Curriculum
Clinical training
During your first year of the Rheumatology Fellowship, you rotate through the outpatient rheumatology practice and participate in one or two elective rotations. Your second year is committed to research along with clinical rotations (inpatient/consulting and outpatient/electives).
Rotation schedule
The two-year schedule of rotations is:
| Rotation | Length |
|---|---|
| Hospital consulting service | 6 months |
| Elective research | 8 months |
| Outpatient rheumatology | 10 months |
Electives
The wide array of elective opportunities allows you to customize and develop the skills needed for your individualized career path. Electives include:
- Clinical neurophysiology (electromyography lab)
- Dermatology clinic
- Endocrinology (Metabolic bone clinic)
- Orthopedic hand surgery/treatment (Hand clinic)
- Pain medicine clinic
- Physical medicine and rehabilitation
- Pulmonary
- Radiology
- Spine Center
- Sports medicine clinic
Didactic training
You have numerous opportunities to participate in various departmental and divisional conferences and seminars. Every month, there are a variety of program-specific and general didactic conferences that fellows can attend. Many of these conferences are mandatory. In addition, fellows attend monthly journal club meetings and clinical lectures.
Research training
Some of the most productive investigators in the field of rheumatology are consultants at Mayo Clinic. You have opportunities to actively participate in investigative processes by training with these consultants and their colleagues.
These opportunities are available to those with interest in basic science and clinical research (clinical trials of therapeutic agents, for example), as well as epidemiologic and outcomes studies.
Call frequency
The fellowship call schedule is different for each rotation. Mayo Clinic follows the recommendations of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.
Teaching opportunities
During your fellowship, opportunities are available for you to teach residents and medical students.
Evaluation
To ensure that you acquire adequate knowledge and develop your technical skills, your performance is monitored carefully during the course of the Rheumatology Fellowship. You are evaluated formally by your supervising faculty member after each clinical rotation, and you meet with the program director to review these evaluations. In addition, you regularly evaluate the faculty to ensure that your educational needs are being met.