Enhancing Nephrology Career Interest through the ASN Kidney TREKS Program

• Published in: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology Vol. 27; no. 6; pp. 1604 - 1607
• Main Authors: Maursetter, Laura J, Stern, Lauren D, Sozio, Stephen M, Patel, Ankit B, Rao, Reena, Shah, Hitesh H, Leight, Katlyn, Okusa, Mark D, Zeidel, Mark L, Parker, Mark G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Society of Nephrology 01.06.2016
• Subjects: Career Choice; Education, Medical, Graduate; Female; Humans; Male; Mentors; Nephrology - education; Societies, Medical; United States; Up Front Matters; nephrology; Mentor; Physiology course; education; Career choice
• ISSN: 1046-6673; 1533-3450
• DOI: 10.1681/ASN.2015101086

The Kidney Tutored Research and Education for Kidney Students (TREKS) Program is a product of the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Workforce Committee that seeks to connect medical and graduate students to nephrology. This program starts with a weeklong camp-like course introducing participants to renal physiology through classic and modern experiments. Next, each student is matched with a nephrology mentor at his or her home institution to foster a better understanding of a nephrology career. Lastly, the students are encouraged to participate in scholarly activities and attend the ASN Kidney Week. Now in its third year, with a total of 84 participants, survey data suggest early success of the program, with a self-reported 40% increased interest in nephrology fellowship and/or research careers. In addition, students give high ratings to the course components and mentorship pairings. Continued student tracking will be necessary to determine the long-term program effect.