With 11 primary faculty members, over 20 affiliated faculty members, and three hospital sites, the division provides fellows extensive exposure to current theory and clinical practice. The goals of the fellowship program are to provide physicians qualified in Internal Medicine with the training to become excellent clinical rheumatologists and to prepare them for investigative careers in immunology, clinical rheumatology, or clinical epidemiology related to rheumatic diseases. On successful completion of the program, graduates with prior certification in Internal Medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine will be eligible for certification in the subspecialty of Rheumatology. The fellowship program is 2 years in length. Additional years of research may be arranged under the supervision of a faculty mentor.
All fellows complete a common clinical core experience in the first year.
The second year includes both additional clinical experience and investigative work, with the mix determined by the interests of the fellow. Two fellowship positions are available each year. The Clinical Experience Fellows gain experience in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with the full range of rheumatic diseases and musculoskeletal conditions, as well as technical skills in the musculoskeletal exam, joint aspiration and injection, and interpretation of musculoskeletal radiographs. Longitudinal clinical care allows fellows to gain experience in the management of patients with rheumatic diseases over time, and in the assessment of changes in clinical status and responses to treatment. The diversity of patients at the three sites complement each other well.