Last June, you all met Taya, one of AMM's Kenan Urban Scholars. During her time at AMM, she focused on improving AMM’s referral process to nephrologists while shadowing Dr. Burkett.
Since then, Taya has finished preclinical classes at the UNC School of Medicine, taken the first board exam in medical training, and has started year three of medical school. Taya has also had the amazing opportunity to present her research from her time at AMM at the 2026 National Kidney Foundation Spring Clinicals in New Orleans, Louisiana, as well as have her abstract published in the May issue of the American Journal of Kidney Diseases.
We recently had a chance to ask Taya a few questions about her research and medical school experience since her time at AMM.
What have you been doing since you finished your time at AMM?
“Since my time at AMM, I finished up my preclinical classes at the UNC School of Medicine in December 2025. I then went on to prepare for STEP 1, the first board exam in medical training, which I took in February of this year. After a short break, I transitioned into my third year of medical school in March, which is referred to as the clerkship year. I will spend this year rotating through various medical specialties at WakeMed in Raleigh, developing my skills in clinically assessing, diagnosing, and treating patients. I will rotate through the following specialties during this year: OB-GYN, psychiatry, internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, and community-based primary care. “
How were you chosen to present at the recent conference/what is that process like?
“In the fall last year, one of my long-time mentors and principal investigator on dialysis research I conduct, Dr. Jenny Flythe, encouraged me to develop an abstract for my work at Alliance Medical Ministry. I presented my abstract draft to Dr. Burkett and incorporated his feedback into the final version! I then submitted my abstract to the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) for an opportunity to be published in the May issue of the American Journal of Kidney Diseases (AJKD) and create and present a poster at the spring conference. I was 1 of 644 authors who had the opportunity to share their work at the 2026 NKF Spring Clinicals in New Orleans, Louisiana, on May 7, 2026.”
Tell me about your research.
“I learned that the average wait time for an AMM patient to complete their nephrology referrals is about 10 months, but Project Access, the nonprofit program that connects uninsured individuals with donated healthcare services, referrals are only valid for 6 months and then must be renewed. This adds to the challenges in assuring patients are evaluated by a nephrologist in a timely manner. About 30% of AMM patients require multiple referrals before they receive nephrology care. Barriers beyond the short period of Project Access validity include transportation and the inability to take time off work, amongst many others.
I was most surprised by the lack of investment from local nephrologists to volunteer at clinics like AMM. While a cardiologist and OB-GYN volunteer at AMM periodically, I see a lot of utility in having a volunteer nephrologist join that lineup. We know that investing in the most vulnerable populations, from housing solutions to health education are effective measures to keep patients out of the hospital and overall improve the health of this community and cut healthcare spending with fewer preventable hospitalizations. As an aspiring nephrologist dedicated to serving the triangle, I hope to one day serve as a volunteer nephrologist.
We conducted a review of the AMM electronic health record from 2020 to 2025 to identify patients referred for nephrology consultation. Inclusion criteria included the presence of chronic kidney disease (defined as elevated serum creatinine or proteinuria) and an AMM-initiated referral to nephrology. Time from referral to completed nephrology visit was calculated. We evaluated referred patients for SGLT2-i prescription eligibility (diabetes and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥20 mL/minute/1.73 m2 and albuminuria).”
How did your presentation go?
“Presenting at the NKF Spring Clinicals was such an exciting experience. To share my passion for improving nephrology care in uninsured patient populations with nephrologists and researchers from all over the country and the world was special. Meeting other like minds in the field who share a similar passion and also see value in serving this population more effectively.”
What was the most exciting part of presenting at a conference?
“The most exciting part of the conference was getting to learn from other researchers in the field of nephrology, especially those working in niches very different from that of my own. Conferences are a wonderful place to grow new ideas and challenge pre-existing beliefs, ultimately becoming a more well-rounded doctor-in-training.”
Any other aspects that you want to share?
“As a first-generation college student, I couldn’t have made it this far in my professional journey without mentorship and community. I want to give a big thank you to the Kenan Urban Scholars program, Alliance Medical Ministry, and the UNC Kidney Center for supporting me in my endeavors to improve nephrology care for all.”