New undergraduate organization provides free kidney disease screenings

The Virginia Tech chapter of the Kidney Disease Screening and Awareness Program recently reached a major milestone with its first local screening event for chronic kidney disease, the ninth leading cause of death in the United States.

At the event held at Warm Hearth Village in October, undergraduates worked with national experts and local physicians to provide free kidney health assessments and education on chronic kidney disease to 39 participants. The screening marked the official launch of the Virginia Tech chapter of the organization, which aims to increase awareness of kidney disease, provide preventative health care to underserved and at-risk populations in the New River Valley, and foster student career development in medicine.

“Our goal is to create a positive, measurable difference in people's lives, especially in addressing kidney disease—a silent threat often undetected until it’s advanced,” said Sachin Gandhi, a senior in clinical neuroscience and vice president of clinical operations for the Virginia Tech chapter.

Bridging health care and community service

The three-day event, two years in the making, provided a comprehensive learning and hands-on experience for students. Li-Li Hsiao, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and the Kidney Disease Screening and Awareness Program's founder, and Jane Kuo, the program's national coordinator, were on site to train students on the practical skills needed for screenings, including operating urinalysis machines, measuring blood pressure, and testing blood glucose levels.

The Kidney Disease Screening and Awareness Program is a valuable community resource, Hsiao said, because for people with limited access to health care, its screening might be one of their only opportunities to receive care. Unlike other free health screening initiatives that may rely on handheld dipsticks, the program's screening protocol uses urinalysis machines to conduct comprehensive tests, including a 10SG general panel and a MAC (microalbumin-to-creatinine ratio) test that detects albuminuria — a key marker for kidney disease.

Barbara Gillespie, a nephrologist from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, spoke to students about kidney health, current advancements in kidney research, and advice on the medical school admissions process.

On the final day, students applied their training by screening 39 participants, each of whom received a consultation with either Hsiao or Gillespie for guidance on treatment options and next steps.

“We're learning about chronic kidney disease and its effects firsthand but also training students and volunteers to get hands-on clinical experience,” said Aryan Bangalore, a senior in clinical neuroscience and vice president of health education for the Virginia Tech chapter. “We hope to be able to give students, especially those interested in going into health care, the chance to serve our community in a meaningful way while building the skills and confidence they’ll need in their future careers.”

From vision to action

Soham Desai, a senior in nanomedicine and president of the Virginia Tech chapter, started the group with Gandhi and Bangalore after seeing a social media post from a chapter at another college. That prompted him to research the lack of access to screenings for chronic kidney disease in the New River Valley.

Desai, then enrolled in the Careers in Medicine class through Health Professions Advising in Career and Professional Development, shared the idea for the screening event with Susan Meacham, career advisor for Health Professions Advising, because of her experience in community outreach and influence in the local community. Meacham offered information about how and where to connect with local contacts where likely participants could be recruited.

For example, the location of the first screening at Warm Hearth Village allowed Kidney Disease Screening and Awareness Program members to focus on a geriatric population that often faces a higher prevalence of conditions such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes — all risk factors for kidney disease. They plan to return to offer screenings multiple times a year, a commitment that reflects their dedication to building a lasting impact. 

“Our first screening was a powerful reminder of the impact preventative health care can have within our community,” said Desai. “Many participants shared that they and their peers were unaware of such screening measures, especially considering how many are affected by comorbidities like diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. This reinforced our incredible team’s commitment to keep improving and expanding the reach of these screenings to better support our community’s health needs.”

Written by Savannah Gentry, intern for Career and Professional Development, and Soham Desai