Nephrology Fellowship | Nephrology | Department of Internal Medicine | UC Davis Health

The University of California Davis Nephrology fellowship accepts 3 fellows each year, and all spots are filled through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) and its Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). Basic requirements include:

• Good standing in or completion of an ACGME or AOA/AACOM or equivalent Internal Medicine residency program at the time of application, and graduation of residency training by fellowship appointment date
• MyERAS common application and CV
• Personal statement
• Medical school transcripts
• 3-4 letters of recommendation, with 1 being from the residency program director
• Successful passage of USMLE steps 1, 2, and 3 (or COMLEX equivalents)
• Ability to obtain a California Medical License

UC Davis GME is able to sponsor J1 visas, yet not H1-B visas or visa transfers at this time.

Questions? Contact Samia Yunus, our Fellowship Coordinator.

• Nephrology Journal club: Alternating Tuesday mornings from 7:30a.m. to 8:30a.m.
• Nephrology Grand Rounds: Every Tuesday morning from 8:30a.m. to 9:30a.m.
• Fellows interactive case conference: Alternating Tuesday mornings from 7:30a.m. to 8:30a.m.
• Fellows didactic conference: Every Friday afternoon from 1:00p.m. to 2:00p.m.
• Fellows are expected to participate and have protected time for the above conferences.

Academic Weeks:

• ASN Kidney week: As part of our academic year, our division supports our 2nd year fellows to participate in the American Society of Nephrology annual meeting in late Fall. This includes attending the pre-conference courses and presenting their scholarly projects.
• Home Dialysis Academy of Excellence: Our division collaborates with Stanford Nephrology and Satellite Healthcare to offer our 2nd year fellows a comprehensive home dialysis training conference in early Fall.
• Intersession: Our division organizes a dedicated academic week in late Winter for our 1st year fellows to review essential nephrology physiologic topics and landmark studies in an engaging way.

Clinical fellows who have a scholarly area of interest are encouraged to tailor several weeks of elective experiences during their 2nd year. Examples of scholarly concentrations include glomerular disease, interventional nephrology, research and transplant. Fellows during these individualized tracks will spend time with a faculty mentor who is a content expert and participate in a scholarly project within that subfield of nephrology.

The education and training of future physicians and specialists are the key missions of the University of California system. Our fellows truly represent our legacy. At UC Davis, fellows are supportive of one another. Our faculty and staff are involved in their well-being.

Current Fellows

2024-2026
Destinee Hua, M.D.
Marielle Llamas, M.D.
Cody Mccoy, D.O.

2023–2025
Jack Luo, M.D.
Madhab Ray, M.D., M.S., M.B.A.
Sharmilee Vuyyuru, D.O.

Former Fellows

2022–2024
Andrea Broka, M.D. UC Davis Interventional Nephrology, Sacramento, CA
Juan Pablo Moreno–Ortiz, M.D. Arizona Kidney Disease & Hypertension Centers, Phoenix, AZ
Kristen Pietrzyk, M.D. Sierra Nevada Specialty Care, Reno, NV

2021–2023
Tram Dao, D.O. Arnot Ogden Medical Center, Elmira, NY
Keerat Dhatt, M.D. Stockton VA Medical Center, Stockton, CA
Jonathan Mowrey, M.D. Midwest Nephrology Consultants, Kansas City, MO

2020–2022
Saiyed Wajahat Ali, M.D. Southland Renal, Torrance, CA
Ruchika Chhibar, M.D. Kaiser Permanente, Fremont, CA
Nandakishor Kapa, M.D. UC Davis Health, Sacramento, CA

2019–2021
Alonso R. Diaz, M.D. Partners in Nephrology and Endocrinology, Pittsburgh, PA
Xiao (Mark) Ling, M.D. Nephrology Associates of Yakima, Yakima, WA
Huyen Nguyen, M.D. Sacramento VA Medical Center, Mather, CA

2018–2020
John H. Howard III, M.D.
Capitol Nephrology, Sacramento, CA
Tiana Jespersen Nizamic, M.D. Kootenai Health, Coeur d’Alene, ID
Nasim Wiegley, M.D. UC Davis Health, Sacramento, CA

2017–2019
Vishwa Sheth, M.D. San Joaquin Kidney Clinic, Stockton, CA
Joana (Maria) Thomas, M.D. Renal Care Consultants, Medford, OR
Priyanka Wani, M.D. Kaiser Permanente, San Jose, CA

2016–2018
Harleen Aujla, M.D. Merced Turlock Nephrology, Merced, CA
Anthony Iluyomade, M.D. Northeast Georgia Physicians Group, Toccoa, GA
Kevin Marquez, M.D. University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, SD

