Should the ACR Have a Medical Textbook?

Further, the ACR strategic plan calls for a robust online community with a free exchange of ideas. In such a community, members could comment on topics, and the most valued comments and ideas could be given prominence, akin to upvoting on such platforms as Reddit.

If the ACR published a textbook that had a dynamic and living element of this nature added, not only would it enhance the exchange of ideas, but it would allow the textbook to have thoughtful and vetted annotations and dissents for easy reference. Moreover, this would provide micro-volunteering opportunities to the members, another aim of the strategic plan.

There is a financial case to be made as well. In the current climate, publishers are looking for innovative models to allow their books to survive, and the ACR could provide a mechanism for this. Models have been proposed in which such a project could be financially viable and perhaps even profitable to the ACR. With such options as making access a member benefit or charging a minimal amount to download a chapter or figure or table, the initiative could pay for itself.

Bottom Line

The loss of textbooks could be irreparable for internists and rheumatologists. Hence, we propose the ACR be the ultimate resource for rheumatology informatics and publishing major rheumatology textbooks, as well as other means of disseminating updates and summaries in the field.

A dynamic and resilient presentation of rheumatology topics for the future generation of rheumatologists is important. This article is intended to generate debate and discussion about this topic, and we would appreciate your comments (send comments to the editor via email: [email protected]).

Daniel J. Wallace MD, FACP, MACR, is a board-certified internist and rheumatologist. A clinical professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, he is the associate director of the Rheumatology Fellowship Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he also serves on the Board of Governors. He has been chief of rheumatology at the City of Hope and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and chairman of the Research and Education Foundation of the ACR.

Swamy R. Venuturupalli, MD, founder of Attune Health, is an innovative clinician and researcher in the field of rheumatology. After graduating from the Topiwala National Medical College in Mumbai, India, he completed his residency as chief resident at the State University of New York Upstate Medical University in Syracuse. Dr. Venuturupalli also completed a rheumatology fellowship at UCLA/Olive View, during which time he received advanced training in health services research and conducted studies on complementary and alternative medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, dietary supplements and mind-body medicine. Dr. Venuturupalli is a sought-after teacher and a core faculty member of the Cedars-Sinai Rheumatology fellowship program. He holds the title of associate clinical professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.