American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Commits $2,700,000 to Its New Loan Mitigation Pilot Program Focused on Building Excellence in Nephrology

Highlights

• The five-year innovative pilot program offers financial support for trainees entering the field of nephrology, focusing on individuals historically underrepresented in medicine.
• Six candidates selected in the first year of the program will each receive $50,000 over the course of three years toward the repayment of eligible student loans.

Newswise — Washington, D.C. (June 16, 2021)— ASN is proud to announce the launch of a groundbreaking Loan Mitigation Pilot Program. This program will fund six applicants and provide each successful candidate $50,000 to reduce their loan burden over three years. Year 1 awards will 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.

 “This exciting ASN program will enhance the opportunities for the many talented medical graduates who hope to pursue a career in nephrology. ASN is thrilled to be able to offset the loan burden of those who will create future cures for the millions of people who live with kidney diseases. I am very grateful to the members of the ASN Loan Mitigation Pilot Program Task Force for the expertise, insights, and countless hours they devoted to shaping this amazing opportunity.” 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).

“I’m honored to chair the ASN Loan Mitigation Task Force. As a Black nephrologist, I understand the challenges trainees face as they pursue a career in medicine.  I feel strongly about promoting diversity within the nephrology community and providing opportunities to those individuals who are historically underrepresented in medicine.” said Nwamaka Eneanya, MD, MPH, FASN.

The application period for the first year of this pilot program opens June 16, 2021 and will close on July 28, 2021.  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 Definition. 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 21,000 members representing 131 countries. For more information, visit www.asn-online.org.

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