Clinical training

During your first year of rheumatology training, you'll rotate through the outpatient and inpatient rheumatology practices and participate in required rotations in research, electromyography (EMG), physical medicine and rehabilitation, and radiology. The second year is committed to research along with clinical rotations (outpatient/inpatient) and rotations in endocrinology/metabolic bone clinic, muscle pathology, pediatric rheumatology at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, and orthopedic sports medicine.

Rotation schedule

The two-year schedule of required rotations is divided into 13 (four-week) blocks each year. Most rotations are at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona. Some required rotations are at Phoenix Children's Hospital, Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Campus in Tempe, Arizona, and Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. 

Procedures

All landmark-guided and ultrasound-guided arthrocentesis and soft tissue injections are performed under the supervision of Mayo Clinic staff rheumatologists. Procedural training in musculoskeletal arthrocentesis includes injections of soft tissue tendons and bursa, and aspiration and injections of large, medium, and small joints. Diagnostic and interventional procedures are performed in the ultrasound procedure clinics which are supervised by musculoskeletal ultrasound certified faculty. You will learn synovial fluid analysis to identify crystalline arthritis and you will have regularly scheduled procedure clinics.

Didactic training

Core curriculum conferences, case conferences, Journal Club, and one-to-one instruction with staff rheumatologists are integral parts of the Rheumatology Fellowship. Included are bedside teaching and other informal teaching methods.

Conferences

There are numerous opportunities to participate in various departmental and divisional conferences. Each week a didactic half-day is set aside for you to attend a variety of lectures. The program has a core curriculum conference which is attended by the fellows, faculty presenter, and other available faculty. The topics include rheumatology-relevant basic science, clinical science, musculoskeletal ultrasound, and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) proficiency topics. Case conference, Journal Club, and Morbidity and Mortality conferences are held on a regular basis.

Research

You are expected to complete and publish a supervised original project by the end of the training program. This may be a retrospective patient record review, quality project, meta-analysis, or similar project. A prospective clinical research project is an option but due to time constraints most likely would be completed and published after graduation, with the assistance of the supervising faculty. On the department’s recommendation, travel support for the presentation of one paper may be provided to trainees who have finished their programs and leave Mayo Clinic for up to 12 months after leaving. Reimbursement limits apply.

A research mentor will be assigned to you early in the first year of training. Mayo Clinic Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCaTS) is a central hub for institutional advancement of research and education at Mayo Clinic. The center provides tools and expert consultation to support every aspect of medical research, including basic discovery science, clinical and community-engaged research, and late-stage application and commercialization.

Call frequency

The home call schedule is different for each rotation. Mayo Clinic follows the recommendations of the ACGME regarding work hours.

Moonlighting

Moonlighting is discouraged due to the significant time commitment required for the fellowship training program.

Teaching opportunities

You will teach medical students from Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, transitional year, and internal medicine residents through bedside teaching, small group exercises, and formal didactic lectures.

Evaluation

To ensure that you acquire adequate knowledge and technical skills, performance is carefully monitored during the Rheumatology Fellowship. You are evaluated formally by the supervising faculty member after each clinical rotation, and you will meet with the program director to review these evaluations. In addition, you will also regularly evaluate the faculty to ensure that your educational needs are being met.