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Renal Medicine/Nephrology is the medical specialty concerned with diagnosing, managing and treating renal disease and other conditions that involve the kidneys. It is underpinned by Internal (General) Medicine, incorporating basic science, clinical research, transplantation medicine, and preventative medicine and education. It involves a range of diagnostic testing methods, including blood and urine testing or medical imaging, procedural work, research, and collaboration with other specialty areas, such as urology and obstetrics. Renal Medicine deals with both acute and chronic conditions. Treatment involves care plans, medication, education, dialysis procedures and services, and other support to help patients manage their condition, prevent further disease, and improve quality of life. Services are provided by multi-disciplinary teams in hospitals, clinics and in-home settings. This field is studied alongside Internal Medicine and leads to a dual CCT.

Renal Medicine/Nephrology Jobs

Renal Physicians, also known as Nephrologists or ‘kidney doctors’, treat diseases of the kidneys, which can be chronic, acute and emergency conditions, including kidney failure or injury, co-morbidities or inherited disorders, damage to the kidneys after cancer treatments, hypertension, or polycystic kidney syndrome. They perform ultrasounds, scans, biopsies, and urine and blood testing, to assess kidney health. Treatments include renal medicine and dialysis procedures, kidney transplants, medication, monitoring of blood pressure, lifestyle changes and education. Renal Physicians/Nephrologists collaborate with a range of other specialists in providing care for patients. They work in acute and outpatient settings in hospitals, including renal/dialysis units, and in private clinics. They work both independently and in multi-disciplinary teams. To specialise in this field, doctors complete foundation and core training, followed by an indicative 4-years of specialty training in Renal Medicine and Internal Medicine, leading to a dual CCT and specialist registration with the GMC. Physicians can also pursue a triple CCT in Intensive Care Medicine.

Nurses (Dialysis Services) work in dialysis and critical care units in hospitals, in community or private dialysis clinics, or may provide remote and home-based dialysis education and services. They practice haemodialysis nursing, peritoneal dialysis nursing and provide general patient-centred and on-going nursing care of renal patients and inpatients. To pursue a career in this field, Nurses are required to be registered, with clinical experience in haemodialysis. They can work towards a post-graduate qualification in Renal Nursing.