heights Medical Center Program
Steffi Sathiyaraj, MBBS - PGY2
Medical School: Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute
Residency: University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Program
Our Alumni
Graduated June 2023
Carlos M. Zapata Reyes, MD

Graduated June 2022
Timothy Brown, DO, FACP
Alvaro Tamayo-Guetierrez, MD
Taquiuddin Khaja, MD
(Transplant Nephrology)
        Graduated June 2021
Anish Bhakta, DO
Soubhi Altaki, MD
Andrew Evans, DO
(Transplant Nephrology)

Graduated June 2020
Andrew Evans, MD
Vinay Acharya, MD

Graduated June 2019
Mohammed Abdulaziz, MD
Neil Sutaria, MD
        Graduated June 2018
Ritu Patel, MD
Chizoba Obi, MD

Graduated June 2017
Eric Lai, MD
Collette Akhimiona, MD

Graduated June 2016
Ronald Vigo, MD
Faiza Khan, MD 
        Graduated June 2015
Chad Rossitter, MD
Flordeliza Lilagan, MD

Graduated June 2014
Sandra Barrow, MD
Federico Calaf, MD

Graduated June 2013
Oluyemi Odunusi, MD
Malak El Rahi, MD

Get In Touch

Upcoming Academic Events

Grand rounds, tumor boards, regularly scheduled series and case presentations are offered in multiple clinical disciplines and Houston Methodist locations.
Center for Neuroregeneration Visiting Lecture Series - Jeannie Chin, PhD
Houston Methodist Hospital

Jeannie Chin, PhD

Nov 12 @ 10AM

See Details
NIH Biosketch/CV Development Workshop

Dorothy E. Lewis, PhD, Faculty Development Manager, Houston Methodist

Nov 12 @ 11AM

See Details

55

Grand Rounds conducted in 2023
These educational events are held according to varying schedules by departments and divisions within the Houston Methodist Academic Institute

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