Program Mission

The Division of Pediatric Rheumatology at UT Southwestern Medical Center has one of only 38 ACGME-accredited fellowship training programs in Pediatric Rheumatology in the United States.

The three-year Pediatric Rheumatology Fellowship Training Program aims to provide fellows with a strong foundation in clinical training and academics, to manage patients with a wide variety of pediatric rheumatic diseases, teach, and participate in independent research.

Developing the Next Generation of Pediatric Rheumatology leaders

Our Program culture is rooted in our aspiration for every team member to embody the values of excellence, innovation, teamwork, and compassion and exhibit behaviors congruent with those values. We invest in the professional and leadership development of each fellow so they can leverage their talents and pursue their passions to reach their personal and career goals. Such development is foundational to become the future leaders in our field.

Multidisciplinary, Patient Centered Care

The clinical training at Scottish Rite for Children and Children's Health℠ is quite robust. Fellows manage the full spectrum of pediatric rheumatic disease in a diverse population through a busy outpatient practice and inpatient consult service. The Rheumatology Clinic at Scottish Rite Hospital for Children is one of the longest established pediatric rheumatology clinics in the country and is the major regional referral center for North Texas. At Scottish Rite Hospital, fellows work in a multi-disciplinary clinic alongside Nurse Practitioners, Psychologist, physical and occupational therapists, and Child Life. Fellows have the following clinical experiences:

First Year

• Four outpatient clinics weekly
• Inpatient consult service ~ two weeks per month

Second and Third Year

• One to two outpatient clinics weekly
• Inpatient service ~ one week per month
• Electives

Musculoskeletal Ultraound Training

Our comprehensive musculoskeletal ultrasound program trains fellows to improve proficiency in the application of this important tool in clinical practice and research. Pediatric muscloskeletal radiologists and sports medicine faculty contribute to the curriculum which consists of the following components:

• Monthly Didactics
• Hands on Pediatric Scanning sessions
• Cadaver practice sessions
• Simulation Center practice sessions
• Observation and participation in US guided injections in the OR

Discovery of New Knowledge

Fellows can participate in clinical and translational research, or quality improvement to complete their scholarly project. Fellows are supported by a strong research infrastructure that includes research mentors, research coordinators and accessible statistical support. A research elective in the first semester of the first year of fellowship training provides a solid foundation on which to launch a successful scholarly project.

A postgraduate education program in clinical research provided through UT Southwestern, culminating in a certificate or master's degree, is an option for those fellows preparing for a career in clinical research. Advanced training in quality improvement is also available. Fellows actively engage in national Rheumatology organizations including the American College of Rheumatology and the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance.

Tracey Wright, M.D., is the Program Director for the Pediatric Rheumatology Fellowship Training Program. All other Pediatric Rheumatology faculty are actively involved in training our pediatric rheumatology fellows.

Prerequisites include one (1) year of internship and two (2) years of pediatric residency in a program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) in the United States or by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Applicants must:

• Be citizens of the United States or Canada, or
• Hold a permanent resident visa, or
• Have passed Steps one through three of the USMLE examination and be eligible for an ECFMG-sponsored visa

Foreign medical graduates must provide original documentation of education and licensure upon acceptance into the Fellowship Program. The Department of Pediatrics at UT Southwestern only accepts permanent residents of J-1 ECFMG sponsored visas. We do not sponsor H1-B visas for clinical training.

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