Curriculum

Mission Statement

The program is dedicated to educating fellows to  attain the professional and cognitive skills necessary to provide clinically superb, quality based, and empathetic patient care in the specialty of Rheumatology. These skills are promoted in a collegial environment of active mentorship and support of lifelong learning. The program serves a diverse patient population encompassing urban and rural populations from Western Pennsylvania  and surrounding states, as well as national referrals to the Autoimmunity  Institute.  Opportunities  in scholarship  and research are longitudinally supported through the program. The program supports and fosters diversity among fellows and staff in an inclusive environment.

Clinical experience through continuity clinics, specialty clinics, community clinics, and inpatient rotations serves as the foundation of rheumatology education in the program. Additionally, education is achieved through lectures, conferences, teaching rounds, research, and an up-to-date comprehension of rheumatology literature. The curriculum is designed to afford fellows the opportunity to attend lectures, conferences, participate in teaching rounds, conduct research and also have sufficient time for review and study of current literature.

Didactics

A dynamic didactic curriculum with emphasis on active learning is held weekly in time protected from clinical responsibilities to augment the clinical experience. Fellows participate in and present in a unique multidisciplinary Autoimmunity Institute case conference series to highlight and dissect challenging cases. Additional regularly held conferences include journal club, morbidity and mortality/quality improvement conference, MSK radiology, research conference, quarterly glomerulonephritis conference, and Rheumatology Grand Rounds including a visiting professor series. The beginning of the academic year include protected education on core rheumatology subjects and use of simulation for joint injections.

Additional conference opportunities outside of the rheumatology didactic series includes interstitial lung disease conference, sports medicine conference, Internal Medicine Grand Rounds, and incorporation of virtual learning through the American College of Rheumatology. First year fellows participate in a Rheumatology Objective Structured Clinical Exam (ROSCE) through the Pennsylvania Rheumatology Society.

Ultrasound

The fellowship ultrasound curriculum includes a revolving two year schedule allowing the fellows to learn and feel comfortable with diagnostic and procedural based musculoskeletal exams. The fellows gain knowledge through didactics and hands-on experience during monthly dedicated educational sessions. In addition, fellows rotate through a monthly ultrasound clinic with an American College of Rheumatology RhMSUS certified rheumatologist. In the second year, fellows who have shown dedication in expanding their ultrasound education may be eligible to complete the USSONAR fellow course; this in turn can help facilitate RhMSUS certification after graduation.

Clinical rotations

Below is a typical rotation schedule for years one and two.