Pediatric Rheumatology Curriculum Overview

Pediatric Rheumatology fellows participate in a 3-year program that provides training to prepare them for successful careers in Pediatric Rheumatology and to assure their qualification for the American Board of Pediatrics Pediatric Rheumatology certification exam.

Fellows will care for patients in both the inpatient and outpatient settings throughout their training. The fellowship is structured with the majority of the first year spent on the Pediatric Rheumatology Inpatient Consult Service so that fellows can develop a strong foundation of Pediatric Rheumatology knowledge and also build their patient panels. The second and third years of fellowship also include a smaller amount of Pediatric Rheumatology Inpatient Consult Service time, so that the fellows can exercise graduated supervision and responsibility over their training. Every year of training includes Pediatric Rheumatology patient care in the outpatient setting, with 1-3 half-day continuity clinics per week. Fellows will function as the primary Pediatric Rheumatologist for those patients that they see in continuity clinic, both in the evaluation of new patients and management of established (continuity) patients. During the first year of training, fellows will also participate in monthly specialized clinics, including the Interdisciplinary Systemic Inflammation Clinic (ISIC, staffed by both Pediatric Nephrology and Pediatric Rheumatology) and the Juvenile Myositis Clinic (staffed by Pediatric Rheumatology, Pediatric Physical Therapy, Pediatric Dermatology, and Clinical Research Coordinators).

Second and third year fellows will attend these clinics as possible to maintain continuity of care. In addition, fellows will attend several additional specialty clinics during the second and third years of training, to supplement their Pediatric Rheumatology training. Depending upon the career goals and prior experiences of a given fellow, these clinics may include MiPAIN (an interdisciplinary chronic pain clinic), Pediatric Ophthalmology, Pediatric Immunohematology, Pediatric Physical Therapy, Pediatric Occupational Therapy, Pediatric Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery (arthroscopy in the OR), Pediatric Sports Medicine, and/or any other clinic settings that will be of importance.

The remainder of each year in fellowship is devoted to a mentored scholarly project, which is tailored to meet the fellow’s specific educational and career goals. Fellows will identify a scholarly activity mentor and project during their first year, and the majority of their scholarly project is conducted during the second and third fellowship years. The overall structure of the program is outlined in the figure below.

Peds-Rheum-Fellow-Years

General Overview – Pediatric portion of Med-Peds Rheumatology

Med-Peds Rheumatology fellows participate in a 4-year program that provides training to prepare them for successful careers in Adult and Pediatric Rheumatology and to assure their qualification for the American Board of Pediatrics Pediatric Rheumatology and American Board of Internal Medicine Rheumatology certification exams.

Med-Peds Rheumatology fellows will care for adult and pediatric patients throughout their training. The fellowship is structured with the majority of the first and fourth years spent with Pediatric Rheumatology, and with the majority of the second and third years spent with Adult Rheumatology. Med-Peds Rheumatology fellows spend most of their first year assigned to the Pediatric Rheumatology Inpatient Consult Service so that fellows can develop a strong foundation of Pediatric Rheumatology knowledge and also build their patient panels. They will return to the Pediatric Rheumatology Inpatient Consult Service during their fourth year, so that the fellows can exercise graduated supervision and responsibility over their training. Every year of training includes both pediatric and adult patient care in the outpatient setting, with a total of 2-4 half-day clinics per week. Fellows will function as the primary Pediatric and/or Adult Rheumatologist for those patients that they see in clinic, both in the evaluation of new patients

and management of established (continuity) patients. During the first year of training, fellows will also participate in monthly specialized clinics, including the Interdisciplinary Systemic Inflammation Clinic (ISIC, staffed by both Pediatric Nephrology and Pediatric Rheumatology) and the Juvenile Myositis Clinic (staffed by Pediatric Rheumatology, Pediatric Physical Therapy, Pediatric Dermatology, and Clinical Research Coordinators). Fourth year fellows will attend these clinics as possible to maintain continuity of care. In addition, fellows will attend several additional specialty clinics during the fourth years of training, to supplement their Pediatric Rheumatology training. Depending upon the career goals and prior experiences of a given fellow, these clinics may include MiPAIN (an interdisciplinary chronic pain clinic), Pediatric Ophthalmology, Pediatric Immunohematology, Pediatric Physical Therapy, Pediatric Occupational Therapy, Pediatric Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery (arthroscopy in the OR), Pediatric Sports Medicine, and/or any other clinic settings that will be of importance.

The remainder of each year in fellowship is devoted to a mentored research project, which is tailored to meet the fellow’s specific educational and career goals. Fellows will identify a research mentor and project during their first and second years, and the majority of their research project is conducted during the third and fourth fellowship years. The overall structure of the pediatric portion of the program is outlined in the figure below.

rheum-med-peds-fellow-years