Graduating nephrologists perceived improvements in job markets close to their training institutes, and an increasing majority of nephrology fellows would recommend the specialty. These are two of the key insights from an analysis of the 2019 ASN Nephrology Fellow Survey responses released on October 28, 2019. The report, 2019 Nephrology Fellow Survey—Results and Insights, authored by principal investigator Stephen M. Sozio, MD, MHS, MEHP, of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and members of the ASN Data Subcommittee is available online at http://www.asn-online.org/workforce .

This year’s survey expands upon previous work conducted by the George Washington University Health Workforce Institute. In concert with the new principal investigator, Dr. Sozio, the ASN Data Subcommittee (Table 1) shepherded the research through redesign and piloting to testing and dissemination. “We are grateful to the 498 participating fellows who contributed their insights this year,” said Dr. Sozio. He also acknowledged the substantial work by training program directors (TPDs), associate TPDs (APDs), and nephrology program coordinators to encourage their fellows’ participation which led to the highest response rate in its history—50.2%.

“For the first time in the survey’s history we are able to capture more granular compensation data,” noted Dr. Sozio. “The median base starting salary reported by respondents who accepted a job was $190,000 before incentives. However, there are gender imbalances that need further investigation.” Women respondents who had accepted a position reported median base salaries before incentives of $175,000 compared with $200,000 for their male colleagues.

Among the key takeaways, are the following:

• The median expected base salary (before incentives) of graduating fellows was $190,000.
• Fellows actually ranked multiple work-life factors above salary when selecting their first post-graduate job, including call and vacation schedule, geographic location, spouse/partner job offers, and potential mentors.
• Although perceptions of local and national nephrology job market continue to improve, 35% of respondents still report dissatisfaction with opportunities near their training location.
• An increasing majority of nephrology fellows would recommend the specialty (from 72% in 2014 to 80% in 2019).
   

Dr. Sozio pointed to signs of initial successes for ASN initiatives to increase nephology interest, with 32% of respondents having participated in at least one ASN program (for example, ASN Kidney TREKS or ASN Kidney STARS). “The society’s efforts to foster the next generation of kidney health professionals, strengthen the nephrology pipeline, and reinvigorate our specialty rely on the data and insights gathered in the ASN Nephrology Fellow Survey and other workforce research initiatives,” said ASN President Mark E. Rosenberg, MD, FASN.

Readers are encouraged to share their feedback and questions by emailing workforce@asn-online.org .

Table 1: ASN Data Subcommittee Members

Stephen M. Sozio, MD, MHS, MEHP Chair

Suzanne Boyle, MD, MSCE

Lili Chan, MD, MS

Ali Mehdi, MD

Sayna Norouzi, MD

Shamir Tuchman, MD, MPH

Joshua Waitzman, MD, PhD

Kelsea McDyre, MS ASN Staff

Kurtis Pivert ASN Staff