MISSION STATEMENT:
The mission of the Washington University Division of Rheumatology Fellowship is to educate the next generation of health care providers, educators, and researchers
  1. to pursue and maintain clinical excellence in the medical care of patients with arthritis, musculoskeletal, autoimmune, and inflammatory diseases
  2. to understand and practice the scientific basis of musculoskeletal medicine, including basic research into aspects of the immune system that is frequently deranged in the diseases that afflict our patients, and
  3. to develop and practice habits conducive to life-long learning.
EDUCATIONAL GOALS:
  1. Provide clinical exposure and didactic presentations so that the trainee is competent to care for patients with a variety of rheumatic diseases, including the most complex presentations.
  2. Teach the scientific basis of the pathophysiology and treatment of the rheumatic diseases.
  3. Allow the trainee to develop skill as a consultant in the in-patient and out-patient settings, to provide continuing care for patients with chronic rheumatic diseases, and to work with physicians in other specialties in this regard.
  4. Teach the rational and efficient use of laboratory and radiographic testing, and expert interpretation of the results.
  5. Acquaint the trainee with the techniques necessary for the critical evaluation of the medical literature and new treatments.
  6. Provide understanding of the realities and details of managed care and documentation requirements.
  7. Provide exposure to the care of socio-economically challenged individuals with rheumatic diseases.
  8. Enhance the development of public presentation skills for clinical and scientific material.
  9. Teach the performance of aspiration and injection of joints.
  10. Provide an opportunity for trainees to take part in clinical research protocols so that they will understand the process by which new treatments are tested.
  11. Provide an opportunity for individuals to develop the necessary basic science skills for pursuing a career as an independent basic science investigator.
  THE PROGRAM STIPENDS & BENEFITS APPLICATION ABOUT ST. LOUIS  
The Division of Rheumatology at Washington University School of Medicine offers postdoctoral training in both clinical and basic research arenas involving the rheumatic and autoimmune diseases, and immunology. The Division is a Missouri Regional Arthritis Center and is affiliated with Barnes-Jewish Hospitals, and the St. Louis Children's Hospital. These hospitals form contiguous units at the Washington University Medical Center.

The rheumatology fellowship program is designed to train highly qualified, motivated and dedicated physicians. The program is fully accredited; successful completion will lead to eligibility for the Rheumatology subspecialty board certification examination administered by the American Board f Internal Medicine.

The Medical Center is one of the nation's largest clinical and biomedical research facilities. The campus includes more than 60 buildings on nearly 85 acres, and the combined, on-site hospital affiliates have more than 2,000 beds. There is continued growth with new construction and restoration of existing buildings. Barnes Hospital, the largest hospital in the Medical Center, provides clinical experience and teaching facilities for all clinical departments except pediatrics. Consistently ranked among the top 10 hospitals in U.S. News and World Report, it recently merged with The Jewish Hospital of St. Louis, a well-recognized acute-care teaching hospital, dedicated to outstanding patient care and advanced medical research. St. Louis Children's Hospital is one of the top five pediatric health centers in the country, offering the complete range of primary care to subspecialty services to meet the health needs of newborns through adolescents.

The Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's Hospitals are members of BJC Health System which was initially formed by the union of Barnes, Jewish and Christian Hospitals in St. Louis to meet evolving healthcare needs, strengthen healthcare delivery, and contain costs. BJC now has ties to more than a dozen outlying hospitals, five extended-care facilities, an occupational and preventive medicine affiliate, and the School of Medicine. It is the largest full-service, fully integrated, academically-linked health system in the country.

In addition, the Division has clinical and research activities at the Shriner's Hospital for Crippled Children and the John Cochran Veteran's Administration Hospital. Both are located nearby. The combination of these hospitals provides a wide spectrum of pathology and clinical experiences for outstanding clinical training at one of the country's premier centers for medical research.

The division continues to expand its clinical and research expertise in order to continue the tradition of providing an outstanding and supportive environment for the training of research-oriented physicians for careers in rheumatology. In addition, the Division now offers a program to meet the needs of fellows interested in the clinical practice of rheumatology. Thus, the Division now offers two fellowship tracks: a research track for those interested in investigative, academic careers, and a clinical track for those who desire careers in clinical rheumatology.
For additional information, please contact:

Richard D. Brasington Jr., M.D.
Director, Fellowship Program
Division of Rheumatology
Washington University School of Medicine
Campus Box 8045
660 South Euclid Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63110
Tel: 314-454-7279
Fax: 314-454-5164
e-mail: rbrasing@im.wustl.edu