NephMadness has begun! Submit your 2025 NephMadness picks here.
We’ll review some NephMadness basics below and leak our picks for this year.
What is NephMadness?
NephMadness is an educational game played out across social media, modeled after the US college basketball tournament March Madness. Instead of basketball teams, 8 main nephrology topics (REGIONS) with 2 subtopics (TEAMS) in nephrology are pitted against each other. Winners are chosen by a Blue Ribbon Panel of experts. Participants submit their picks and brackets starting March 1st. After the bracket submission period ends on March 31st, the effluent 8, filtered 4, finalists and ultimately NephMadness champion will be sequentially revealed. The NephMadness champion will be crowned on April 8th.
- How do I decide who wins in my bracket?
Read the “Scouting Report” posts on AJKD blog on each topic written by experts in the field that are an in-depth, referenced review of the topics. Then, decide which topic you think should move on to the next round. Still can’t decide? Flip a coin or try to predict how the Blue Ribbon Panel might vote. Take a look at our bracket above and how we got to our champion, In Natural disasters. This years challengers are:
Here are the 8 main nephrology topics (REGIONS) with 4 subtopics (TEAMS) in the tournament.
- Resistant Hypertension: Renal Denervation versus Novel Drugs for Hypertension
Selection Committee Member: Jordana Cohen @jordy_bc — @jordybc.bsky.social
Writer: Stephanie Torres Rodriguez @stephanietr612 — @stephanietr612.bsky.social - Disaster Nephrology: Kidney Care in Natural Disasters versus Kidney Care in Conflicts
Selection Committee Member: Mehmet Sever
Writer: Rasha Raslan - Genetics: Genetics in FSGS versus Genetic Counseling
Selection Committee Member: Jordan Nestor @thenestor.bsky.social
Writer: Matt Gross - CAR-T for Kidney Disease: CAR-T for Autoimmune Disease versus CAR-T Side Effects
Selection Committee Member: Jeffrey Sparks @jeffsparks — @jeffsparks.bsky.social
Writer: Yara Mouawad - Hemodialysis: Hemodiafiltration versus Incremental Dialysis
Selection Committee Member: Mariana Murea @MarianaMurea
Writer: Mansi Bapat - Green House: Tubular Toxins versus Oxalate Offenders
Selection Committee Member: Linda Awdishu @LAwdishu — @lawdishu.bsky.social
Writers: Ethan Downes, Rachel Khan @RFluriePharmD - Obesity in Kidney Transplant: Obesity in Kidney Transplant Donors versus Obesity in Kidney Transplant Recipients
Selection Committee Members: Swee-Ling Levea @SweeLevea, Babak Orandi
Writers: Alissa Ice, Trevor Stevens - Minimal Change Disease: Minimal Change Disease Pathogenesis and Diagnosis versus Minimal Change Disease Relapse
Selection Committee Member: Susan Samuel @drsusansamuel
Writers: Mallory Downie @mallorydownie, Robert Myette @RobertMyette
- What do I do after I submit my bracket?
Get involved in the conversation on Bluesky and follow the hashtag #NephMadness. Support your picks, share your thoughts, and learn something! Not happy with how the Blue Ribbon Panel voted? Try the hashtag #BlueRibbonFail.
- Are there prizes?
Yes! Grand Prizes for Top Overall Score, Top Medical Student Score, Top Resident Score, Top Fellow Score, and Top Attending Score
- Can I submit multiple brackets?
Yes! For example, you may submit an individual bracket and one with your fellowship program (and then another if you want!)
Ready to play? Register and start filling out your bracket! You’ll have until March 31st 2025 to finalize and submit your picks. Who’s your champion?
See you out on the “court”!
RFN Editors: Arrsh Bajaj, M.D and Srinath Yadlapalli, M.D
Reviewed by: Samira Farouk, M.D, Matthew A. Sparks, M.D
