UPMC Children's Nephrology Division Holds First Annual Renal Retreat

On May 25, 2023, the Division of Pediatric Nephrology at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh convened for its first annual renal retreat. The entire Division gathered for a day of discussions about the Division’s mission and vision, its ongoing clinical, educational and research work, and to exchange ideas and collaborate with colleagues on ways to improve patient care and other aspects of mission of the Division.

The retreat began with an introduction that laid out the division's vision and provided an overview of its core areas by chief, Jacqueline Ho, MD, MS.

Small group breakout sessions led by divisional members focused on clinical care, research, and educational priorities. The clinical breakout session facilitated in-depth discussions on a variety of topics including inpatient and outpatient clinic scheduling, telemedicine, clinical research, quality initiatives, and faculty development opportunities. The Education breakout explored fellowship integration, staff wellness, and trainee engagement, while the Research session focused on planning for a future Pediatric Nephrology Center of Excellence and the integration of clinical and basic science interests across the investigators in the division. 

The retreat also featured a Poster Session that provided the opportunity for informal sharing of current research and clinical improvement initiatives.

One of the outcomes of the retreat was the creation of a new, formalized mission statement for the Division:

To provide excellence in patient care for children with kidney disease in our community through training kidney researchers and pediatric nephrologists, and leading research in innovative approaches to nephrology.