Faulkner remembers another important moment during his preceptorship when Dr. Battistone discussed tackling the daunting task of choosing a medical specialty. “Dr. Battistone shared valuable insights about how he decided to go into rheumatology,” says Faulkner. “We talked about the pros and cons of medicine versus surgery, personality types, academic medicine versus private practices, pediatric versus adult medicine, and where to even begin when making decisions about my future path.”
Before this experience, Faulkner had put off thinking about this decision, but Dr. Battistone empowered him to approach the task by arming him with information.
“Before participating in this program, I had never really considered rheumatology as a future career option only because I had never really had any experience in this field,” says Faulkner. “The positive experiences in this program, however, have motivated me to learn more about rheumatology and consider it as a possible career choice.”
Faulkner continued to work with Dr. Battistone and learned more about rheumatology in his free time during his third year of medical school; he will graduate in May 2008 from the University of Utah School of Medicine.
The ACR REF/Abbott Medical Student Research Preceptorship, part of the REF awards portfolio, is designed specifically for students who are between the first and second year of medical school. The award introduces students to the specialty of rheumatology by supporting a full-time, three-month research experience. Recipients also receive travel funds to attend the ACR/ARHP Annual Scientific Meeting. Funding for this award is made possible through the Abbott Endowment for Rheumatology Development.