Disciplines:  Adult Rheumatology

Locations:  Practice-Single Specialty Group

Member Type:  Trainee Member of:

The American College of Rheumatology - an organization of and for physicians, health professionals, and scientists that advances rheumatology through programs of education, research, advocacy and practice support that foster excellence in the care of people with arthritis and rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases.

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What is rheumatology?

Rheumatology encompasses the autoimmune diseases, arthritis, and musculoskeletal conditions. While rheumatologists are generally thought to be specialists dedicated to rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and scleroderma, we also care for patients with a wide array of systemic, inflammatory, autoimmune diseases as well as very common musculoskeletal disorders (e.g., osteoarthritis and osteoporosis) and sports-related injuries.

What does a rheumatologist do?

Rheumatologists are the ultimate physician-detectives. We are often called upon by our colleagues to help diagnose very ill patients with unusual constellations of symptoms, physical findings, and laboratory abnormalities. While some disciplines are limited in the scope of organ involvement that they encounter (e.g. the heart in cardiology), rheumatologists care for patients with a wide range of organ involvement from the musculoskeletal system alone in osteoarthritis to multisystem involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) or vascultis.

We are also direct the therapy of patients with conditions that have, until recently, carried substantial risk for death and/or disability. The research in our field has led to discoveries of disease mechanisms that have enabled an explosion in therapeutic options, allowing us to make a substantial impact on both survival and quality of life in our patients.