Author: Meghan McLaughlin, Interviewing Current KDSAP President: Amy Yang
The University of Alabama at Birmingham is home to many students who want to make a difference. Some of these students have turned to a program called The Kidney Disease Screening and Awareness Program, or KDSAP. Their mission is to bring kidney disease screenings and education to the underserved population in the Greater Birmingham Area. The organization is one of the only student-run undergraduate organizations that allows students to get clinical experiences. Students plan and manage the entire screening event, they collaborate with engaged clinicians, community partners, and other student groups to make the largest impact. Kidney disease is known as a silent disease and is often caught too late, but KDSAP is trying to change that (KDSAP). KDSAP screenings look at indicators such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and urinalysis to see patient’s kidney functions and risks. Many of the screening participants do not realize that they have these health problems due to a lack of health insurance or a primary care provider.
The UAB chapter launched in 2019, with the first screening in March 2020, under the leadership of Saakshi Thukral, with the support of faculty in the Division of Nephrology in UAB’s Heersink School of Medicine and School of Public Health. Screenings had to halt briefly during the COVID-19 pandemic and have successfully returned. This past semester, KDSAP hosted four screenings through Blazer Kitchen and local homeless shelters. This was the most productive screening semester to date. The organization is continuing to grow and is planning more screenings. KDSAP Faculty Mentor, Dr. Taka Saigusa has been a true champion in his leadership with KDSAP and the clinician volunteers have been an invaluable service in the screenings. In addition, KDSAP leadership is beginning work with the Hispanic Immigration Center of Alabama and the Latin Medical Student Association to bring their screenings to a wider audience, benefitting both the students and the community.
UAB’s chapter of KDSAP also holds career development and social events. Last semester, they held a suture workshop led by a resident physician of a local hospital. He taught students basic suturing techniques and talked to students about his experiences as a doctor and in the operating room. KDSAP also held a student panel of current medical students to talk about their experiences. KDSAP plans on continuing to host events like this in the future, aiding students in learning about the medical field and the experiences of people currently in it.
The Kidney Disease Screening and Awareness Program is a national program that started at Harvard College in 2008 and has programs all over the United States. Their main goals are community outreach and student career development. This program helps students learn about issues that affect
underserved populations and gain clinical experience. The chapter at UAB started in 2019 and has continued to grow throughout the years leading it to become what it is now.
If you want to learn more about kidney disease and its impact on local communities, please visit – National Kidney Foundation and the Kidney Disease Screening and Awareness Program website.
Want to start a local KDSAP Chapter? Find information here.
Other ways UAB and KUH PRIME are engaging in Kidney Outreach through the Alabama Kidney Foundation’s annual walk and participate through Team UAB!