Highlights

  • The five-year innovative pilot program offers financial support for trainees entering the field of nephrology, focusing on individuals historically underrepresented in medicine.
  • ASN has committed $2,700,000 to reach those considering nephrology as a career. Six candidates selected in the second year of the program will each receive $50,000 over the course of three years toward the repayment of eligible student loans.
  • 37 million Americans are living with kidney diseases throughout the United States.
  • ASN is committed to dismantling systemic racism in nephrology and promoting equal opportunities for future nephrologists.

Washington, D.C. (September 12, 2022)— The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) is proud to announce Year 2 of its groundbreaking Loan Mitigation Program. Established in 2021, this program will provide financial support to six applicants pursuing a career in nephrology and provide each successful candidate with $50,000 to reduce their loan burden over three years. Year 2 awards will continue to center on individuals historically underrepresented in medicine, who, for this program, are defined as those who self-identify as African American/Black, Hispanic/Latinx, American Indian/Alaskan Native, and/or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander.

“The ASN Loan Mitigation Program will continue to enhance the opportunities for the many exceptional medical graduates who hope to pursue a career in nephrology to advance kidney care and find future cures for the 37 million Americans living with kidney diseases. ASN is committed to dismantling systemic racism in nephrology and promoting equal opportunities for future nephrologists as we advance our vision of a world without kidney diseases,” said ASN President Susan E. Quaggin, MD, FASN. 

The Association of American Medical Colleges defines “underrepresented in medicine” (UIM) as “those racial and ethnic populations that are underrepresented in the medical profession relative to their numbers in the general population” (1). Nephrology has a higher percentage of UIM fellows than most other internal medicine specialties, particularly cardiology, gastroenterology, hematology/oncology, pulmonary and critical care medicine, and rheumatology (2).

The application period for the second year of this pilot program opens September 12, 2022 and will close on October 7, 2022 For full details regarding eligibility or the application process, please visit American Society of Nephrology | Nephrology Training - Loan Mitigation Pilot Program.

To read more about how ASN is addressing systemic racism, please visit https://www.kidneynews.org/view/news/dismantling-systemic-racism-in-nephrology.xml.

References:

  1. Association of American Medical Colleges. Underrepresented in Medicine Accessed May 24, 2021.https://www.aamc.org/what-we-do/equity-diversity- inclusion/underrepresented-in-medicine
  2. Santhosh L, Babik JM. Trends in racial and ethnic diversity in internal medicine subspecialty fellowships from 2006 to 2018. JAMA Netw Open 2020; 3:e1920482.doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.20482

 

Since 1966, ASN has been leading the fight to prevent, treat, and cure kidney diseases throughout the world by educating health professionals and scientists, advancing research and innovation, communicating new knowledge, and advocating for the highest quality care for patients. ASN has more than 20,000 members representing 132 countries. For more information, visit www.asn-online.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

 

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