Transplant Fellowship

The Section of Nephrology, Section of Transplantation and Immunology and Yale New Haven Transplantation Center offers an intensive year in advanced clinical training in transplant nephrology to applicants that have completed an ACGME-certified fellowship in nephrology. While the fellowship is structured so that the fellow will qualify as a UNOS-certified Kidney Transplant Program Medical Director, our mission is to provide a scholarly training environment for fellows to become competent transplant nephrologists who will serve as future leaders of transplant programs and contribute academically to the field of kidney and pancreas transplantation.

The fellowship offers a very thorough exposure to both inpatient and outpatient management of kidney and pancreas transplantation, both before and after transplantation. The fellow is an integral part of the multidisciplinary care team during their training and actively participates in patient management and all aspects of the transplant program, including donor and recipient selection and quality and performance improvement initiatives. They are also required to participate in meaningful clinical research and in other academic conferences sponsored by the Section of Nephrology and the Yale New Haven Transplantation Center.

Each transplant nephrology fellow is expected to develop a small project or clinical trial in the field of transplantation during their fellowship year. Our faculty, which collectively has unique expertise in the areas of transplantation, immunology, and clinic research, are available to mentor the transplant fellow during this process. Naturally, many other members of the Yale community are available to provide scientific guidance as well. Opportunities are also available for the trainee with an interest in pursuing basic laboratory research.

Our mission is to provide a scholarly training environment for fellows to become competent transplant nephrologists who will serve as future leaders of transplant programs and contribute academically to the field of kidney and pancreas transplantation. The many conferences and teaching opportunities offered through our joint departments complements a rigorous clinical experience that prepares the fellow to be a highly competent specialist in the field of transplant nephrology.

High volume of transplants with excellent outcomes

The Yale New Haven Transplant Center is the highest volume kidney transplant center in New England. Furthermore, our center has the largest list of patient awaiting kidney transplantation in New England as well. Despite these high volumes, our post transplant results remain consistently excellent. The Recent Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) data for our program reports that kidney transplant recipient survival is 98% and 93% at one and three years post-transplant, respectively (better than expected). Furthermore, our graft survival is 97% and 87% at one and three years, respective (also better than expected).

Renal Pathology

The transplant nephrology fellow has constant exposure to the nephropathologist during their training. This includes a dedicated two-week rotation with a renal pathologist. The fellow also participates in performing transplant kidney biopsies on a routine basis. Our program does approximately 150-175 kidney biopsies annually (we do require a protocol biopsy for nearly all recipients six months following transplantation).

Histocompatibility, Tissue Typing and Transplant Immunology Laboratory

Each fellow will rotate in our on-site histocompatibility and immune evaluation laboratory for two-weeks during the fellowship year. That experience, coupled with the ongoing clinical interactions consequent to the care of the transplant patients will provide the fellow with ample opportunities to master these important areas.