Rheumatology Fellowship Program Overview & Rotations

About Our Rheumatology Fellowship

The Rheumatology Division at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) offers an ACGME-accredited Rheumatology Fellowship. Our goal is to train outstanding clinicians who may also choose an academic career in research or medical education.

To this end our program offers a two-year robust training program with rotations in the inpatient and ambulatory settings while also providing opportunities for research and educational training. An optional third training year is offered to those interested in additional research experience.

Ambulatory Practice

Throughout the duration of the fellowship, trainees participate in two to three weekly, half-day continuity outpatient rheumatology clinics at the division's primary practice site at 110 Francis Street.

The fellows assume full responsibility as providers for their patients. As our faculty has diverse clinical expertise in various disease states, such as autoinflammatory diseases, scleroderma and rheumatic diseases in young adults, fellows also rotate with individual faculty. The fellows may choose an elective rotation with a faculty member outside of the Division of Rheumatology based on their clinical interests.

First-year fellows rotate through the division's Musculoskeletal Medicine Unit (MSMU) at BIDMC's Shapiro Center and Boston Children's Hospital. The MSMU site provides a unique exposure to soft tissue rheumatic disorders as well as non-operative orthopedic trauma and sports medicine. This is complemented by comprehensive ultrasound training in the second year, which includes a dedicated diagnostic and procedural ultrasound clinic, hands-on workshop and preparation for USSonar certification.

Inpatient Consult Service

Our active inpatient consult service is primarily the responsibility of first-year fellows (20-22 weeks each), with the second-year fellows covering 4-6 weeks each. Formal teaching rounds are conducted regularly with attending physicians from within the division. In addition, fellows are responsible for daily work rounds on all patients on the service.

Conferences

From the first day of fellowship, our division actively fosters medical knowledge with introductory lectures in rheumatology that are given three times a week through the summer. During the academic year, teaching conferences include the weekly Clinical Conference, Rheumatology Grand Rounds, Journal Club and research meetings. Twice a month, the fellows participate in small group didactics that include board review, seminal article review and immunology 101.

The Division of Rheumatology holds interdisciplinary case-based didactic rounds with the nephrology and pathology departments. BIDMC participates with all other Boston-based training programs in the interhospital rheumatology grand rounds, where fellows present and discuss interesting cases.

Research

Scholarly activity is an integral part of the BIDMC rheumatology fellowship. The fellows are encouraged and supported in choosing a research project that matches their interests. This may include basic and translational research, quality improvement and clinical research. Learn more about our Division's ongoing research.

Throughout the training program, fellows have access to the powerful educational resources of Harvard Catalyst, which offers several online and in-person courses, as well as training programs ranging from short duration programs providing an overview of clinical and translational research to multi-year, advanced programs for senior fellows and faculty.

The fellows can also participate in the Summer Program in Clinical Effectiveness, an intensive summer course offered by the Harvard School of Public Health. Rheumatology fellows who are interested in clinical education can receive formal training, which is offered by the Department of Medicine Clinician-Educator Track and the Rabkin Fellowship. Our alumni and current fellows have greatly benefited from participating in these educational activities through the years.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are answers to common questions about this program:

What is unique about this fellowship program?

The BIDMC Rheumatology Fellowship is a top fellowship program with many opportunities for its trainees. BIDMC is a top-ranking hospital in the United States and prides itself on its dedication to education, clinical care and research. The clinical rotations in the Musculoskeletal Medicine Unit and Children's Hospital Boston are unique features of our program.

What are the clinical rotations in the program?

Fellows in this program care for their own panel of outpatients, spend time on the inpatient consultation service, and rotate to the Musculoskeletal Medicine Unit, the Lupus Center and Children's Hospital Boston.

What benefits can I expect?

The program provides full BIDMC benefits for all fellows. Benefits are detailed on the Graduate Medical Education section of the BIDMC website. If you have questions, you can contact the Benefits Office at 617-632-9400 or benefits@bidmc.harvard.edu.

Does the program admit trainees on a visa?

Yes, the program admits trainees with either J-1 or H1-B visa with an ECFMG certificate. For more information, see the Apply to the Rheumatology Fellowship Program page.