An initiative of
Dr. Robert Humphreys
Program Director
Alice So
Our program is designed to provide excellent and comprehensive training in all major aspects of clinical Pediatric Nephrology while also ensuring that our trainees are exposed to, and participate in the full academic and research breadth of this subspecialty. We are fully accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. We highly encourage all our trainees to pursue further academic training complementary to their clinical training in Pediatric Nephrology, and have been successful in acquiring funding for 3rd year and beyond. We are among the largest Pediatric Nephrology clinical programs in the country.
We see approximately 2000 total clinic visits with approximately 300-350 of these representing new consults. Of all the clinic visits, Fellows or Subspeciality Nephrology Residents see approximately 30-40% with direct educational interaction with the Attending. There are presently a number of half-day clinics offered per week, including dedicated outpatient clinics for chronic kidney disease, PD, HD, kidney transplant, general referrals, nephrotic syndrome, hypertension, and a combined renal-rheumatology clinic. We also provide coverage for regular outreach clinics in the province. Each clinic is fully staffed by both Consultant Nephrologists with interests/expertise in each area, as well as the full multidisciplinary team members required to provide optimal patient and family centered care, including but not limited to social work, dietary, subspecialty nursing, pharmacy, etc.
Our dialysis population is consistently among the largest in Canada. In Novermber 2017, we opened our new HD unit in the new Pediatric Critical Care Tower with 6 dedicated stations (including 2 isolation rooms). We have hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration capable machines with state of the art machines and monitoring systems including CritLine monitoring, Transonic flow monitors etc. We provide 3-4 time per week HD with scheduled 4th runs on Saturdays. We provide ~ 1000-1100 acute and chronic HD runs per year and average about 5-6 patients on chronic HD and start between 10-15 on acute or acute to chronic HD per year. On average we have between 10-15 patients on Chronic PD per month which equates to 500 + outpatient weeks and generally 150-200 inpatient days of chronic PD, and do approximately 5-10 acute PD starts per year for either ARF or as a new start to Chronic Dialysis. We also run our own renal specific plasmapheresis unit with state of the art machines.
Our transplant program follows approximately 60 patients at any one time and we transplant about 10-11 patients per year with slight preponderance of Living Donation. We transplant children from as small as 10 kg up to age 19 years. We also participate in fully staffed Multi-organ transplant clinics in conjunction with GI and Cardiology.
All fellows or trainees are expected to perform a research project during their time in the program and many have chosen to pursue further research trainee under mentorship within the division or outside of it. Our recent trainees have been involved with projects in AKI, Renal Function in CF patients, Health Outcomes analysis, BP in long term cancer survivors, and biopsy indications in nephrotic syndrome. Multiple presentations at major meetings and publications in Peer Reviewed Nephrology Journals have occurred, many directly from these projects. [See recent list of publications from Residents/Fellows below].
Finally, we offer trainees an opportunity to work and train within a large, diverse and well staffed series of multi-disciplinary clinics with health professionals from a variety of fields, including social work, dietitians, psychologists, psychiatrists, dedicated transplant and dialysis (HD and PD) nurses, ethicists, urologists etc. We have dedicated research support in the form of both full time research coordinator. Academic Half-days consist of both Adult and Pediatric sessions and both of these are considered to be protected time for educational purposes.
Fellow Publications in last 7 years [underlined]
This residency program is for 2 years.
Program length of training does not exceed the Royal College or College of Family Physicians of Canada standard.
Note – the following does not indicate a required sequence of rotations but simply indicates a most common timing re: first year vs. second year. In 2021 the ward rotations were switched from a 4 week to a 2 week block at the request of the trainees. 2 weeks each of clinic and ward often split these blocks. This has been positively received. Choice of type of elective or research time in second year is discussed with the Program Director at the end of first year. This schedule can be modified during second year based on a fellow’s interests and/or need to complete CBD EPAs. Each trainee also has 20 days weeks of vacation they may take during each year.
| PROGRAM YEAR | CONTENT AND SEQUENCE OF ROTATIONS NUMBER OF MONTHS (OR 4-WEEK BLOCKS) | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | |
| First | C/W | C/W | C/W | PD | C/W | C/W | R | U | C/W | PD | PD | C/W | C/W |
| Second | PT | C/W | C/W | R | C/W | P/I | R | C/W | E (AD) | E (AT) | C/W | E (CPN) | E/R |
| Third# | E | E | E | C/W | E | C/W | E | C/W | E | C/W | E | E | E |
Required rotations:
C = Clinics W = Wards PD = Pediatric Dialysis PT = Pediatric transplant U = Urology
PI = Pathology/Immunology (2 weeks each Renal and Transplant Pathology/Immunology at local adult hospital)
Elective rotations available:
R = Research AT = Adult transplant at local adult hospital AD = Adult Dialysis (HD) CPN = Community Peds Neph E = Elective time
# = 3rd year is not “required” in training program, but is offered if funding can be secured and the resident has a plan or goal in mind – e.g. completion of a research project/Masters/consolidation of clinical skills in area(s) of interest such as dialysis or transplantation etc.
The primary site for training occurs at BC Children’s Hospital.
Training also occurs at one or both of the local tertiary care adult nephrology hospitals (St. Paul’s Hospital or Vancouver General Hospital). Both of these facilities offer opportunities for further experience in HD and PD, as well as transplantation with the larger volumes seen in the adults. A mandatory Renal Pathology rotation is also done at St. Paul’s Hospital usually in 2nd year.
Trainees also have opportunities to attend outpatient Outreach clinics in Prince George and Surrey, BC. In 2021, trainees also began a community pediatric nephrology elective in Kelowna, BC which was very highly received.
British Columbia | |
|---|---|
Gross Annual PGY-1 Salary | $65,332.37 |
Gross Annual PGY-2 Salary | $72,818.39
|
Gross Annual PGY-3 Salary | $79,301.62 |
Gross Annual PGY-4 Salary | $85,318.65 |
Gross Annual PGY-5 Salary | $91,710.67 |
Gross Annual PGY-6 Salary | $97,877.39 |
Gross Annual PGY-7 Salary | $104,271.09 |
Educational Leave | Yes |
Annual Vacation | 4 weeks |
Meal Allowance | No |
Frequency of Calls | 1 in 4 onsite/1 in 3 offsite |
Maternity Leave | 17 weeks, plus up to 78 weeks Parental Leave |
Provincial Health Insurance | 100% Premiums Paid |
Provincial Dues (% of salary) | 1.50% |
Extended Health Insurance | 100% Premiums Paid |
CMPA Dues Paid | Yes, mandatory |
Dental Plan | 100% Premiums Paid |
Statutory Holidays | 2x pay plus extra day with pay |
Long-Term Disability Insurance | Yes 100% Premiums Paid |
Sick Leave | Yes |
Life Insurance | 100% Premiums Paid |
Terms of Agreement April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2022
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