Transplant nephrologists are doctors who treat diseases of the kidney, paying special attention to organ transplants. A person who wishes to become a transplant nephrologist must complete both four years of undergraduate school and four years of medical school, followed by up to seven years of training as a resident and pursuing a physician’s license. Completing a fellowship in the specialty area of nephrology and getting certified in this field is also necessary to claim job opportunities.
If you want to become a transplant nephrologist, you need to complete a bachelor’s degree in a scientific subject such as chemistry or biology, which typically takes four years. The college of your choosing will expect you to submit your latest standardized exam scores along with your high school transcript. You further have to complete the school’s enrollment form as well as submit your high school diploma or the equivalent certification.
After earning an undergraduate degree, you must complete four years of medical school to enter this career field. Enrollment in medical school is competitive, requiring that you turn in strong scores on your medical school admission exam as well as solid grades on your bachelor’s degree program transcript. You also need to fill out the training institution’s admission application and send in reference letters from previous instructors or employers who can attest to your work ethic as you strive to become a transplant nephrologist.
Classroom and hands-on experience will prepare you to excel in this industry. Courses cover topics such as pathology, physiology, and medical ethics, which are important if you desire to become a transplant nephrologist, as this type of physician deals with patients who have kidney disease. As a result, you must understand the causes of this illness and how the kidney functions. You must also understand how to perform transplant treatments in a way that meets the industry’s moral standards. Afterwards, you will complete rotations in several medical specialty areas, including internal medicine, the branch to which the nephrology field belongs.
Gaining field experience and pursuing licensing in this vocational area is also critical to claim jobs. You need to complete paid, on-the-job training in the form of a residency for two years to seven years and pass a test that qualifies you to practice medicine. Following the residency, you should get ready to complete a fellowship, through which you are paid to train in the hospital setting in this specialized healthcare area, as nephrology is a sub-specialty of internal medicine. In addition, you must seek specialty board certification to become a transplant nephrologist.
