Kidney Mentoring and Assessment Program for Students: a guide for engaging medical students in nephrology

BACKGROUND: The American Society of Nephrology’s (ASN) Workforce Committee created a unique program called the Kidney Mentoring and Awareness Program for Students to engage medical students in the fight against kidney diseases and interest them in careers in nephrology. METHODS: The program provided a framework and 2 years of funding to three medical schools to organize and carry out health screenings in underserved areas of their communities as well as a structure for student mentoring by the practicing nephrologists. RESULTS: The Workforce Committee identified three medical schools (Emory University, Atlanta, GA; Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN and University of Louisville, Louisville, KY) and engaged faculty at each school to serve as advisors. The ASN committed funding to the groups for 2 years, after which the groups became self-sufficient. Three nephrologists participated in each chapter, building on existing relationships with community groups to identify sites and carry out kidney screening events. CONCLUSIONS: We report here the experience of those chapters and a blueprint for other schools interested in setting up a similarly structured program to interest students in nephrology while working with community groups to spread awareness of the major underlying causes of kidney disease.