@colleenyoung Thank you for tagging me in to this conversation!

@codered032 I have been a kidney patient for a number of years, and have had several nephrologists. What I have to say is only my experience. You have to feel confident that the medical team working with you has your best interest at heart. Now, that may come from a teaching hospital, a university-connected hospital, or a well-known medical institute. My first nephrologist was connected to the HMO I was a patient in, and he was really good, not worrying if he stepped outside of the guidelines they gave him to follow. When he left the system to go on his own, I followed him. Eventually I changed to another nephrologist who was also very good, and helped me at the start of my current health issues. When I moved 800 miles, the next one was not as interested in my complicated case, and I switched to another dr in his same practice. She is my current dr, and shares my vision for this case I have.

I am not a patient of Mayo Clinic. My oncologist was trained and did his residency at Mayo Clinic [Rochester, MN]. During my years as a patient, what was important was to research your medical team, "interview" them if you feel the need to [to see if they fit what your vision is for care], be an active participant in your own healthcare, and speak up when you feel you have something to address.

Good luck, and I'll be waiting to hear what you have to share with me!
Ginger