Training and Resources
Develop your knowledge, prepare for key milestones and explore opportunities beyond day-to-day clinical training. From webinars and online learning to ESENeph support and research fellowships, the UK Specialty Renal Trainees group helps you make the most of your training.
Education
The Advanced Nephrology Course (ANC), serves as a cornerstone in the education of nephrology trainees both in the UK and internationally, offering a comprehensive platform for learning and skill enhancement. Particularly beneficial for those preparing for specialist clinical exams (SCE) in nephrology, as well as consultants seeking to stay updated in the field, the ANC has garnered a reputation as a prestigious annual event that fosters expertise and excellence.
In the UK, the European Specialty Examination in Nephrology is the General Medical Council approved mandatory summative assessment of knowledge for trainees in Renal Medicine as part of the requirement for the award of a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) and therefore entry onto the Specialist Register.
The UKKA supports nephrology trainees preparing for the ESENeph through dedicated revision events. Complementing the Advanced Nephrology Course, the ESENeph Revision Day provides focused teaching on key curriculum topics, exam technique and revision, helping trainees prepare with confidence.
Build your knowledge with the UKKA Education Hub, featuring expert-led courses, webinars and eLearning covering AKI, CKD, glomerular disease, diabetes, psychosocial care, vascular access and more.
Our webinar series is delivered by trainees for trainees, with expert nephrologists chairing each session. Held every two months, the programme covers topics chosen in response to trainee feedback, including clinical cases, histopathology, journal clubs, ePortfolio management, ESENeph preparation and other areas relevant to higher specialty training.
Opportunities
NEPHwork is an SpR-driven national audit and research network supported by the UK Kidney Association and the UK Renal Registry
Established in 2019, NEPHwork brings nephrology trainees together to deliver multicentre audit and research projects that improve kidney care across the UK. Previous projects include a national audit of AKI care and IGNITE, a national audit of kidney biopsy practice and complications. The collaborative is currently recruiting centres to BK-UK, a national audit of clinical practice and outcomes in BK polyomavirus infection following kidney transplantation.
Whether you are interested in research, quality improvement or collaborative working, NEPHwork is an excellent opportunity to gain experience, contribute to national projects and work alongside trainees from across the UK.
The Francis Crick Institute offers Postdoctoral Clinical Fellowships for clinicians who have completed (or are completing) a PhD and wish to build their research career. The fellowships provide one year of full-time (or two years part-time) postdoctoral research within a Crick research group, alongside mentorship, career development and support for future fellowship applications.
A number of fully funded fellowships are available each year, including a partnership with Kidney Research UK for clinicians undertaking research focused on the early diagnosis, prevention or treatment of kidney disease.
Applications for the next funding round are expected to open in March 2027.
Resources
NephJC is a free, international online journal club that helps clinicians stay up to date with the latest nephrology research. Each discussion focuses on a recently published paper, guideline or major clinical trial, with expert summaries, visual abstracts and live discussions that explore how the findings may influence clinical practice. It also produces podcasts and educational content to help make new evidence accessible to the wider kidney community.
The Renal Fellow Network is a free online educational resource created by nephrologists for nephrology trainees. It publishes regular articles on clinical topics, landmark papers, physiology, pathology, clinical cases and exam revision, alongside practical advice for trainees and early-career nephrologists. Since 2018, it has been supported by the American Society of Nephrology and has become one of the most widely used online learning resources in nephrology.
The AJKD Blog is the online educational companion to the American Journal of Kidney Diseases (AJKD), providing accessible summaries and discussion of important developments in nephrology. Content includes author interviews, expert commentary, educational articles and coverage of major kidney meetings, helping clinicians keep up to date with the latest evidence and clinical practice.
The blog is also home to NephMadness, an annual educational competition inspired by the NCAA basketball tournament. Through themed brackets and expert commentary, participants compare and debate key concepts, research and controversies in nephrology in an engaging and interactive format.