Luisa M. De Souza, MD, MBA
Dr. Luisa M. De Souza, MD, MBA, is a Nephrology Fellow at Tufts Medical Center, where she is advancing her subspecialty training in the diagnosis and management of complex kidney diseases. Based in Boston, she brings a strong foundation in Internal Medicine, clinical research, and patient-centered care, with a clinical focus on chronic kidney disease (CKD), dialysis therapies (hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis), polycystic kidney disease, hypertension, and glomerulonephritis. Her work emphasizes evidence-based practice, multidisciplinary collaboration, and improving outcomes for patients with advanced renal conditions.
Dr. De Souza completed her Doctor of Medicine at Penn State College of Medicine, followed by Internal Medicine residency training at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine. She also holds an MBA in Health Care Administration from Florida National University, reflecting her interest in healthcare systems, leadership, and quality improvement. Throughout her training, she has managed diverse and complex patient populations across inpatient and outpatient settings while contributing to clinical research and academic teaching.
Beyond her clinical responsibilities, Dr. De Souza is actively engaged in research and medical education, with peer-reviewed publications and presentations focused on nephrology and kidney disease care. She is passionate about improving access to dialysis and advancing therapies for glomerulonephritis and other challenging renal disorders through clinical innovation and research. Deeply committed to mentorship and community engagement, she also supports the development of medical students and international physicians while advocating for culturally competent, compassionate care that empowers patients living with chronic kidney disease.
• Penn State College of Medicine - M.D., 2020
• Rutgers University - Residency, 2024
• Tufts Medical Center - Fellowship in Nephrology, completing July 2026
• MD
• MBA
• Humanistic Award for Empathetic Care Delivery
• Penn State College of Medicine
• 2018
• Selected and Published as Top Nephrologist
• America's Best in Medicine
• 2026
• American Society of Nephrology (ASN)
• National Kidney Foundation (NKF)
• Renal Physicians Association (RPA)
• Florida Society of Nephrology
Areas of Specialization/Expertise
- Nephrology
- Peritoneal Dialysis
- Glomerulonephritis
What do you enjoy most about practicing medicine?
The one thing I love most about my work is the continuity of care. Once a patient starts dialysis, especially those who aren't candidates for transplant, dialysis becomes their second chance at life. You see these people three times a week, and you really get to be the person that holds their hand through this rough journey. You create a real relationship with your patients and become part of a team that makes a difference in their lives. This transition is life-changing and completely life-altering, not only for the patient but sometimes for their families as well. I get to be the person that helps walk them through that process, helps smooth the path for them, and helps them make that difficult transition. Having the empathy and patience to walk patients through that difficult period of time is a bit of a gift and also a privilege. It's not something a lot of doctors get to experience. I also think it's important to understand and not lose sight of why you go into medicine in the first place. We're treating human beings, and human beings first and foremost like to be seen as what they are, which is people, not diseases. If you always remind yourself to treat your patients as people first and human beings first, you will never see yourself out of patience. It's very easy to fall into the fallacy of seeing people as their diseases and not remembering that this is a human being who doesn't like to get blood work drawn every two hours when they're in the ICU. If you could just remember those little details and make life better for this person while you're also trying to figure out what is wrong with them and how to best treat them and potentially cure them, that's what matters. Just not forgetting the human part, the human aspect of each and every patient.
Locations
Tufts Medical Center
Broward County, FL