Division of Rheumatology

The Rheumatology Fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University trains two fellows per year for two years. We also offer a third year fellowship in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Applicants to the program will have usually completed two to three years of an Internal Medicine residency at the time of their application. We accept applicants who are currently in the United States on an H1-B and J-1 visa.

The program has a history of providing fellows with clinical excellence in general rheumatology. We also have a focus on Systemic Sclerosis, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Neuro-Ophthalmology and Interstitial Lung Disease related to Connective Tissue Diseases. 

Fellowship Structure

Outpatient rheumatology clinics: Fellows have their own continuity clinic two times weekly. During this clinic, they see a large variety of rheumatologic diagnoses for which they serve as primary rheumatologists under supervision from the faculty. On a weekly basis, each fellow also participates in our two subspecialty clinics (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Systemic Sclerosis).

Inpatient rheumatology: Fellows see inpatient consults in 3 hospitals: Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, the Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience and Wills Eye Hospital. In addition, during the second year of fellowship, the fellows see inpatient consults at Methodist Hospital in South Philadelphia.

Location: During the first year of fellowship ambulatory clinics and inpatient facilities are located in Center City within walking distance. During the second year of fellowship, fellows rotate through our Navy Yard outpatient facility and perform inpatient consults at Methodist hospital in South Philadelphia.

Pediatric rheumatology: Fellows spend approximately one month during their second year rotating with pediatric rheumatologists at the Alfred I DuPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware.

Musculoskeletal Ultrasound: We have added a dedicated longitudinal musculoskeletal ultrasound course to our Friday teaching sessions.  Fellows will also have hands on ultrasound teaching as part of their outpatient clinic.  This is used to complement the physical examination and allow an objective measure of disease activity in certain patients.

Exposure to allied disciplines: Fellows have the ability and flexibility to spend time with allied departments at Thomas Jefferson University in the specialties of Musculoskeletal Radiology, Musculoskeletal Ultrasonography, Dermatology, Ophthalmology, Nephrology, Sports Medicine, Orthopedics, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Laboratory Medicine.

Didactic teaching: Conferences take place on Friday mornings for 2.5 hours every week. During these sessions, medical students, residents, fellows, rheumatology faculty and external faculty participate in scholarly activities such as: case management conferences, journal clubs and didactic lectures.

Interdisciplinary Interstitial Lung Disease conferences with Pulmonary Medicine are scheduled every two weeks. Neuroinflammatory conferences are held quarterly, during which there is participation of colleagues from Neurology, Neurosurgery, Neuro-Ophthalmology, Pathology and Radiology Departments.  A combined Rheumatology/Dermatology clinic is held once every four weeks.

Additionally, first year fellows have the opportunity to attend a regional rheumatology conference that takes place typically in the first or second week of July as an introductory, but very comprehensive mini-course. This also presents an excellent opportunity to meet and network with first-year fellows from the other Programs. 

Scholarly activity: The division offers opportunities to participate in clinical, translational or basic science research, and each fellow is expected to engage in scholarly pursuit and to submit the results of their research for presentations at local, national or international meetings.

Educational Resources

As a fellow you will have access to the Scott Memorial Library and the Paul J Gutman Library. Resources like Pubmed, Dynamed, online journal, ebooks, text books and so much more will be available to you. There is also a simulation lab to practice joint aspirations and injections. 

Fellows will have the opportunity to attend the Annual meetings and State-of-the-Art symposiums from the American College of Rheumatology and you will enjoy the benefits of full ACR membership.

Depending on availability of funds, educational allowances are offered to fellows to support travel expenses for conferences and poster presentations. Posters will be printed by the Division at no cost to the fellow. 

Diversity & Inclusion

The program, in partnership with its Sponsoring Institution, must engage in practices that focus on mission-driven, ongoing, systematic recruitment and retention of a diverse and inclusive workforce of residents, fellows, faculty members, senior administrative staff members, and other relevant members of its academic community

Diversity & GME

Diversity & Inclusion at SKMC