2015–2017
Justin Chen, M.D. LA Kidney Doctors, Pasadena, CA
Victoria Chung, M.D. Hoag Medical Group, Orange County, CA
Ernest Dytiapco, M.D. Central Coast Renal Care, San Luis Obispo, CA

2014–2016
Suresh Appasamy, M.D. UC Davis Health, Sacramento, CA
Kalyani Chandra, M.D. Kaiser Permanente, Sacramento, CA
Kristen Tamura, M.D. Maui Memorial Medical Center, Wailuku, HI

2013–2015
Paul Cespedes, M.D. Dallas Renal Group, Dallas, TX
Billy T. Hour, M.D. Kidney Consultants Medical Group, Santa Clarita, CA
Piangwarin (Pauline) Phaosawasdi, M.D. Solano Kidney, Vacaville, CA

2012–2014
Tuan A. Nguyen, M.D. Kaiser Permanente, Sacramento, CA
Ankur Sharma, M.D. Northcoast Nephrology Consultants, Joliet, IL
Jackson Wang, M.D. Summit Nephrology Medical Group, Roseville, CA

2011–2013
Don N. Chang, M.D. Summit Nephrology Medical Group, Roseville, CA
Golaun Odabaei, M.D. East Bay Nephrology Group, Berkeley, CA
Janet Y. Young, M.D. Sutter Delta Medical Center, Antioch, CA

2010–2012
Kumar Pannagasayanam Dinesh, M.D. Providence Health & Services, Portland, OR
Preeti R. Nargund, M.D. Kaiser Permanente, San Jose, CA
Maria Regina Valcarcel, M.D. Lutheran Health Network, Fort Wayne, IN

2009–2011
Abhinai Gupta, M.D. Augusta Nephrology Associates, Augusta, GA
Hiba Hamdan, M.D. UC Davis Health, Sacramento, CA
Jessie M. Piceno, M.D. Nevada Kidney Disease & Hypertension Center, Las Vegas, NV

2008–2010
William Chen, M.D. Kaiser Permanente, Irvine, CA
Sergio Infante, M.D. Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA
Mona Singh, M.D. Kaiser Permanente, San Diego, CA

2007–2009
Lana Kopilevich, M.D. Summit Nephrology, Roseville, CA
Akhenaton Pappoe, M.D. Pomona Valley Hospital, Pomona, CA
Michel Zakari, M.D. Glendale Memorial Hospital, Glendale, CA

2006–2008
Janeline Daubert, M.D. Kaiser Permanente, Sacramento, CA
Annie Yu, M.D. Kaiser Permanente, Roseville, CA
Franklin E. Yuan, M.D. Kaiser Permanente, Roseville, CA

2005–2007
Stephen Lui, M.D. Los Angeles Renal Specialists, Lynwood, CA
Janina Nylk, M.D. Renown Medical Group, Reno, NV
William Raffo, M.D. Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Palo Alto, CA

2004–2006
James Madison, D.O. Tahlequah City Hospital, Tahlequah, OK
Jose Morfin, M.D. UC Davis Health, Sacramento, CA
Michael T. Sim, M.D. UC Davis Health, Sacramento, CA

The UC Davis School of Medicine ranks among the nation’s leading medical schools for National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding, including over $200 million in NIH grants. Research in the UC Davis Division of Nephrology include works on molecular mechanisms and clinical outcomes in diabetic nephropathy, mechanisms of renal fibrosis and injury, mitochondrial dysfunction in chronic kidney disease and inflammation, clinical outcomes and health disparities in ESKD patients, and molecular mechanisms of renal cell cancer among many other ongoing projects.

Our fellows are actively involved in scholarly projects and publications. They are expected to present their work at the annual ASN conference. Fellows have also contributed to publications, book chapters, online medical education resources, and review articles among many other opportunities.

Each rotation in our fellowship program is 2 weeks in duration. We have found that 2 weeks provides the best balance between continuity, workload, education and diversity over the year.

