Engaging in lifelong learning by maintaining certification has been a required method to confirm medical competence since 1933 through the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). Established by the American Medical Association and the American College of Physicians in 1936, the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) is one of 24 ABMS certifying member boards….
The past several decades have seen the transition of medical training from a hierarchical, teacher-driven model to a learner-centered approach that emphasizes competency-based medical education (CBME). CBME refers to several aspects of education, including: 1) flexible, lifelong learning; 2) emphasis on knowledge and skills rather than regurgitation of facts; and 3) formative rather than summative…
Implicit bias negatively affects patients and clinicians alike in a variety of healthcare settings. Unconscious feelings and attitudes about others can damage professional and personal relationships. Demystifying Bias At the virtual ACR Division & Program Directors Conference in March, three physician leaders presented a panel called, Demystifying Bias: Empowering You to Have Courageous Conversations, and…
Although providing feedback is often discussed as separate from teaching, it is the most important teaching we do as clinician-educators. Whether attending on the inpatient consult service or precepting in the clinic, providing direct feedback is the most effective way to help fellows advance their skills. Feedback, however, is only as good as the giver…
Rheumatologists are natural teachers. As a group we are drawn to the mystery of making a diagnosis and enjoy passing on our fascinating and alluring detective game to students. Some of us extend our expertise to become clinical investigators or bench scientists, and others devote ourselves to the education of trainees and education scholarship. Similar…
Sir William Osler, a pioneer of modern medical education, taught “medicine is learned by the bedside and not in the classroom.”1 How, then, do we learn medicine in a world dominated by virtual interactions? This question was forced upon us in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. From telemedicine to remote meetings, the rheumatology community…
Preparing for the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Rheumatology Certification Exam can easily be one of the most anxiety-inducing times for young trainees (and even seasoned rheumatologists). Once again, you are asked to demonstrate mastery of your knowledge in a medical field, and this time it is for the field of rheumatology—a discipline with…
“It’s crazy! None of the pictures online look like me!” a young Black woman with systemic lupus earythematosus (SLE) exclaimed. We could only affirm her observation and agree that it was unfair. Like many patients with SLE, our patient was diagnosed at a young age and suffered severe complications that required kidney transplantation before her…
Civil unrest in response to racism is a call for realignment of priorities in all aspects of society, including medical education. Hospital preparedness demands training in the treatment of victims of pepper spray, tear gas and rubber bullets, as well as planning for lockdown procedures in healthcare facilities and medical schools. Beyond logistics though, events…
I have been tongue-tied, of late. When I was a medical student, I was told not to turn the physical examination into an aerobic workout. This sage piece of advice was imparted by my physical examination preceptor, who had watched me perform a complete examination on a hapless volunteer. At the time, I thought of…