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Notice to
Applicants
Thank you for your interest in our rheumatology training program.
We are seeking fellows that are primarily interested in becoming
Rheumatologists with academic
appointments in teaching hospitals.
While expert training in clinical care remains a major objective
of the program, candidates wishing to go directly into private
practice following fellowship training may be better served by
other training programs around the country. We encourage
applications from candidates in the WWAMI region (Washington,
Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho) who may be interested in becoming
rheumatologists in their home state. We look forward to your
interest in our post-doctoral training program.
Overview
The Division of Rheumatology at the University of Washington has
been engaged in postdoctoral training of rheumatologists for over
40 years. The training program in rheumatology is accredited by
the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)
and has been supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The Adult and Pediatric Divisions of Rheumatology are the
recipients of a research training grant from NIH, providing six
training stipends per year. These stipends can be awarded only to
citizens or permanent residents of the United States of America.
The training program is conducted by nine full-time and
thirty-five clinical faculty members of the Division of
Rheumatology and generally lasts 2 to 3 years. The number of
trainees in the program during recent years has varied from four
to six per year, including postdoctoral fellows in the first,
second or third year. We generally accept 2 fellows per year.
Training
Activities
The majority of
instruction in clinical rheumatology and in investigation takes
place during one-on-one interaction with faculty members. A
written curriculum for the trainees serves as a guide to
assure that the training program in rheumatology covers all areas.
Specific course work is recommended prior to and during research
training (see below). The trainees gain instructional skills by
teaching students and residents. Upon completion of two years of
study the trainees are eligible for the subspecialty examination
in Rheumatology by the American Board of Internal Medicine. A
large percentage of the past trainees occupy full-time academic
positions.
Our objectives
for the fellowship training program are:
To ensure that
fellows acquire the clinical skills necessary to become proficient
rheumatologists.
The trainees
acquire clinical skills in rheumatology by direct patient care in
outpatient clinics and by providing consultations to hospitalized
patients with rheumatic diseases. They receive intensive clinical
training in the first year and continue to attend outpatient
clinics in the second and third years.
These activities are conducted at the three major teaching
hospitals of the University of Washington. A substantial number of
patients with varied rheumatic diseases are seen at these
facilities. Fellows also participate in the care of children with
rheumatic diseases at the
Children's Hospital Medical Center and gain experience in
sports medicine and in rehabilitation medicine.
To keep fellows abreast of the latest advances in Rheumatology
and to enhance presentation and grant writing skills.
Regularly scheduled teaching activities in Rheumatology include
clinic and radiology conferences, a journal club, Rheumatology
Grand Rounds, research in progress presentations and a visiting
seminar series. Fellows participate actively in these programs and
are encouraged to take advantage of additional learning
opportunities (Medicine
Grand Rounds,
Immunology Seminars,
Medical Genetics,
etc.).
To ensure that
fellows acquire research skills to equip them to be leaders in
rheumatic disease research.
This is achieved
by:
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Formal educational programs in the sciences that are applicable
to rheumatology e.g. Immunology, Genetics and Epidemiology.
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Intensive research in the 2nd and 3rd years under the guidance
of a Faculty Sponsor. Our
major investigative efforts focus on autoimmune diseases such as
systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
and Scleroderma (SSc). Active projects range from basic studies
in the genetic susceptibility to, and mechanisms responsible
for, rheumatic diseases to the epidemiology of these disorders.
Translational research (bench to patient) is encouraged. A list
of selected, recent
publications from this Division reflects the research
interests of the faculty and former fellows.
-
Additional course work in epidemiology and clinical research is
available through the
K-30 program at the University of Washington. A year-long
program in medical education is also available for interested
fellows.
Fellows may select a research mentor from one of the sciences as
part of the training program. The School of Medicine of the
University of Washington has extensive research activities in many
different areas that impact Rheumatology. This rich environment
provides broad opportunities for interaction with scientists
possessing differing perspectives.
Research
Our major investigative efforts focus on the immunological
approaches to rheumatic diseases, primarily rheumatoid arthritis,
systemic lupus erythematosus, and scleroderma. Active projects
range from basic studies in molecular biology and disease models
in experimental animals to clinical investigations. At the present
time we have five faculty members with research interests in
various aspects of immunology in rheumatic diseases.
Other faculty members are interested in joint physiology, uric
acid biology, epidemiology and therapeutics in rheumatic diseases.
The attached list of selected, recent
publications from this Division reflects the research
interests of the faculty and former fellows. Please also see
our faculty’s individual web pages for more information on
their research interests. In addition, trainees can select a
mentor from another Division of Medicine or from one of the basic
sciences (please see our list of mentors). In
addition, trainees may wish to join
the Molecular
Medicine training program, under the joint direction of Henry
Rosen.
Application Information
The University of Washington reaffirms its policy of equal
opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national
origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability,
or status as a disabled veteran or Vietnam era veteran. We
encourage applications from members of minorities underrepresented
in academic rheumatology.
The Division of Rheumatology participates in the ERAS®
- Electronic Residency Application Service through the Association
of American Medical Colleges. We are currently only accepting
applications for fellowships beginning in 2008.
Individuals interested in applying for
a rheumatology fellowship beginning in July 2008 should use the
ERAS® website to submit their application.
Information regarding the ERAS® program and application
process can be accessed by clicking on the following link:
http://www.aamc.org/students/eras/
Most successful
applicants choose to come for an interview once the application is
completed in order to meet the faculty, talk with fellows
currently in training, discuss possible areas of investigative
work, and become familiar with the many environmental and cultural
strengths of the
Seattle
area. We are only able to offer a limited number of
interviews for fellowship candidates per year and will notify
candidates if we are able to offer them an interview.
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