Academic Medicine Fellowship in Rheumatology Overview
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center offers a three-year fellowship in rheumatology for MD or MD / PhD trainees who wish to become Pediatric Rheumatologists. There is also an opportunity for Medical / Pediatric-trained individuals to become board-eligible in pediatric and adult rheumatology through a four-year combined pediatric / adult fellowship program in collaboration with the University of Cincinnati.
The program is ACGME accredited. Each program is aimed at meeting requirements for its respective Board Exam in Rheumatology. The William S. Rowe Division of Rheumatology at Cincinnati Children's is directed by Robert A. Colbert, MD, PhD, and the fellowship program director is Murray H. Passo, MD. The Fellowship Program is supported by a T32 Grant from the National Institutes of Health. The T32 director is Robert A. Colbert, MD, PhD.
Every year two rheumatology fellowship slots are available. Candidates must have general boards before being eligible for subspecialty boards, as mandated by the American Board of Pediatrics and the American Board of Internal Medicine. Fellows are strongly encouraged to obtain a Master's Degree in an appropriate area as part of their fellowship training.
The first year of the fellowship is fully committed to clinical training, with the next two years primarily aimed at research training. In the clinical year, fellows are expected to spend most of their time in the clinic, as the subspecialty is largely outpatient based. However, they are also responsible for the inpatient service, consults and nighttime / weekend call. With two fellows per year, each is on call approximately 50 percent of the time, except for weekend responsibilities, which are shared with senior fellows. They participate in the teaching programs organized by Dr. Passo.
In the first year the fellows interview with faculty who are potential research advisors / mentors, and are advised and counseled as to how to choose between the various research tracks to be pursued during the subsequent years of the fellowship. With support of the training program director, each trainee will identify a research advisor / mentor. Fellows are required to participate and contribute to the formal lectures, conferences and teaching sessions scheduled throughout the academic year. Evaluation of the trainee's progress occurs at least every six months.
Research Tracks
- Track A involves a minimum of two years of laboratory research, and with the Department's new Immunobiology Graduate Program, fellows will have the opportunity to pursue a graduate (MS or PhD) degree. Laboratory-based fellows who are not interested in obtaining a graduate degree will still be strongly encouraged to take the new Fundamentals of Immunology Course directed by Jonathan D. Katz, PhD.
- Track B is oriented toward clinical research, and usually involves pursuing a Master's Degree in Epidemiology and Biostatistics at University of Cincinnati.
- Track C has recently been instituted for obtaining a degree in Medical Clinician Education. These fellows still pursue research projects similar to Track B.
MD and MD / PhD Trainees are required to identify a research faculty advisor to find a match with their interests during the initial year of their fellowship to perform their research under his or her supervision. In addition, a Scholarship Oversight Committee and Mentoring Committee, as mandated by the American Board of Pediatrics, will be established for each trainee.
For more information about the Rheumatology Fellowship program at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, please contact:
The Rheumatology Clinic
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, MC 4010
3333 Burnet Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45229-3037
Phone: 513-636-4676
Fax: 513-636-4116
