Exclusive: ACR Convergence 2024| Focus Rheums

An official publication of the ACR and the ARP serving rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals

Education & Training

Pediatric BOOST

Terry Hartnett  |  

Many innovative programs aim to meet the increasing need for pediatric rheumatologists

Osteonecrosis

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Osteonecrosis, also called avascular necrosis or aseptic necrosis, is a condition in which the death of bone cells (due to decreased blood flow) can lead to pain and collapse of areas of bone. This collapse of bone, in turn, can lead to degenerative arthritis of nearby joints, most commonly the hips and knees. Less frequently affected are the shoulders, hands, and feet. In rare instances, osteonecrosis can occur in the jaw— resulting in pain and mouth ulceration. Osteonecrosis is not fatal, but can lead to pain, arthritis, problems with physical activity, and even the need for joint replacement. Most of the 10,000 to 20,000 Americans developing osteonecrosis annually are between age 20 and 50. These individuals usually have a history of serious trauma, corticosteroid use, excess alcohol intake, or other conditions including systemic lupus erythematosus, dysbarism (“the bends” that occur with scuba diving), blood disorders, HIV infection, and radiation therapy.

State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium

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The 2008 ACR State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium will present current, cutting-edge information on a broad array of topics in rheumatology.

Preceptorship Applications Due February 1

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The ACR REF/Abbott Health Professional Graduate Student Research Preceptorship introduces students to rheumatology-related healthcare by supporting a graduate student’s full-time research in the broad area of rheumatic disease.

2008 Keystone Pediatric Rheumatology Symposium

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In 1976, a group of rheumatologists convened in Park City, Utah, to discuss the rheumatic diseases of childhood. In many ways, this was the beginning of the pediatric rheumatology subspecialty in the United States.

Mentor a Student—Inspire Rheumatology’s Next Generation

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The size of the rheumatology patient population is projected to increase dramatically over the next decade, and there is an urgent need to recruit and train the next generation of rheumatologists. The ACR Research and Education Foundation (REF) is committed to funding the necessary training and education programs to help combat the negative workforce trend, but it is up to you—today’s academic rheumatologist—to attract and train new clinicians and researchers.

2008 ARHP Rheumatology Audioconference Series

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An increasing number of busy healthcare professionals are taking advantage of the ARHP Rheumatology Audioconference Series—a no-travel educational offering approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits. Since 2004 the Rheumatology Audioconference Series has provided an alternative mode of education for rheumatology health professionals.

Life Lessons and Career Empowerment

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Since he was a high-school freshman, Nathan Faulkner has known he was going to pursue a career in medicine. Trauma to his left eye sparked his interest in the anatomy and physiology of the eye, and he originally considered a career in ophthalmology.