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ASN Seeks to Hire Education Director for Fellowship Training The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) has greatly increased its involvement with issues related to medical education during the past few years, and this effort is expected to increase even more in the future. As such, the Society is seeking an individual to serve as ASN Education Director for Fellowship Training. This education director would chair the ASN Training Program Directors (TPD) Executive Committee and guide the Society’s responses to and involvement in policy issues related to medical education. The ASN Education Director for Fellowship Training will serve as the Society’s representative to educationally focused organizations, including the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), and the Residency Review Committee for Internal Medicine (RRC-IM). The education director will also be responsible for addressing issues related to the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and the National Resident Matching Program’s (NRMP’s) Specialties Matching Service (SMS). In addition, the ASN Education Director for Fellowship Training will work with the TPD Executive Committee and the ASN policy staff who focus on medical education to launch the ASN In-Training Examination (ITE) for nephrology fellows, create an education toolkit for fellowship training program directors, develop programs for ensuring the ongoing professional development of fellowship training program directors, and identify strategies for increasing the interest of medical students in careers in nephrology. This individual will also oversee the utilization of the ASN website for formal and informal educational purposes. Finally, the education director will help strengthen the link between TPDs and the ASN Public Policy Board, particularly in terms of issues related to Medicare and Medicaid funding of graduate medical education. ASN is seeking applications, nominations, and recommendations for this position, which will report directly to the ASN Council. The expected effort for this position is approximately 10 percent and appropriate compensation will be offered. For more information about the position or to recommend potential candidates, please contact ASN Councilor Sharon Anderson, MD, who is chairing the ASN Education Director for Fellowship Training Search Committee, at (503) 402-2831 or anderssh@ohsu.edu. To apply for the position, please email your letter of interest and curriculum vitae to ASN Executive Director Tod Ibrahim at tibrahim@asn-online.org by Friday, September 19, 2008, at 4:00 p.m. EDT. Please note that the Society can only accept online applications. |
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| KCP Comments on
Final Rule for Conditions of Coverage for End Stage Renal Disease
Facilities Kidney Care Partners (KCP) provided comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on the implementation of the Conditions of Coverage for End Stage Renal Disease Facilities Final Rule. ASN served on the KCP work group that helped draft and refine the letter. In the letter, the work group sought to highlight policy reforms in areas that will likely present practical difficulties with implementation and compromise patient care delivery. A few of the key policy recommendations in the KCP letter are:
Alliance Addresses CME Issues The Alliance for Continuing Medical Education (ACME) met Tuesday, August 5, 2008, to address issues related to continuing medical education (CME) and maintenance of certification (MOC). ASN is a member of ACME, and several members of the Society’s staff participated in the meeting. Representatives from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, and the American Society of Clinical Oncology explained what each of their organizations is doing to help their members with MOC. There are four basic components of MOC:
For more information about MOC or about education policy in general, please contact Susan Owens at sowens@asn-online.org or (202) 416-0668. |
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Committee Report
for the Training Program Directors Executive Committee Dear Colleagues,For the first time, nephrology training programs took part in the National Resident Matching Program Specialties Matching Service—the impartial venue for matching the preferences of programs and applicants. "The Match" was held with almost 90% of programs participating, and 89% of programs and 95% of applicant positions filled. Overall, programs were pleased with the process and results. Issues to resolve include determining if we need four tracks, optimizing program usage of the different tracks, and determining the optimal number of interviews necessary for placement. ASN is now planning for next year's Match and will ask programs to indicate their future participation. There are ongoing discussions with the Residency Review Committee for Internal Medicine (RRC-IM) about changes in the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requirements for nephrology program accreditation. Having reviewed two draft documents submitted by the Training Program Director (TPD) Executive Committee on behalf of nephrology TPDs, RRC-IM is in the process of outlining recommendations for subsequent alterations in the nephrology guidelines. This process with RRC-IM will continue through the late winter/early spring of 2009, but we hope to have the guidelines completed in the next couple of months. The creation of an in-training examination is proceeding as scheduled. A group of trained question writers have written a panel of questions, and it is anticipated that the first test will be available to all nephrology programs and fellows in the spring of 2009. Mark E. Rosenberg, MD, was instrumental in initiating this process, and Mitchell H. Rosner, MD, has successfully led the program for the past year. The TPD Executive Committee and ASN staff continues to develop highly useful online resources for TPDs and nephrology fellows. These services include a forthcoming teaching toolkit designed to help TPDs run their programs and teaching resources that will be made available online to nephrology fellows. One such resource will be the Geriatric Nephrology Curriculum, led by Demetrios G. Oreopoulos, MD, PhD, and funded by a grant from the Association of Specialty Professors. Sincerely, Donald E. Kohan, MD, PhD, FASN University of Utah School of Medicine Chair; Training Program Directors Executive Committee |
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JASN Vitamin
D Linked to Reduced Mortality Rate in Chronic Kidney DiseaseFor patients with moderate to severe CKD, treatment with activated vitamin D may reduce the risk of death by approximately one-fourth. Full Study Combined Kidney-Pancreas
Transplant Improves Survival in Type 1 DiabetesFor patients with type 1 diabetes and ESRD, simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplantation increases the chances of long-term survival compared to kidney transplantation alone. Full Study Fatty
Liver Linked to Increased Risk of Diabetic Kidney DiseaseFor patients with type 2 diabetes, a condition called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) may be an important risk factor for diabetes-related CKD. Full Study Intravenous Iron May Help Treat
Anemia in Patients with Kidney DiseaseA new intravenous (IV) iron compound called ferumoxytol shows promising results in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia in patients with CKD. Full Study NephSAP  NephSAP Seeking ReviewersNephSAP is seeking volunteers to review questions for accuracy and clinical relevance (two to three issues of NephSAP per year). |
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| Abstract Submission
Deadline: Late-Breaking Clinical Trials For the first time, ASN is soliciting abstracts for late-breaking clinical trials. All accepted abstracts will be presented as oral presentations in a special symposium during Renal Week. For more information and to submit an abstract, click here. Abstract submission deadline: Wednesday, September 17, 2008, at 11:59 p.m. EDT Absentee Voting The 2008 US presidential election will take place Tuesday, November 4, 2008. Due to potential timing and travel conflicts with Renal Week 2008, ASN encourages US voters to consider acquiring an absentee ballot, in the event that they are unable to vote in their home precinct. To acquire an absentee ballot please contact your state government, or print a ballot using this third-party voter registration website. ASN Website Translation Service Launched The ASN website now offers a new service that allows users to translate webpages into the language of their choice. This tool is located in the footer of each web page – just put your cursor over the ”Translate” link to use it. Certain restrictions apply; see the Language Translation Disclaimer for more details. Symposium: Emile Boulpaep The Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology at the Yale University School of Medicine is pleased to invite you to attend a symposium celebrating the scientific accomplishments of Emile Boulpaep, MD.
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