Awards
Dr. Marston noted that an important change for fellowship awards from the Rheumatology Research Foundation is that the term now spans a fellow’s entire course of study. This means support will now extend throughout the two years of an adult rheumatology fellow’s program or the three years of a pediatric rheumatology fellow’s program.
Rheumatology training programs are encouraged to apply for workforce expansion funding to increase the number of new fellow slots in a program or to support existing slots that cannot be filled due to lack of funding.
Interview Changes
Among the many changes that came along with the COVID-19 pandemic was the shift from in-person to virtual interviews for residents applying to rheumatology fellowship training programs. Dr. Marston summarized some of the benefits and downsides of this shift to virtual interviews, which continue to be used by many programs and likely will be used into the future.
On the positive side, significant cost savings for applicants and institutions alike have been realized by using virtual rather than in-person interview days. The change has also helped level the playing field with respect to which residents can afford to pay for travel and lodging while going on numerous interviews.
However, there has been a sense of loss in the personal touch of programs and in the inability of interviewees to see the physical space and meet faculty and fellows in real life.
A proposal from the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) would allow fellowship training programs to voluntarily lock in their rank list of applicants two weeks before resident interviewees are required to do so. This would allow time for residents to visit programs, if they choose to do so, to get the flavor of an institution. Questions remain: Who will sponsor these visits? Will all applicants be invited to visit programs, or only a portion of applicants based on preference of programs? Will this introduce bias into the application process, and will there be issues of equity in funding travel or social activities for perspective fellows? More time is needed to think about the implications of this proposal and to come up with a consistent plan that can be used by programs across the country, Dr. Marston explained.
Engagement Opportunities
Fellows may also apply to be members of ACR standing committees, contribute to RheumPAC, participate in Advocacy 101 (an ACR Government Affairs Committee initiative seeking to enhance the participation of FITs and program directors in health policy and advocacy issues) and write for The Rheumatologist (upon article review and acceptance by the editor). In addition, fellows may have the opportunity to work on clinical guidelines being developed for various diseases and clinical topics through initiatives with the ACR.
