For educational use only — Not for clinical decision-making without independent verification. DPT edition: decision support, not prescribing guidance.
Medical Associates  ·  Department of Nephrology  ·  Nephrology for DPT Students ← Student Handouts
Urine Nephrology Now · Specialty Track

Nephrology for Doctor of Physical Therapy Students

A small specialty track of nephrology content for Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students. Used in Andy's lectures for the Clarke University DPT Program and cross-referenced in selected UDPA PA lectures. Every module is written for the clinical context DPT students actually work in — what to watch for, what to teach, and when to escalate — rather than the medical-student diagnostic workup. For the broader PA and medical-student nephrology curriculum, see the main Lecture Series.

5 Full Lectures
6 Handouts
5 Case Studies
Andrew Bland, MD, FACP, FAAP Clarke University Doctor of Physical Therapy Program (content cross-referenced in UDPA PA lectures)

How this curriculum is organized

Three formats, one curriculum. Full lectures are 45–60 minute case-driven HTML walkthroughs with learning objectives, check-your-understanding questions, and PubMed-cited evidence — use them for coursework and self-study. Printable handouts are 20–30 minute quick-references for clinical rotation, organized for scanning and teach-backs. Case studies are interactive clinical vignettes with progressive disclosure — use them to practice the reasoning in patient-facing scenarios.

Jump to: Lectures  ·  Handouts  ·  Case Studies

📖 Full Lectures

Case-driven lectures with learning objectives, check-your-understanding questions, and PubMed-cited evidence — built for DPT coursework and self-study. Each lecture runs 45–60 minutes with four case vignettes and ten MCQs.

Module 1 · Full Lecture Hydration & the "Pushing Water" Question

When more water helps. When more water harms. The two-axis framework (tonicity vs volume), seven high-risk populations, exercise-associated hyponatremia, and five patient-teaching scripts.

45–60 min4 cases10 MCQs
Module 2 · Full Lecture High-Salt Foods & the Tonicity-Decoupling Framework

Why sports drinks fail the ICU test. Tonicity vs osmolality, the free-water ceiling, the master replacement table, and the six less-salt override populations.

45–60 min4 cases10 MCQs
Module 3 · Full Lecture Protein, Kidneys, and the Rehab Patient

PROT-AGE targets, the per-meal rule (Moore 2015), the CKD→ESRD reversal, and the sarcopenia toolkit — protein plus resistance training plus creatine.

45–60 min4 cases10 MCQs
Module 4 · Full Lecture Creatine Supplementation

Why creatine raises serum creatinine without hurting the kidney — the Gualano 51Cr-EDTA proof, the Chilibeck 1.37-kg sarcopenia benefit, and AIN recognition.

45–60 min4 cases10 MCQs
Module 5 · Full Lecture NSAIDs & Pain Management

The triple whammy (Lapi 2013), three renal harms, eight high-risk populations, and the Voltaren-gel + lidocaine-patch + percussion-massage bundle.

45–60 min4 cases10 MCQs
Module 6 · In Queue GLP-1 Receptor Agonists

Full lecture pending. The printable handout for Module 6 is already live — see the Handouts section below.

Coming soon

🖨️ Printable Handouts

Quick-reference handouts built for clinical rotation — tables, red flags, patient-teaching scripts, and escalation criteria in a scannable format. Print or load on a phone.

Module 1 · Handout Hydration & the "Pushing Water" Question

Two-axis framework, population guidance table, EAH red flags, and five patient-teaching scripts.

20 min read Printable
Module 2 · Handout High-Salt Foods & the Tonicity-Decoupling Framework

Sodium-content reference, tonicity-decoupling framework, and when to pair salt with plain water instead of reaching for a sports drink.

Printable
Module 3 · Handout Protein, Kidneys, and the Rehab Patient

Protein targets by population, sarcopenia-plus-CKD guidance, and when the rehab protein push crosses into harm.

Printable
Module 4 · Handout Creatine Supplementation

The creatinine-vs-kidney-function distinction, cystatin C, and what to tell patients whose PCP wants to stop creatine after a lab draw.

Printable
Module 5 · Handout NSAIDs & Pain Management

High-risk populations, the triple-whammy pattern, topical and non-NSAID alternatives, and sick-day rules.

Printable
Module 6 · Handout GLP-1 Receptor Agonists

Mechanism, cardiorenal evidence (FLOW), muscle-mass considerations during rapid weight loss, and the clinical teaching frame.

Printable

🩺 Case Studies

Interactive 45–60 minute case studies — patient vignette, progressive disclosure, clinical reasoning, and cross-links to pharmacology and cardiorenal content. Use these to practice the judgments the handouts and lectures teach.

Case 26 Beta Blockers in the Cardiac-Rehab Patient

HR isn't the target. RPE is. And never tell them to stop. Four-agent quartet reasoning for carvedilol, metoprolol, bisoprolol, and atenolol.

45–60 min Cardiac rehab
Case 27 SGLT2 Inhibitors in the Post-Op HFpEF Patient

Peri-op holds, euglycemic DKA, and why you don't just tell the patient to stop.

45–60 min Peri-op
Case 28 Diuretics in the Exercising Cardiac-Rehab Patient

Volume, electrolytes, orthostasis — every visit, every patient.

45–60 min Cardiac rehab
Case 29 ACEi / ARB / ARNI — RAAS Blockade

Hyperkalemia, cough, angioedema, peri-op holds — and why exercise hemodynamics shift.

45–60 min RAAS
Case 30 RAAS + Diuretic + Heat — Orthostasis

The summer cardiac-rehab stack: lisinopril + furosemide + sweat loss. Recognize, intervene, teach.

45–60 min Triple Whammy
Cases Index Open the full case-studies index →

DPT-scoped cases page with subtitles, tags, and cross-links back to lectures and handouts.

All 5 cases

Related Resources

Foundation Renal Physiology — Student Handout

The filtration, transport, and regulation primer that underlies this DPT track (and the main nephrology curriculum).

Deep Dive Sodium Disorders Deep-Dive

Hyponatremia, hypernatremia, SIADH — the PA-program-depth reference behind Module 1.

Deep Dive Edema & Fluid Overload

Circulation-cycle pathophysiology and diuretic strategy for CHF/CKD patients seen in cardiac rehab.