If you are looking for someone to treat many extraordinary medical conditions, your primary physician usually recommends you contact a specialist. If the problem relates to your kidneys, the obvious choice is a nephrologist. S/he specializes in those medical conditions that affect the kidney. This specialist will then perform the necessary tests to be able to diagnose, treat and help you manage such issues as chronic kidney disease, renal failure. They are also trained to address associated problems including fluid retention, high blood pressure and imbalances of electrolytes and minerals.
Education
To become an expert in renal health, those who want to become nephrologists must undergo extensive education and advanced training. The process is a long and strenuous one demanding devoting several years to attending school. Whether you live in Brick NJ or Tampa Bay FL, the educational process is the same. It consists of the following:
- Four years of medical school: This is to obtain either a Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO)
- Three-year residency: The focus is on internal medicine
- Fellowship in nephrology: This may be of two-to-three-year duration at the end of which potential nephrologists have the option to spend a further year in either transplant nephrology or interventional nephrology
Final Step
The final step in the process is the certification exam. It is presented by the American Board of Internal Medicine and grants those who are successful to be board certified in nephrology. Upon passing the examination for certification, neurologists can then apply for positions in places as disparate as Brick NJ and San Antonio TX.
