Curriculum
Our curriculum is designed to cultivate critical thinking in rheumatic diseases and equip you to become a well-rounded, thoughtful rheumatologist. We achieve this by setting specific goals and objectives within the following core competencies:
- Medical Knowledge: Gain a deep understanding of rheumatic diseases, their diagnosis, and management.
- Patient Care: Develop exceptional patient care skills, focusing on empathy, communication, and shared decision-making.
- Practice-Based Learning and Improvement: Continuously refine your clinical skills through self-reflection, evidence-based medicine, and quality improvement initiatives.
- Systems-Based Practice: Learn to navigate healthcare systems effectively to optimize patient outcomes.
- Interpersonal and Communication Skills: Master effective communication with patients, colleagues, and other healthcare professionals.
- Professionalism: Develop the highest standards of professionalism, upholding ethical principles and fostering a culture of patient-centered care.
Diverse Clinical Experience
You’ll gain invaluable experience by caring for a wide range of patients across various settings, including:
- OHSU Hospital
- Portland VA Medical Center
- Warm Springs Indian Health Services Clinic
This exposure will prepare you to effectively manage rheumatic diseases in diverse patient populations.
Clinics, consults, rotations
Level: Junior and Senior Fellows
Time: Year 1 & 2
Location: OHSU (twice per week), Portland VA (once weekly)
These clinics form the cornerstone of your rheumatology training. Over two years, you'll progressively develop essential competencies through:
- Comprehensive Patient Care: You'll independently evaluate new and returning patients with a wide range of rheumatic diseases under the guidance of experienced faculty.
- Clinical Reasoning & Decision-Making: Learn to present findings, develop differential diagnoses, and formulate effective treatment plans.
- Procedural Expertise: Gain practical experience in essential rheumatology procedures.
- Longitudinal Care: Follow your patients over time, assessing treatment effectiveness and making necessary adjustments.
- Patient Advocacy: Become a champion for your patients, navigating medication approvals, assistance programs, and emotional support needs associated with chronic illness.
Level: Junior and Senior Fellows
Time: 6 months at each location over the course of 2 years
Location: OHSU, Portland VA
Our robust inpatient consultation service provides comprehensive training in managing acutely ill patients across diverse hospital settings. You'll gain expertise in:
- Diagnosing Rheumatic Disease: Refine your skills in evaluating patients for suspected rheumatic conditions.
- Managing Complex Cases: Develop a strong foundation in treating confirmed rheumatologic illnesses and associated complications.
- Consultative Skills: Learn to effectively collaborate with referring physicians and guide patient care.
- Rare Disease Exposure: As the sole tertiary care center for Oregon and Southwest Washington, OHSU offers unparalleled exposure to rare rheumatologic conditions. You'll have the unique opportunity to participate in the assessment and treatment of these complex cases, gaining invaluable experience.
- Mentorship and Teaching: You’ll benefit from the close supervision of our supportive faculty and in turn have the chance to hone your teaching skills by instructing residents on the inpatient team.
Level: Senior Fellows
Time: 6 months, once weekly
Location: OHSU
Our dedicated Lupus and Scleroderma Clinic provides a unique opportunity to delve deeper into the management of these intricate autoimmune diseases. You'll rotate through this clinic for six months as a senior fellow and build upon your existing knowledge and refine your skills in managing these complex conditions and their associated complications. You'll develop a focused, expert approach that prepares you to confidently handle challenging cases in your future practice. You’ll have the opportunity to understand and apply the latest treatment guidelines in the management of the range of organ involvement seen in systemic lupus and systemic sclerosis.
Level: Senior Fellows
Time: 5 months, once weekly
Location: OHSU
Our dedicated Vasculitis Clinic equips you to tackle one of the most complex challenges in rheumatology. Here, you'll gain unparalleled experience in diagnosing all forms of vasculitis, honing your skills in evaluating patients with suspected vasculitis, developing a comprehensive differential diagnosis, and learning about the latest diagnostic procedures used to confirm vasculitis. You’ll work side by side with faculty in planning a treatment approach for confirmed cases, utilizing both traditional and innovative immune-modulating medications. You’ll have a chance to monitor treatment responses, anticipate and manage possible side-effects, and plan maintenance strategies to keep the disease in remission.
Level: Senior Fellows
Time: One month, once weekly
Location: OHSU
Our collaborative ILD clinic offers a unique opportunity to partner with pulmonologists in tackling complex lung cases. You'll utilize your rheumatology expertise to help distinguish between ILD caused by an underlying rheumatic disease or other causes and collaborate with the treatment team to manage immunosuppressive therapy when necessary for patients with ILD linked to rheumatic disease. In myositis clinic, you’ll work closely with our neuromuscular colleagues and rheumatology faculty expert to develop a systematic approach to evaluating and treating the spectrum of inflammatory myopathies while appreciating the wide range of possible mimics.
Level: Junior Fellows
Time: 6 months, once weekly
Location: Portland VA
Clinics: Regional Rheum Clinic
Level: Senior Fellows
Time: 6 months, twice monthly
Location: OHSU
Clinics: Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Injection Clinic
These rotations equip you with the expertise to confidently evaluate and treat regional musculoskeletal disorders.
- First Year: Regional Rheumatology at the VA: Refine your knowledge of joint anatomy and examination skills through evaluation of patients with soft tissue rheumatism and osteoarthritis. Gain proficiency in performing joint and soft tissue injections under expert guidance.
- Second Year: OHSU Ultrasound-Directed Joint Injection Clinic: Gain your skills in ultrasound-guided joint injections techniques, ensuring accuracy and patient comfort.
- Elective Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Expand your understanding of treatment options by observing specialists in physical medicine & rehabilitation (PM&R), physical therapy, and occupational therapy. Gain valuable insights into the role of orthotics, bracing, and non-invasive therapies in managing musculoskeletal conditions.
Indian Health Services rotation
Level: Junior and Senior Fellows
Time: Quarterly
Location: Warm Springs Indian Health Services Clinic
By serving the Warm Springs Indian Health Services Clinic, a rural community just east of Mount Hood, you will gain experience in the following areas:
- Direct Patient Care: Gain firsthand experience by directly caring for patients within this community.
- Clinical Efficiency and Autonomy: The fast-paced environment of this clinic hones your skills in prioritizing tasks, managing time effectively, and working independently.
- Vulnerable Populations: This rotation heightens your sensitivity to the unique challenges faced by underserved communities, equipping you to better support such populations throughout your career.
Evaluation forms and feedback
Our program fosters a collaborative learning environment that prioritizes continuous feedback and growth:
- Real-time Guidance: Faculty seamlessly integrate focused observations and immediate verbal feedback into your daily clinical activities.
- Regular Assessments: You'll receive constructive evaluations every 3 months for clinic performance and after most inpatient rotations.
- Personalized Development Plans: Quarterly meetings with the program director will explore your evaluation feedback and progress towards training milestones. Together, you'll tailor your learning plan to ensure you achieve your educational goals.
- Benchmarking Your Knowledge: Sharpen your knowledge base by taking the annual rheumatology in-training exam. This national assessment provides valuable insights into your strengths and areas for further development.