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Bio Summary

Joann Spinale Carlson, MD joined the Division of Pediatric Nephrology and Hypertension at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in July 2014. Dr. Carlson is a graduate of The George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C. She completed her pediatric residency and pediatric nephrology fellowship training at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
After her fellowship, she joined the faculty at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick. She is currently Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Division Chief of Pediatric Nephrology and Hypertension. Additionally, she is Director of the Pediatric Residency Program at Rutgers Health Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Nationally, she has leadership roles in the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology (ASPN) and serves as webinar chair of the Pathology/Radiology educational series. She is also co-founder and co-chair of the ASPN group: Nephrologists in a Small Group Setting. She is an active member of the PREP Nephrology Editorial Board and Chair of the Communications Committee for the Association of Pediatric Program Directors. Dr. Carlson’s research interests are in medical education, quality of life and chronic kidney disease. She has published her work in a variety of journals and presented at many national meetings.

Publications

Hooper SR, Johnson RJ, Lande M, Matheson M, Shinnar S, Kogon AJ, Harshman L, Spinale J, Gerson AC, Warady BA, Furth. (2021). The Similarities and Differences Between Glomerular vs. Non-glomerular Diagnoses on Intelligence and Executive Functions in Pediatric Chronic Kidney Disease: A Brief Report. Front Neurol. 2021 Dec 20;12:787602. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2021.787602. eCollection 2021.
 

Singh NS, Johnson RJ, Matheson MB, Carlson J, Hooper SR, Warady BA. A longitudinal analysis of the effect of anemia on executive functions in children with mild to moderate chronic kidney disease. Pediatr Nephrol. 2022 Jul 21. doi: 10.1007/s00467-022-05682-3. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35861871.


Carlson J, Gerson AC, Matheson MB, Manne S, Lande M, Harshman L, Johnson RJ, Shinnar S, Kogon AJ, Warady B, Furth S, Hooper S. Longitudinal changes of health-related quality of life in childhood chronic kidney disease. Pediatr Nephrol. 2023 Jul 10. doi: 10.1007/s00467-023-06069-8. PMID: 37428223.


Soranno DE, Amaral S, Ashoor I, Atkinson MA, Barletta GM, Braun MC, Carlson J, Carter C, Chua A, Dharnidharka VR, Drake K, Erkan E, Feig D, Goldstein SL, Hains D, Harshman LA, Ingulli E, Kula AJ, Leonard M, Mannemuddhu S, Menon S, Modi ZJ, Moxey-Mims M, Nada A, Norwood V, Starr MC, Verghese PS, Weidemann D, Weinstein A, Smith J. Responding to the workforce crisis: consensus recommendations from the Second Workforce Summit of the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology. Pediatr Nephrol. 2024 Jul 8. doi: 10.1007/s00467-024-06410-9. PMID: 38976042.
 

Carlson, J., Jones, E., Matheson, M., Manne, S., Harshman, L., Warady, B., Furth, S., Hooper, S., Johnson, R., & CKiD Investigators (2025). COVID-19 associated worry and emotional distress in youth and young adults with chronic kidney disease. Annals of Pediatrics. Accepted for publication May 8, 2025. ISSN: 2637-9627
 

Carlson J, Torres N, Petrova A. Factors Influencing Pediatric Residency Graduates' Decisions to Take the Initial Board Examination and Their Likelihood of Success. Cureus. 2025 Jun 11;17(6):e85784. doi: 10.7759/cureus.85784. PMID: 40656328; PMCID: PMC12249477.

Books, Mongraphs & Chapters

Carlson Spinale, J. & Ruebner, R. Update on Chapter 19-Nephrology. The Philadelphia Guide: Inpatient Pediatrics, Third Edition. Eds Shah, Zaoutis, Catallozzi, & Frank. New York: McGraw Hill, 2021. 453-471. 


Carlson J,* Ruebner R.* Nephrology, In: Shah SS, Frank G, Ronan J, Catallozzi M (eds). Sanford Guide to Pediatric Acute Care (version) [Mobile app]. Antimicrobial Therapy, Inc., 2025.
 

Education & Training

Education

Undergraduate Graduate and Professional
The George Washington University
Washington, D.C.
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology     Date Awarded: 5/2004
 

Graduate and Professional

The George Washington University School of Medicine 
Washington, D.C.
Doctor of Medicine                       Date Awarded: 5/2008

Post-Graduate Training
Internship and Residencies
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)
Pediatrics                                       Dates: 6/2008-6/2011

Fellowship

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)
Pediatric Nephrology                    Dates: 7/2011-6/2014  

 

Honors & Awards

New Jersey’s 2024 Top Doctors
Awarded by: New Jersey Monthly

The Professor Richard A. Harvey Excellent in Teaching Award 

Rutgers Health Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Date: October 2025