• UC Inpatient Consultation Service: 2 fellows are assigned, each working one-on-one with a faculty attending. Residents and medical students are usually part of the team. Fellows alternate admission days and pick up patients from our night float system. Fellows do not take night weekday call on the University inpatient consultation rotation. Weekends are split amongst all fellows in the program. The total teaching service census ranges from 25-40 patients, with overflow picked up by faculty on service. Clinical exposure will include all modalities of kidney replacement therapy (HD, SLED, CRRT, PUF and PD), and a wide breadth of acute and chronic pathology within a diverse patient population.
• VA Inpatient Consultation and Outpatient Service: There is 1 fellow at the VA for working with the VA faculty nephrologists. The census averages 8-12 patients. The fellows do not take weekend or night calls for the VA. During this block, fellows will participate in the VA renal clinics on Monday and Tuesday afternoons. Fellows also have 1 half-day of UC continuity clinic each week.
• Transplant Nephrology: There is 1 fellow on transplant who works alongside the transplant nephrology fellow and transplant faculty. Fellows will have 2 half-days of transplant clinic weekly, along with their 1 half-day of UC continuity clinic. Fellows do not take weekend or night calls for transplant.
• Interventional Nephrology: Fellows work with our interventional nephrologists at the University hospital, placing catheters (both temporary and tunneled) as well as participating in angiogram and angioplasty procedures related to hemodialysis vascular accesses. Fellows also have 1 half-day of UC continuity clinic each week.
• Night Float: A fellow is on weeknight University calls from home Monday-Thursday, except for holiday weekdays, between 5 pm and 6 am the following morning. Fellows have a half-day UC continuity clinic and a half-day VA clinic during the week.
• Outpatient Dialysis: A fellow on outpatient dialysis is supervised by a core group of faculty at community in-center HD clinics as well as home dialysis clinics (PD and home HD). The focus is on management of new start as well as stable dialysis patients in a multidisciplinary setting. There are some dedicated half-days for covering a structured dialysis curriculum, wellness, and other scholarly activities during this time. Fellows also have 1 half-day of UC continuity clinic each week.
• Individualized Learning Tracks: In the second year, fellows have an opportunity to dedicate several weeks to a scholarly field of interest. Individualized learning tracks can be customized in the following areas:
  • Glomerular Disease
  • Interventional Nephrology
  • Transplant
  • Research
  These tailored learning tracks allow interested fellows to focus on specific fields and enhance their expertise in these specialized areas.
• Apheresis: Apheresis experience is courtesy of the Department of Pathology, which runs this service at UC Davis. Prior fellows have requested this experience as many have joined practices where nephrologists oversee apheresis.

The annual salary for PGY4, PGY5, and PGY6 fellows for academic year 2022-2023 is $83048, $86164, and $89112, respectively. Additional financial compensation includes an annual meal fund of approximately $2400 an education fund of $1000, and a relocation stipend of $1100. UC Davis will cover the cost of a CA medical license. Active clinical fellows are eligible for coverage in the University of California medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance plans. You can also cover your spouse or domestic partner and dependent children up to age 26 in medical, dental and vision coverage. The University of California pays the entire cost of coverage for you and your enrolled dependents. For more information, please visit the UC Davis Graduate Medical Education website.

A sample schedule for the year is shown below. Fellows only cover UC inpatient consult on weekends. Fellows do not cover the VA inpatient service or the UC transplant service on weekends. Schedules may vary slightly from fellow to fellow depending on requested experience.

• Approximate average weeks per year
• 18 weeks UC Inpatient Consultation
• 8 weeks Night Float
• 6-8 weeks Outpatient Dialysis / Interventional Nephrology
• 4 weeks Transplant
• 4 weeks VA Inpatient Consultation and Outpatient
• 4 weeks Research
• 2 weeks Apheresis
• 4 weeks Vacation

UC Davis Medical Center

The main hub of fellowship training is at UC Davis Medical Center located in urban Sacramento. This includes the inpatient consultation service and transplant nephrology rotations. A new, state-of-the-art 12 bay dialysis unit located in the heart of the hospital allows dialysis care for ward patients requiring renal replacement therapy. Fellows have an adjacent dedicated workspace that allows for team rounds with attendings, residents and students, extensive resources including their own microscope for urine analyses, and a nephrology point of care ultrasound. Multimedia options are available in the workspace for teaching and educational options.

Additional rotations on the University medical campus include interventional nephrology, transplant nephrology and apheresis among other academic experiences.

The fellows have continuity renal clinic in the adjacent ambulatory care clinic.

Veterans Affairs Medical Center

The VA Mather Field Medical Center is located 11 miles east of the University hospital. Fellows have multiple weeks per year at the VA with both inpatient and ambulatory experience. Renal clinic at the VA is also part of the ambulatory experience.

Community Dialysis Clinics

Our fellowship emphasizes home dialysis. Much of the exposure to peritoneal dialysis and home hemodialysis takes place in the home training programs run by various dialysis providers. UC Davis nephrologists are medical directors for several of these dialysis clinics. Fellows will participate in rounds and additionally when available sit in on administrative meetings to understand the role of the medical director in running a dialysis clinic.

Our division values and promotes the wellness of our fellows. Wellness days can be found on Interventional Nephrology, Outpatient Dialysis, and Elective rotations where fellows can take personal time, any way they see fit, without duty requirements.

Our division also fosters a supportive and friendly environment for fellows, faculty, and staff. We host regular events such as fellow dinners, outings, and holiday activities to enhance camaraderie and teamwork.

UC Davis Graduate Medical Education has additional information on trainee wellness.

• Housestaff Wellness Committee
• UC Davis Medical Staff Wellness Resources