I chose Temple University because the program offers exceptional training in managing complex medical cases in an underserved population. I am interested in transplant nephrology. Temple University has an outstanding transplant program that allows fellows to take a leadership role in managing patients through the entirety of the transplant process. The program fosters a sense of responsibility for one's patients, confidence in one's abilities and readiness to practice independently.

Small things like having a fellowship webpage, a recruiting video, "second look" in person visit and interview days that showcase didactic sessions suggested to me that the nephrology department program is dedicated to its fellowship program and ensuring the training for its fellows. Nephrology services are busy at most hospitals and of course there will be a lot patients to see and notes to write but I could tell that the program made protected time for teaching because daily conferences were in person and were interactive and involving cognitive exercises in a group discussion format with the utmost mutual respect. The program is very warm and welcoming, I felt very comfortable asking questions and giving my thoughts. To me it was important not only to know the right diagnosis or plan but also understand how we come to that answer because eventually, I will want to know how to teach and explain my rationale to my future trainees and patients. There is a good mix of didactic and bedside teaching. Nephrology is a shorter fellowship so I wanted a program that would maximize the amount of learning in that limited time.

I wanted to stay in Philadelphia for personal reasons, but I also felt it was important to train at a hospital other than my the one I did my residency in order to learn a new system (EMR and cvvhd vs cvvhdf) and get more exposure to certain kinds of cases as they bring additional complexity. Temple is a multiorgan transplant center, a burn unit, a level one trauma center, facility offer advanced therapies such as VADs and ECMO. The underserved population also brings a lot of complexity as well from social issues to advanced pathology. Learning to take care of the sickest patients will give me the confidence to treat patients of all different levels.

There is a lot to consider when applying to fellowship programs. I was lucky enough to know former and current fellows at temple and many other training programs while going through the application process. I knew from first-hand account that Temple would provide access and training to all pathologies and subspecialties in the world of nephrology. Everyone I spoke to who was training or trained at temple had nothing but great things to say. What really drew me in was how much praise was given to the culture at Temple. Temple seemed like a big family with support from faculty, staff, attendings, and there were good relations between other specialists.

I was able to experience the support of the Temple family in my first week. My wife and I had our first child the day before the start of fellowship. Although the timing was less than ideal, the team at temple was nothing short of fantastic. They guided me through every step of the process to ensure I was able to take leave. The combination of training excellence, culture and support are not easily found. Temple offers all three and was an easy first choice.

The program offers strong clinical training with a diverse patient population and complex pathology, which aligns perfectly with my goals as a future nephrologist. I deeply appreciated the supportive and collaborative working environment, where faculty were approachable, invested in teaching, and genuinely interested in fellows’ growth. The team culture fostered both confidence and curiosity, and I felt a strong sense of belonging. That experience reaffirmed that Temple is the right place for me to continue my training and grow into a confident, well-rounded nephrologist.

I chose Temple for its outstanding teaching, inspiring and supportive faculty, and the chance to care for a culturally diverse patient population with a wide variety of complex pathologies. It is a place that challenges me to grow every day while reminding me why I fell in love with medicine.

I chose Temple because of the unique experience it provides with training, and because of the faculty being very considerate of fellow's education and training.
 

I chose Temple for its unique combination of rigorous clinical training and a deep-rooted commitment to underserved populations. The exposure to complex kidney pathology, dedicated mentorship, and a community that values both clinical excellence and health equity made it the ideal place to grow into the kind of nephrologist I aspire to be. 

I was drawn to Temple Nephrology for its supportive training environment, its service to underserved communities, and the opportunity to live in Philadelphia.