The Rheumatology Fellowship Training Program at UPMC has a long tradition of academic excellence. The goal of our fellowship training program is to prepare future leaders of rheumatology for careers in academic medicine, industry, and clinical practice. Clinical training occurs across a wide variety of inpatient and outpatient settings that include tertiary and community care, Veteran’s Affairs hospitals, and general rheumatology and subspecialty center clinics. Fellows care for patients with a vast array of general rheumatology and complex multisystem diseases. The faculty includes internationally recognized leaders in rheumatology, immunology, epidemiology, and related disciplines.

The UPMC Rheumatology Fellowship Program has six clinical fellows, with three in the first and three in the second year of training.  Additionally, fellows often elect to pursue a third year of fellowship for advanced research training that is supported by an NIH T32 Training Grant or other mechanism.

The fellowship program offers three tracks during training. They include:

• Clinician track: Trainees who plan to go on to a full- time clinical practice are given the opportunity to rotate in a community rheumatology outpatient clinic and a tele-rheumatology elective in their second year to prepare them for a successful clinical career in the rapidly changing landscape of current medical practice. They are encouraged to certify in musculoskeletal ultrasound via USSONAR.
• Clinical Educator track: Trainees who plan a career in academic rheumatology with a combination of clinical research and teaching can pursue formal medical education training through certificate and Master’s programs from the Institute of Clinical Education and Research (ICRE). Fellows’ teaching skills are also developed by fellows through lectures, workshops, and small group experiences with medical students, residents, and divisional education conferences.
• Research track: Training is available in basic biomedical research and clinical/translational research tailored to the interests and future plans of the trainee.  Fellows have the option of working with faculty from the rheumatology or immunology division, or with other medical school faculty.  NIH T32 Research Training Fellowship is available for a third year to support additional advanced research training.

The Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology at the University of Pittsburgh continues to be at the forefront of clinical and basic science research and prides itself on customizing the training program for each individual fellow in order to prepare them for their future career path.