Nephrology fellows tie for second in nation Published June 30, 2010 By Sue Campbell 59th Medical Wing Public Affairs LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Wilford Hall Medical Center's nephrology fellowship program has tied for second place in the nation. The Air Force program is a partnership with the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio and this recognition is based on the nephrology fellows' in-training examinations. The exam is a standardized test given by the American Society of Nephrology to test and prepare fellows for the American Board of Internal Medicine nephrology boards. "It is not the final test to be certified, though it is an excellent benchmark on how their clinical knowledge compares with their peers across the country. It is also a good indicator on how well they will perform on their final certification exam," said Maj. (Dr.) Casey Cotant, associate program director at Wilford Hall. "Out of 81 programs, we tied for second place on the mean percent correct scores. The overall mean of all programs was 62 percent and our mean was 71 percent." The nephrology fellowship is a two-year program which includes four Air Force and nine civilian doctors. The fellows learn about the diagnosis, pathogenesis, and management of kidney disease, electrolyte and acid-base disorders, as well as the management of hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and kidney transplant patients. "Our fellowship provides a diverse array of clinical and didactic experiences, and our fellows are extremely hard working and dedicated to their patients and the field of nephrology," said Dr. Cotant. "They are energetic, studious, work well with each other, and we are very proud of their accomplishments." The fellows work at San Antonio medical facilities including Wilford Hall, University Hospital, and the Audie Murphy Veterans Memorial Hospital. Program directors plan to include a rotation at Brooke Army Medical Center, Ft. Sam Houston, Texas, in 2011. "The nephrology fellowship is an outstanding training program that exposes us to a spectrum of clinical styles of practice from an international faculty, various medical systems of operation, and a diverse population and breadth of diseases," said Col. (Dr.) Daniel Flood, a fellow in the program. "We are well prepared to provide routine and operational medical care by the completion of our fellowship."