Education

The Albany Medical College Division of Rheumatology offers an accredited two-year fellowship in Rheumatology.  Upon successful completion of the program, trainees will be eligible to sit for the board certification examination in Rheumatology.  The program and curriculum are designed to train fellows such that they will be prepared for careers in academia and/or private practice.  The program and Division is committed to meeting the needs of patients, trainees, and referring physicians and to providing competent, compassionate care.

OVERVIEW OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAM

YEAR ONE
Outpatient Clinics:
1. Albany Medical College Rheumatology Clinic: 6 half-day clinics per week.
2. The Center for Rheumatology: 2 half-day clinics per week.
3. The Albany Stratton Veterans Hospital: 1 half-day clinic per week.

Inpatient Consultative Service:
1. Albany Medical Center.  Call alternates with the second-year fellow.  Daytime activities are
    predominantly covered by the first-year fellow.

Conferences:
1. Case Conference: Weekly.
2. Journal Club: Weekly (research topics are included).
3. NYU Advanced Course in Rheumatology (3-day conference in New York City).

Teaching/Scholarly Activity:
1. Wednesday Resident Noon Rheumatology Lecture: Monthly conference alternate with faculty
    and each fellow does about 3 per year.
2. Second-Year Medical School Musculoskeletal Theme Lecture: Each fellow does 3-4 lectures
    per year.
3. Journal Club: Weekly.
4. Case Conference: Weekly.
 
YEAR TWO
Outpatient Clinics:
The first six months of the second year:
1. Albany Medical College Rheumatology Clinic: 6 half-days per week.
2. The Center for Rheumatology: 2 half-days per week.

The second six months of the second year:
1. Albany Medical College Rheumatology Clinic: 6 half-days per week.
2. Optional: The Center for Rheumatology: 1 half-day or 2 half-day clinics per week.

Inpatient Consultations:
1. Same as in the first year.  (Call alternates, but daytime activities are predominantly
    covered by the first year fellow).

Basic Immunology Course:
1. Graduate student course given at Albany Medical College by the faculty of the Center for 
    Immunology and Microbial Diseases (a three-month course, 4 hours per week).  Basic and
    clinical science as well as research topics are covered.

Research during last 6 months of training; choice of 2 venues:
1. Basic Science Research at the Center for Immunology & Microbial Disease.
2. Clinical Research with Dr. Joel Kremer at The Center for Rheumatology.

Conferences:
1. Case Conference:  Weekly.
2. Journal Club:  Weekly (research topics are included).
3. American College of Rheumatology Conference:  One week in Year Two.
4. ACR State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium, Chicago, IL:  Three Days.

Electives:
1. Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.
2. Orthopedic Surgery.
3. Pediatric Rheumatology.
4. Radiology.

Procedures learned and performed during fellowship:
1. Joint & soft tissue injections.
2. Punch biopsy of skin.
3. Examination of joint fluid for crystal analysis by polarized light microscopy.

*Trainees maintain an electronic log of all patients and procedures.