Greetings from our program director

Welcome to OHSU Rheumatology!

Our two-year fellowship program offers rigorous clinical training alongside a supportive learning environment. You’ll benefit from our exceptional faculty-to-fellow ratio, gaining hands-on experience with approachable mentors in clinic, hospital, and research settings.

You’ll manage your own patient panels at both university clinics and the Portland VA, fostering a sense of ownership and gradually taking charge of patient care under supervision, while gaining expertise in the critical review of laboratory studies and skeletal radiographs and in using immune-targeted therapies. Our diverse specialty clinics provide a wealth of educational opportunities, from managing complex systemic diseases to mastering injection techniques with ultrasound guidance.

Our curriculum emphasizes patient safety and quality care, integrating these principles into daily patient interactions and didactic sessions. You’ll graduate with the skills and commitment to provide exceptional care throughout your career.

Our program empowers our trainees to craft their dream career in rheumatology, be it direct patient care, education, or research. We offer a flexible learning environment and dedicated mentorship to develop skills to teach future generations of rheumatologists or to tackle challenging questions alongside our research-active faculty.

About Us: Diverse Expertise, Shared Passion

Our faculty are a vibrant team of experienced clinicians, educators, and researchers from around the globe. They hold international recognition in spondylarthritis, uveitis, the microbiome, rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis, and myositis. Their research spans the spectrum, from basic science to clinical trials, to real-world application. Several have received prestigious NIH or VA Merit Awards. Beyond research, our faculty are passionate educators and leaders, shaping the future of rheumatology through their prominent roles in OHSU and VA education and administration.

But what truly sets us apart is our collaborative spirit! Our fellows fuel our faculty's passion for discovery and education through their curiosity and collegiality. Together, we foster a dynamic and intellectually stimulating environment.

Our Program Aims

• Educate Expert Rheumatologists: We train the next generation of rheumatologists to become highly skilled in evaluating, treating, and advocating for patients with all rheumatologic conditions, from common to complex.
• Empower Compassionate Consultants: We equip fellows to become proficient and compassionate rheumatology consultants and integrate evidence-based medicine with the highest ethical and professional standards.
• Foster Lifelong Learners and Leaders: We inspire a passion for lifelong learning in rheumatology and immunology and support fellows' career choices in clinical medicine, education, or research.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at OHSU

At OHSU, we embrace the full spectrum of diversity, including age, color, culture, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. We respect and support diversity of thought, ideas and more. For more information on how OHSU strives for diversity, equity, and inclusion, please visit the Center for Diversity & Inclusion.

Prioritizing Patient Safety

For rheumatologists, patient safety is paramount, especially when monitoring patients on immunosuppressive therapy. Our fellowship program reflects this commitment by integrating safety training throughout our fellows’ learning journey. Here's how we prioritize patient safety:

• Integrated Curriculum: Patient safety principles are embedded in various settings, including clinicopathologic conferences, patient care discussions, simulations, and rheumatology grand rounds with key guest speakers.
• Daily Reinforcement: We emphasize safety during every patient encounter, encouraging fellows to critically assess medication tolerability and disease activity.
• Open Communication: We create a safe space for fellows to report any patient safety events through the institutions' designated portals. Moreover, fellows may be asked to participate in a root cause analysis if it arises.
• Quality Improvement: We foster an environment of continuous improvement. Fellows choose a quality improvement project aimed to either enhance patient or provider education or to streamline an important system process – all with the ultimate goal of prioritizing patient safety.