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Joel Topf, MD, Nephrology, Detroit, MI

JoelMTopfMD

Nephrology Detroit, MI

Nephrologist at St Clair Specialty Physicians

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  • Office

    22201 Moross Rd
    Ste 170
    Detroit, MI 48236
    Phone+1 313-886-8787
    Fax+1 313-886-4103

Summary

  • I’m a clinical nephrologist from Detroit, Michigan. I consider seeing patients my day job but my passion is medical education. I caught the bug in 1993 while writing a 200 page microbiology study guide during my third year of medical school. The proceeds of that project funded a more ambitious project, a 4 year, 500 page, fluids and electrolyte masterpiece that was a commercial flop. In 2003 I launched a pediatric application on the Palm Pilot (remember those?) called Kidometer. I started one of the first nephrology blogs in 2008. I am active on twitter and somehow today I find myself to be the public face of nephrology on Twitter. In 2013 I co-found NephMadness, a totally preposterous, social media-medical education-gamification-franken creature that rocks the nephrology medical education sphere every March. In 2014 I co-founded NephJC, a internet based journal club that has been producing doctor-to-doctor, post-publication-peer review for nephrology two times a month for over 10 years.

    In addition to my work in social media I teach the second year medical students at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine. I also teach residents, med students and fellows at Henry Ford St John Hospital.

    In 2017, the American Society of Nephrology awarded me The Robert G. Narins Award for Innovations in Teaching.

    I have been a regular guest on The Curbsiders Podcast since 2017 and I started and host both The Freely Filtered podcast, and the 2022 ASN Innovation in Education Award Winning podcast, Channel Your Enthusiasm.

Education & Training

  • University of Chicago
    University of ChicagoFellowship, Nephrology, 2001 - 2003
  • Indiana University School of Medicine
    Indiana University School of MedicineResidency, Internal Medicine/Pediatrics, 1996 - 2000
  • Wayne State University School of Medicine
    Wayne State University School of MedicineInternship, Transitional Year, 1995 - 1996
  • Wayne State University School of Medicine
    Wayne State University School of MedicineClass of 1995
  • University of Michigan
    University of MichiganBGS, 1987 - 1991

Certifications & Licensure

  • MI State Medical License
    MI State Medical License 1995 - 2025
  • IL State Medical License
    IL State Medical License 2001 - 2005
  • American Board of Internal Medicine Nephrology

Awards, Honors, & Recognition

  • Detroit’s Top Docs Hour Magazine, 2004, 2011, 2023-2024
  • Member of the 2015 #HIT99 EMR & HIPAA magazine, 2015
  • Teacher of the Year Providence Hospital, 2014
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Publications & Presentations

PubMed

Journal Articles

  • Social media, medicine and the modern journal club  
    Topf J, Hiremath S, Int Rev Psychiatry, 1/1/2015
  • Ten Steps for Setting Up an Online Journal Club  
    Chan TM, Thoma B, Radecki R, Topf J, Woo HH, Kao LS, Cochran A, Hiremath S, Lin M, J Contin Educ Health Prof, 1/1/2015
  • NephMadness 2015: Nephrology as a Cornerstone of Medicine  
    Sparks MA, Lerma EV, Kupin W, Phelan PJ, Jhaveri KD, Topf J, Am J Kidney Dis, 1/1/2015
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Books/Book Chapters

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Abstracts/Posters

  • NephMadness 2014, a Social Media Campaign to Promote Nephrology Education and Interest
    Topf J, Sparks MA, Lerma EV, Kupin WL, Jhaveri KD, ASN Kidney Week, 1/1/2014
  • Correction Rate of Severe Hypernatremia and Morbidity and Mortality in Hospitalized Patients
    Abdulrazzak A, El-Kateb M, Melidonian M, Henderson HL, Topf J, ASN Kidney Week, 1/1/2014
  • Key Characteristics of Current Social Media Policies at U.S. Allopathic Medical Schools
    Xi A, Topf J, Med 2.0’13 Conference, London, England, 1/1/2013
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Lectures

  • How to Dip Your Toes into Social Media 
    Montreal, Canada - 1/1/2015
  • A Nephrologists guide to getting started in social media 
    Philadelphia, PA - 1/1/2014
  • NephMadness: Social Media Campaign to Promote Nephrology Education and Interest 
    Atlanta, GA - 1/1/2013
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Other

  • Acute Renal Failure: Finally, Some Progress 
    Topf JM, Renal & Urology News
    1/1/2006
  • Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease 
    Topf JM
    UPCMD.com
    1/1/2000
  • Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease 
    Topf JM
    UPCMD.com
    1/1/2000
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Authored Content

  • Ascension St John Nephrology Fellowship Closing ArgumentOctober 2020

Press Mentions

  • How to Avoid Freaking Out About Kidney Function
    How to Avoid Freaking Out About Kidney FunctionDecember 13th, 2024
  • Robert G. Narins Award
    Robert G. Narins AwardNovember 14th, 2022
  • Keep Calm and #AskRenal
    Keep Calm and #AskRenalNovember 11th, 2022
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