Here it is, the 13th edition of NephMadness!  Whether you’re new to the competition or just want to relive past glories, we have all the info you need for NephMadness 2025:

What is NephMadness?

NephMadness is a free online, CME-granting, evidenced-based, noncommercial learning initiative that leverages the tools of social media to teach about the latest and greatest breakthroughs in the field of nephrology! (From the 2017 explainer post)

The idea is based on March Madness, the annual NCAA college basketball tournament. Instead of basketball teams, we’ve selected the hottest nephrology topics to compete in NephMadness. You can learn more on the history of the madness in this Editorial: NephMadness 2015: Nephrology as a Cornerstone of Medicine. Also, check out this short video explainer from Cathy Quinlan (@KidneyCathy – @cathyquinlan.bsky.social).

What do I need to do?

1. Read this year’s region posts here.
2. Submit an individual or team bracket here by 3pm ET on March 31st, 2025.
3. Discuss your picks on the social media platform of your choice with #NephMadness!

What are the teams and regions?

There are 8 main nephrology topics (REGIONS) with 2 subtopics (TEAMS) in the tournament.

• Resistant Hypertension: Renal Denervation versus Novel Drugs for Hypertension
  Selection Committee Member: Jordana Cohen @jordy_bc — @jordybc.bsky.social
  Writer: Stephanie Torres Rodriguez @stephanietr612 — @stephanietr612.bsky.social
• Disaster Nephrology: Kidney Care in Natural Disasters versus Kidney Care in Conflicts
  Selection Committee Member: Mehmet Sever
  Writer: Rasha Raslan
• Genetics: Genetics in FSGS versus Genetic Counseling
  Selection Committee Member: Jordan Nestor @thenestor.bsky.social
  Writer: Matt Gross
  
• CAR-T for Kidney Disease: CAR-T for Autoimmune Disease versus CAR-T Side Effects
  Selection Committee Member: Jeffrey Sparks @jeffsparks — @jeffsparks.bsky.social
  Writer: Yara Mouawad
• Hemodialysis: Hemodiafiltration versus Incremental Dialysis
  Selection Committee Member: Mariana Murea @MarianaMurea
  Writer: Mansi Bapat
• Green House: Tubular Toxins versus Oxalate Offenders
  Selection Committee Member: Linda Awdishu @LAwdishu — @lawdishu.bsky.social
  Writers: Ethan Downes, Rachel Khan @RFluriePharmD
• Obesity in Kidney Transplant: Obesity in Kidney Transplant Donors versus Obesity in Kidney Transplant Recipients
  Selection Committee Members: Swee-Ling Levea @SweeLevea, Babak Orandi
  Writers: Alissa Ice, Trevor Stevens
• Minimal Change Disease: Minimal Change Disease Pathogenesis and Diagnosis versus Minimal Change Disease Relapse
  Selection Committee Member: Susan Samuel @drsusansamuel
  Writers: Mallory Downie @mallorydownie, Robert Myette @RobertMyette

This year’s official bracket:

Resources for groups:

DOWNLOAD NEPHMADNESS 2025 BRACKET

DOWNLOAD POWERPOINT PRESENTATION

DOWNLOAD PDF PRESENTATION

PRESENTATION ON GOOGLE SLIDES

Who picks the NephMadness champion?

A 9-member Blue Ribbon Panel selects the winners of each round in NephMadness. For each matchup, they are asked to pick the team that, in their opinion, will cause the most practice change in nephrology over the next 5 years. Here are the members of this year’s BRP:

• Roger Rodby @NephRodby
• Deidra Crews @drdeidracrews.bsky.social
• Kirk Campbell @kirkcampbell
• Samira Farouk – @ssfarouk.bsky.social
• Tom Oates @toates.bsky.social
• Meredith Atkinson
• Linnys Alcántara Quiroga @unalinnys
• Clodagh Sweeney @clodaghsweeney
• David Rush

Read more about the rationale behind the BRP in this Editorial: NephMadness After 5 Years: A Recap and Game Plan for the Future

What’s the Schedule?

• March 1: Bracket entry opens
• March 31: Deadline for bracket submission 
• April 2: First round results | Effluent 8 named
• April 4: Effluent 8 results | Filtered 4 named
• April 7: Filtered Four results | Finalists named
• April 8: NephMadness 2024 Champion crowned

CME and MOC

US-based physicians can earn 1.0 CME credit and 1.0 MOC per region through NKF PERC (detailed instructions here). The CME and MOC activity will expire on June 1, 2025.

Competitions

Group Competitions: Highest Score, Most Entries, and Best Party

Winners will be featured on the Winners blog post at the conclusion of NephMadness

• Highest Score: Complete the question on the bracket submission site on whether you are submitting an entry on behalf of a group, adding “OFFICIAL” to the group name
• Most Entries: Complete the question on the bracket submission site on whether you are part of a group and add the group name (everyone in the group should use the same group name to avoid confusion)
• Best Party: Take a photo (or multiple) of your party and tag #NephMadnessParty

Social Media Competitions: Best X/Bluesky Poster and Best Blogger

Winners will be featured on the Winners blog post at the conclusion of NephMadness

What are the Prizes?

Grand Prizes: Top Overall Score, Top Medical Student Score, Top Resident Score, Top Fellow Score, and Top Attending Score

Each Grand Prize winner will receive complimentary year-long personal subscription to Advances in Kidney Disease and Health and Nature Reviews Nephrology

That’s it – we hope you’ll enjoy the fun and learning during NephMadness 2025!

The 2025 NephMadness Executive Team:

• Matt Sparks @Nephro_Sparks – @nephrosparks.bsky.social
• Anna Burgner @anna_burgner – @annaburgner.bsky.social
• Anna Vinnikova @kidneywars – @kidneywars.bsky.social
• Elena Cervantes @Elena_Cervants
• Jeffrey Kott @jrkott27 – @jrkott27.bsky.social
• Ana Catalina Alvarez-Elías @catochita – @catochita.bsky.social
• Dia Waguespack @d_r_waguespack
• Krithika Mohan @krithicism

Submit your picks! | @NephMadness | @nephmadness.bsky.social | NephMadness 2025