Our Ultrasound Clinics, which take place at our Hutchinson Campus, are dedicated to assessing and treating arthritic conditions via ultrasound. These teaching clinics are attended by one rheumatologist and one to two second-year fellows, who treat patients referred for injections and evaluations.

Located at Moses Campus, our Lupus Clinics see a range of patients, including those with new diagnoses, suspected diagnoses, prior diagnoses and/or recent hospitalizations for flares of systemic lupus erythematosus, discoid lupus, mixed connective tissue disease and antiphospholipid syndrome. Several attendings, fellows and rotating residents and medical students attend these clinics. Our Lupus Clinics are teaching practices, with fellows serving as primary caregivers, and count as continuity clinics. This fellows-driven continuity clinic is part of the Montefiore Einstein Institute for Lupus Care and Research (ILCR)

General Rheumatology (Arthritis) Clinics take place at Moses Campus and Jacobi Medical Center. The majority of our patients are seen at these clinics, and are suspected or known to have rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis, systemic sclerosis, inflammatory myositis, spondyloarthropathies, gout and osteoarthritis. All new non-lupus patients who are seen in the hospital by the teaching service and who have the need for outpatient follow-up are also seen in these clinics. Patients are referred to these clinics by both internal and community primary care practices, subspecialists and the emergency room. Clinics are attended by several attendings and first- and second-year fellows, as well as by rotating residents and medical students. Fellows serve as the primary caregivers in these teaching clinics, which are part of a fellow’s continuity clinic structure.

Fellows assigned to inpatient rotations are responsible for the evaluation of inpatient and emergency room consultations, and the continued follow-up of these patients during their hospitalization. During rotations, fellows develop and refine clinical evaluation skills, as well as skills in providing consultation services. Inpatient rotations also allow fellows to develop a comprehensive understanding of the indications, contraindications, techniques and complications of arthrocentesis, as well as of the interpretation of results from this procedure.

All fellows, regardless of year, maintain three half-days of outpatient rotations at ambulatory continuity clinics. Under the supervision of dedicated attending faculty members assigned to each individual clinic, this experience continues with progressive responsibility through the fellowship. Each fellow has one Lupus Clinic and two General Rheumatology “Arthritis” Clinics each week, where they are exposed to the full breadth and scope of the practice of rheumatology.

The Montefiore Einstein Rheumatology Fellowship offers comprehensive training to thoroughly prepare our fellows for careers in clinical practice and/or investigative rheumatology. The first year of the program lays the groundwork for a firm understanding of clinical rheumatology through didactic sessions and inpatient and outpatient rotations. In the second year, our fellows devote most of their time to a mentored research project in a preferred area of interest. With department approval, an optional third year is available for fellows interested in pursuing intensive research training.

During their first year, fellows attend three outpatient clinics per week: one session in our Lupus Clinic at Moses Campus, one session in our General Rheumatology Clinic at Moses Campus, and one session at our General rheumatology Clinic at Jacobi Medical Center. They rotate through the inpatient consult service distributing two thirds of their time at the Moses Campus and one third of their time at Weiler Hospital. First- year fellows attend didactic sessions dedicated to fundamental knowledge of disease pathophysiology and management, small group case-based sessions, periodic interval assessments, introduction to MSK ultrasound, physical exam and arthrocentesis/ joint injection workshops, fundamentals of immunology, journal clubs and Division/Department-wide Grand Rounds.

During their second year of training, Fellows participate in a dedicated Musculoskeletal Ultrasound (MSKUS) procedure clinic (approximately twice a month), and they may also design and implement a Quality Improvement project.

Our two-year Musculoskeletal Ultrasound (MSKUS) Program is led by Dr. Melissa Band, DO, RhMSUS. In the first year, Fellows learn the basics of MSKUS application for diagnosis and clinical correlations, and are trained in recognizing a wide range of common pathology. The curriculum provides Fellows with hands-on experience and helps them gauge their interest in further developing their MSKUS skills.

Divided into quarterly goals as defined by USSONAR requirements, training in the second year is designed for fellows to advance and refine their US skillset. The curriculum allows fellows to participate in USSONAR certification, prepare for future RhMSUS board certification and develop clinical research projects. Each MSKUS clinic session is divided into journal review and patient procedures. The second year MSKUS curriculum includes a dedicated MSKUS clinic where the second-year Fellows are trained to use the ultrasound for US-guided rheumatologic procedures.

During our one-month selective program, fellows continue to participate in their continuity clinics but are provided time off from the in-patient service to explore other fields pertinent to Radiology Fellows, including orthopedics, pediatric rheumatology, physical therapy, dermatology, ophthalmology and musculoskeletal (MSK) radiology.

Our Clinical Research Training Program (CRTP) allows fellows to earn a Master of Science in Clinical Research Methods. Combining didactic learning and coursework with a mentored research experience, this intensive two-year program is designed for those pursuing a career in investigator-initiated, hypothesis-driven clinical research. CRTP scholars are drawn from all Montefiore Einstein medical specialities and subspecialties, including those interested in clinical investigation across the entire translational research spectrum.