Rheumatology Fellowship

The Rheumatology Fellowship Program provides intensive clinical and research training for physicians who are board-certified or board-eligible in internal medicine. Fellows acquire the necessary skills to deliver expert medical care to patients with rheumatic diseases and, if desired, may receive training in independent research.

Apply

Interested applicants can apply to the Rheumatology Fellowship Program by contacting the program director.

CONTACT

Curriculum

Under the direction of Steven Hugenberg, MD, this program consists of two years of training of which 18 – 21 months are devoted to clinical training and three to six months to research activities. The clinical experience is broad and includes extensive training in the diagnosis and management of patients with systemic inflammatory connective tissue disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, progressive systemic sclerosis and gout; osteoarthritis; and soft tissue rheumatism. Fellows also gain experience in pediatric rheumatology.

Patient care activities are complemented by a radiology correlation conference, journal club, difficult care presentations, and a department-wide web-based tutorial seminar series covering biostatistics, clinical epidemiology and academic development. Fellows are provided funds to attend a local or national rheumatology meeting annually. Research activities encompass clinical, basic and health services research, and range from studies in molecular biology, cell biology and biochemistry to epidemiology and health care delivery. Areas of research in which fellows may participate include, but are not limited to articular cartilage biology, osteoarthritis, the radiographic assessment of osteoarthritis and more. Several faculty members within the division hold a substantial level of extramural research funding, including grants from the National Institute of Health (NIH) and/or the pharmaceutical industry.

Clinical Training

The Rheumatology Fellowship is based at Indiana University School of Medicine–Indianapolis. Training is carried out at four teaching hospitals: IU Health University, Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health, the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center and Eskenazi Health, all within walking distance of each other. This fellowship fulfills requirements for certification in rheumatology by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Research Experience

Research activities encompass clinical, basic and health services research, and range from studies in molecular biology, cell biology and biochemistry to epidemiology and health care delivery. Areas of research in which fellows may participate include, but are not limited to, articular cartilage biology, osteoarthritis, the radiographic assessment of osteoarthritis and more. Several faculty members within the division hold a substantial level of extramural research funding, including grants from the National Institute of Health (NIH) and/or private partners in the pharmaceutical industry.

Didactics

Patient care work and research experience are complemented by a radiology correlation conference, journal club, difficult care presentations and a department-wide web-based tutorial seminar series covering biostatistics, clinical epidemiology and academic development. Fellows receive funds to attend a local or national rheumatology meeting annually.