Emphasis on Thu Le, a Medical Doctor: Insight into His Professional Journey

Thu Le: A Rising Star in Nephrology at the University of Rochester

Thu Le, a renowned nephrologist, has made significant strides in enhancing the division of Nephrology at the University of Rochester (UR).

Born in Vietnam, Le was a little girl who knew she would follow in her father's footsteps as a physician. Her father, a doctor, diagnosed her with pneumonia when she was six years old and took her to receive care. This early encounter with the medical field sparked her interest in medicine.

Le and her family fled Vietnam in 1975 and settled in Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania. They were sponsored and helped to settle by the Times Square Church in Grantville, Pennsylvania. Afterwards, they moved to Washington D.C., where they were sponsored by a church and began their new life.

Le attended George Washington University for her undergrad in chemistry with a minor in philosophy. She went on to earn her M.D. from George Washington University School of Medicine in 1993, graduating as valedictorian.

Le began her medical journey at Duke University, taking up her Internal Medicine residency from 1993-96. She stayed at Duke for her fellowship in nephrology from 1996-2000, an extended four-year program.

Le remained at Duke as a faculty member from 2000-09, where she honed her skills and contributed to the field of nephrology. In 2009, she was recruited to the University of Virginia, where she held multiple positions including associate director of the T32 Nephrology Training Program, vice chief of Research in Nephrology, and director of the Nephrology Clinical Research Center.

In October 2018, Le became the division chief of Nephrology at the department of Medicine at UR. Stephen Hammes, M.D., Ph.D., head of the search committee at the medical center, recruited Le for the position.

Le found the UR environment warm and welcoming, and felt it was a great fit. Since taking up the role, she has grown and enhanced the division, recruiting more faculty members and expanding dialysis operations. Le has also personally recruited several faculty members to focus on research efforts.

Le is happily married to her husband, Dan Gilroy. Together, they have a rescue American bulldog and boxer mix named Tuco. In her free time, Le enjoys reading novels, exercising, taking long walks with Tuco, and gardening.

Le inherited a well-established division of Nephrology from David Bushinsky, M.D., who had been the chief for 29 years. Under Le's leadership, the division continues to thrive and make strides in the field of nephrology.