Renal medicine is one of the most interesting, exciting, challenging, and rewarding medical specialties in which to pursue a medical career.
The experience available is breath-taking and encompasses the excitement of acute kidney injury (acute renal failure) overlapping with intensive care medicine, chronic kidney disease which provides an opportunity of chronic disease management in both pre-dialysis and dialysis settings, as well as renal transplantation with the chance to restore patients health and quality of life. In addition there is the fascination of cutting edge immunology and general nephrology with the intellectual challenges of grappling with electrolyte and acid-base disturbances. Renal medicine is one of the few remaining hospital based specialities that provides long term follow up and general medical care to a significant number of patients; for many patients we become their GPs.
Much of the work crosses other speciality boundaries with close working relationship with vascular and transplant surgeons, histocompatibility and immunogenetic laboratories, haematologists, intensivists, palliative care teams, cardiologists, rheumatologists, diabetologists, obstetricians and microbiologists/infectious disease specialists.
The multi-disciplinary team includes nurse specialists, transplant coordinators, dieticians, physiotherapists, psychologists, social workers, dialysis nurses, technicians, IT specialists, secretaries and managers.
Renal Medicine training takes a minimum of 5 years after entry at ST level, following completion of level I G(I)M acute training.
There are three years of training commencing at ST3 level to achieve competence in Nephrology. The South West Specialty Training Programme in Renal Medicine is provided by rotation between renal units at the following hospitals:
Each unit provides experience in all aspects of nephrology, dialysis and long term renal transplant follow up.
Experience in acute renal transplantation is provided at Southmead (Bristol) and Derriford (Plymouth) Hospitals. Therefore, all trainees will undertake some of their training in Bristol or Plymouth to ensure acute renal transplantation experience. Trainees are expected to make no more than two geographical moves during their period of training. However, for these purposes, Bristol/Gloucester and Plymouth/Exeter are considered as single geographical moves.
At each hospital there is an opportunity to train in acute G(I)M for those trainees seeking certification in G(I)M (acute).
There are research opportunities at Exeter, Plymouth and Bristol and both scientific and clinical research are actively encouraged as Out of Programme Experience.
At each unit, trainees will have an educational supervisor who will, through appraisal meetings, support the trainee as they acquire competencies relevant to their stage of training. The highly-regarded Renal Training Programme consists of a full day held at one of the renal units alternating monthly with G(I)M. These training days are shared with renal trainees from South Wales. The South West Regional Renal Meeting is held twice a year and provides an opportunity for trainees to present audit, clinical cases and research.
Supervisors Report guidance template
Speciality Training Committee
Training Programme Director - Dr. Richard D'Souza, Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, Exeter, Ex2 5DW richard.dsouza@rdeft.nhs.uk
Regional Speciality Advisor - Dr. Dr Chris Dudley, North Bristol NHS Trust, Southmead Hospital, Bristol chris.dudley@nbt.nhs.uk
Other Speciality Training Committee members:
Dr. Karen Anderson, Southmead Hospital, Bristol
Dr. Anthony Williams, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Gloucester
Dr. Peter Rowe, Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, Derriford, Plymouth
Dr.Wai Tse, Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, Derriford, Plymouth
Dr Jo Taylor, Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Dorchester
Dr Paul Johnston, Royal Cornwall Hospital NHS Trust, Truro
Dr Jim Moriarty, Trainee Representative (Bristol)
Specialty Certificate Examinations