Medical College of Wisconsin Rheumatology Fellowship Program

Applications

The Rheumatology Fellowship Program uses the ERAS System and will participate in the National Resident Matching Program for spots available in 2022.

Stipends, Benefits, Visa Requirements, and Housestaff Life

For more information regarding stipends, benefits, visa requirements, and housestaff life please see our Graduate Medical Education page.

Visa sponsorship that will be accepted:

• J-1 visa candidates (visa has to be sponsored by the ECFMG)

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The patient population consists of 45% adults over 65 years of age and 55% 18-64 years of age. Patients are seen at two separate venues:

• Froedtert Hospital, a large academic medical center
• Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center, an affiliate of the Medical College of Wisconsin

The fellows are exposed to inpatients and outpatients of diverse backgrounds and disease processes. Rheumatology fellows have weekly continuity clinics at both Froedtert Hospital and the VA Medical Center. They rotate on inpatient consultative service at both locations six months (three months at each site) in both years of their training. There is also a required rotation at the Children's Wisconsin where fellows work with prominent pediatric rheumatologists.

The Rheumatology Fellowship Program teaches fellows clinical procedures associated with specific diseases. A major focus is the multitude of diagnostic laboratory testing procedures utilizing our dedicated rheumatology lab for evaluation of various rheumatic diseases. Diagnostic testing and procedures include but are not limited to: arthrocentesis and therapeutic injection, synovial fluid analysis, interpretation of results of specific rheumatologic laboratory tests, and assessment of radiographs of normal and diseases of joints. In addition, there are monthly musculoskeletal ultrasound workshops teaching the basics of ultrasonography over the course of the two year fellowship. The fellows participate in a weekly injection clinic which allows further practice of learned ultrasound techniques.

As part of the fellowship program, conferences are held weekly, monthly, and quarterly. Weekly conferences include fellows’ curriculum series, journal clubs, case conferences, radiology conferences, and research conferences. There are rheumatology board review discussions monthly. On a quarterly basis, there are M & M, combined ortho-rheum, and adult-peds rheum conferences.

The fellows learn the necessary research techniques involved in the successful completion of their basic and clinical research projects. Each fellow is expected to complete a research project based on the fellow’s and mentor’s interest resulting in an abstract, a presentation and/or a publication. Fellows have the opportunity to participate in a formal research methodology course.