In addition, the resident is contacted for inpatient consults and consults to the emergency room. They may do the consult on their own, or assign it to a resident on a service. Outpatient experience is acquired via the clinics. Trainees are assigned in 12-month blocks to 1 of the 3 general rheumatology clinics, allowing exposure to at least 2 attending staff members as well as ongoing followup care. In addition, the Paediatric Rheumatology resident may also participate in the Transition Clinic, Hemophilia Program and Localized Scleroderma Clinic.
Research is a vital aspect of the program.
Residents are encouraged to discuss all ideas and become involved in an ongoing way or develop their own research protocols. There is flexibility within the program to allow for a full year of research. All residents are encouraged to spend time in the Immunopathology laboratory to observe and perform standard serologic assays. One to two months are spent on an adult rheumatology service. The team approach is essential to the care of patients with rheumatic disease.