First Year
Inpatient Consultation Service at Mount Sinai Hospital
The rotation involves the consultative care of patients at Mount Sinai Hospital. The on-service fellow directs the daily working rounds with the rheumatology team, which includes an attending physician, medicine residents, and medical students. Our hospital serves as a tertiary referral center for patients with a wide array of complex medical illnesses, as well as caring for a diverse community in New York City and beyond. During the first year, fellows receive training in the inpatient assessment and care of patients with both routine and complex rheumatic diseases.
Outpatient Experience
During the first year of training clinical fellows become proficient in the management of outpatient problems through participation in continuity clinics at the Center for Advanced Medicine. Each fellow will attend three general rheumatology clinics per week. In addition, when off-service, fellows will participate in Dr. Yousaf Ali’s faculty practice, and will also rotate in the following specialty practices:
- Pediatric Rheumatology
- Sports Medicine / Rehabilitation Medicine
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Dermatology
- Nephrology
- Musculoskeletal Radiology
Research Preparation
During the first year, fellows will attend core curriculum conferences, which will outline basic concepts in clinical epidemiology, biostatistics, and how these may be applied in clinical investigation. Fellows are encouraged to explore basic science approaches as well, and during the elective months, to delineate a project with the guidance of a faculty preceptor.
Second Year
Inpatient Consultation Service at Mount Sinai Hospital
Second year fellows provide consultative care during the first month of the academic year, in order to ensure a smooth clinical and educational transition; they also participate in weekend coverage for the service. At the same time, continued participation in continuity clinics and clinical conferences fosters maturation of clinical judgment and prepares the trainee for independent practice.
Research Rotations
In the second year of fellowship, rigorous scientific training in the rheumatic diseases is emphasized. An individualized program of laboratory or clinical research is devised with the guidance of a mentor from the rheumatology core faculty, along with training in immunology, molecular biology, genetics, clinical trial, biostatistics and ethical issues through courses or conferences.
The major basic science research component of the Division of Rheumatology is the laboratory of Dr. Percio Gulko, Division Chief. Research in the Gulko lab focuses on the discovery of new genes implicated in rheumatoid arthritis, identifying prognostic biomarkers and generating new targets and more effective therapies to cure autoimmune diseases. Over the past twenty years, Dr. Gulko and his team have published a number of studies demonstrating the importance of modulating severity and joint damage in RA.
The genetics and biology of fibroblast-like synoviocytes are areas of particular interest.
Training opportunities are also available in patient-oriented or translational research, including clinical trials in rheumatic diseases. Notable resources available at Mount Sinai include the BioMe Biobank, which is administered by the Institute for Personalized Medicine, and numerous opportunities for advanced degrees (Master’s and Doctorates) offered by the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.