Program Curriculum
The Rheumatology residency program is for 2 year(s). The program length of training does not exceed the Royal College or College of Family Physicians of Canada standard. The Schedule will vary significantly depending on resident interest/need.
It is the goal of our training program to expose residents to a variety of clinical experiences. Residents are divided into Teams throughout the course of their training. Each team has specific clinics that strive to meet learning goals and objectives. Staff are matched in each team to provide a complementary clinical experience, while at the same time maximize resident learning and exposure to different areas of rheumatology. Residents are pre-assigned to specific teams throughout the year, as well as to specific clinics weekly.
There are many specialty clinics that occur; residents will have an opportunity throughout their training to participate in these clinics.
In addition, where applicable, residents may be reassigned to a particular clinic in order to more gain exposure to a specific area of rheumatology.
BLUE TEAM: Dr. Pari Basharat (Myositis); Dr. Sherry Rohekar (Seronegative Spondyloarthropathies), Dr. Tom Appleton (osteoarthritis). All of these consultants are also involved in research and see general rheumatology patients.
GREEN TEAM: Dr. Tristan Boyd (Seronegative Spondyloarthropathy and Psoriatic Arthriits), Dr. Gina Rohekar (Adult General Rheumatology), Dr. Lillian Barra (Vasculitis). All of these consultants are involved in research. Dr. Boyd also sees general rheumatology.
RED TEAM: Dr. Janet Pope (SLE and Scleroderma); Dr. Sara Haig (Adult General Rheumatology). Dr. Pope is heavily involved in research and also sees general rheumatology.
In addition, several staff conduct speciality clinics with a focus on specific areas of rheumatology, as well as multidisciplinary clinics with other subspecialty areas of medicine. These include:
Dr. Janet Pope: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (2 days/month)
Dr. Janet Pope: Scleroderma (2 days/month)
Dr. Janet Pope: Connective tissue disease (2 days/month)
Dr. Sherry Rohekar: Spondyloarthritis and Psoriatic Arthritis (4 days/month)
Dr. Lillian Barra: Vasculitis (4 days/month)
Dr. Lillian Barra: Vasculitis, joint with Nephrology (1 day/month)
Dr. Lillian Barra: Vasculitis, joint with Neurology (1 day every 3 months)
Dr. Pari Basharat: Myositis, joint with Neurology (1 day/month)
Dr. C. Thomas Appleton: Osteoarthritis and General Rheumatology
The first and last six months of the program should be spent in adult general rheumatology clinics at St. Joseph’s Hospital in London.
A mandatory pediatric rheumatology elective of one month (1 block) duration must be completed in the PGY-5 year.
Community electives are scheduled in the resident’s PGY-5 year.
Research electives may be undertaken in the residents’ PGY-4 (last six months only) or PGY-5 year. Residents will be mentored in the area of research by Dr. Lillian Barra, our research coordinator.
Out of town electives may be set up for the first 6 months of the residents’ PGY-5 year, but exceptions may be made depending on circumstances and type of elective and availability.
There is also the opportunity to set up longitudinal electives or shorter term electives in areas such as osteoporisis, inflammatory bowel disease, dermatology, or respirology, among others.
Residents will have a longitudinal rheumatology clinic one half day per week.
MANDATORY CONTENT OF TRAINING
|
Description |
Duration |
Sites in which this training may be taken |
|
Adult Rheumatology Clinics |
18 months |
St. Joseph’s Health Centre, London, ON |
|
In-patient Consults (throughout ambulatory clinic time) |
18 months |
SJHC/LHSC |
|
Pediatric Rheumatology Clinics |
1 month |
Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON OR London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ontario (for this elective, residents participate in paediatric clinics twice weekly for 8 weeks = total 4 week long elective, concurrently with attending adult general rheumatology clinics for the remainder of the week) |
POTENTIAL ELECTIVES: This list is not extensive and other electives may be arranged.
|
Description |
Duration |
Sites in which this training may be taken |
|
Research |
1-3 months |
SJHC or LHSC |
|
Osteoporosis |
1 month |
McMaster University (Dr. J Adachi)/SJHC OR Osteoporosis clinics at SJHC. PLEASE NOTE – these clinics are usually only a couple of times per week, so residents would be expected to attend AGR clinics for the remaining days. |
|
Sports Medicine |
1-2 months |
Fowler Kennedy Sports Medicine Clinic |
|
Community Rheumatology |
1-3 months |
Newmarket, Windsor, London (ie Dr. Andrew Thompson) Any other proposed site, with approval |
|
Musculoskeletal Imaging |
1 month |
SJHC |
|
Clinical Immunology/Laboratory |
2-4 weeks |
LHSC |
|
Respirology |
2-4 weeks |
LHSC (potential to set up recurring attendance in clinic ie 1-2 x per week as a longitudinal elective) |
|
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Gastroenterology) |
2-4 weeks |
LHSC (potential to set up recurring attendance in clinic ie 1-2 x per week as a longitudinal elective) |
Longitudinal clinics:
Each resident has one half-day per week dedicated to their own patients over a period of two years. The patients are seen from initial consult and then followed by that resident. The resident is responsible for arranging follow-up appointments, diagnostic tests, reviewing blood work and answering calls/questions from the patients they follow. Initially, they are asked to review all of their discussions and results with their attending. As time passes, they are allowed more autonomy with patient care, decisions regarding treatment and counselling. At the end of their training, they are expected to be running their longitudinal clinics with minimal supervision.
Training Sites:
St. Joseph’s Heath Centre (All out-patient clinics) - London Ontario
LHSC - University Hospital & Victoria Hospital for in-patient consultations - London Ontario
Hospital for Sick Children (paediatrics rotation) - London Ontario
