Education
Donald Kimpel MD
Rheumatology Fellowship Training Program
Program Director: Donald Kimpel, MD
Key clinical faculty:
- Adam Q. Carlson, MD
- Paul Katzenstein, MD
- Donald Kimpel, MD
- Janet Lewis, MD
- Amanda Lusa, MD
- Jacob Meinderstma, MD
- Jae Hee Yun, MD
The Rheumatology Fellowship Training Program is ACGME-accredited and offers a comprehensive two-year program for those who have completed a three-year residency in internal medicine. Graduating fellows are eligible to sit for the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) certification exam in rheumatology.
UVA Rheumatology fellows are provided with a rich and rigorous clinical experience, in combination with clinical and translational research opportunities. The program is designed to develop rheumatologists with the knowledge base and skills to succeed wherever their career path leads them, whether in academic medicine (clinical research, and/or clinical education) or in private practice.
There are two fellowship positions open for the academic period.
- Recommended Deadline for applications is July 31.
- Applications can be submitted after July 1, we advise submission prior to July, after that date, we begin contacting applicants for interview invitations and scheduling.
- Interviews are conducted from mid-August through October, primarily on Wednesdays.
- Interview scheduling is done via e-mail.
- The NRMP Rank Order list opens in mid-October and closes in mid-November.
- Priority is given to applicants with an interest in academic rheumatology.
Applications are considered complete when the following are submitted to ERAS:
- Curriculum vitae
- Dean’s letter, Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE), or original transcript
- Three letters of recommendation, including one from the applicant’s internal medicine residency program director
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U.S. Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) or Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX) scores
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For foreign applicants, certification from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG)
- Applications will be reviewed when all the above documentation has been submitted
Links
UVA Housestaff
About Us
The Fellowship Training Program in Rheumatology at the University of Virginia has been ongoing for more than 40 years. It is administered by the Division of Rheumatology and accredited by the ACGME. Upon successful completion of the program, an individual is eligible for the certification examination in Rheumatology that is administered by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM). The Program combines a rich and rigorous clinical experience with many clinical research opportunities.
UVA Health System serves a population of approximately 2.5 to 3 million people from the Charlottesville metropolitan area and reaching across the state to rural and semi-rural communities. Most of the localities in this region do not have a rheumatologist available for consultation, so the patient population seen at UVA is quite diverse and encompasses the full spectrum of rheumatic diseases. The rheumatologists in our division have over 10,000 patient visits per year.
Training Opportunities
Clinical training is done at the UVA Hospital and at the Rheumatology Clinic. The clinic is located in the Fontaine Research Park, which is also home to Orthopedic Surgery, the Pain Management Clinic, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, and Musculoskeletal Radiology; this physical configuration encourages interactions among rheumatologists, orthopedic surgeons, psychiatrists, and musculoskeletal radiologists. There is also an outpatient facility for physical therapy and occupational therapy, the division has certified musculoskeletal ultrasound training, and the Rheumatology Clinic has two musculoskeletal ultrasound machines for diagnostic and procedural applications, and for teaching purposes. Thus, the clinical environment is excellent for an interdisciplinary approach to rheumatology education.
Elective clinical time includes opportunities in Orthopedic Surgery (Hand, Foot, and/or Sports Medicine), Dermatology, Metabolic Bone Disease, Nerve Conduction Study and EMG, Pain Management, Pediatric Rheumatology, Occupational and Physical Therapy, Musculoskeletal Radiology, and Physical Medicine, and Rehabilitation.
Clinical and translational “bedside-to-bench” research opportunities are ongoing through collaboration with researchers and faculty throughout the medical center.
Program Emphasis
The fellowship program emphasizes the development of academic and clinical rheumatologists and is tailored to ensure the success of fellows with this interest. During the 1st year, the fellow attends (on average) 4 half-day clinic sessions per week. All clinics are supervised onsite by a rheumatology faculty attending physician. 1st-year fellows also rotate on the Rheumatology Consultation Inpatient Service for approximately 3 1/2 months and 2nd-year fellows for 2 1/2 months. The program is structured to the specific needs of the fellow with time for research experience and electives. Weekend call rotates and averages 1-weekend call out of 4.
Division conferences include weekly Rheumatology Grand Rounds and Case Conference, monthly Research in Progress meetings, monthly Journal Clubs, monthly Musculoskeletal Radiology Conferences, and a variety of other seminar and lecture series. Priority is given to applicants who desire a robust clinical experience and a scholarly approach to clinical Rheumatology, with an interest in academic careers.
For more information about the Rheumatology Fellowship Training Program contact:
Program Director
Donald Kimpel, MD, MA
Email: dlk9t@virginia.edu
Rheumatology Fellowship Program
PO Box 801406
Charlottesville, VA 22908
Phone: 434-234-8482
Fax: 434-243-9143
Program Coordinator
Javanov Barksdale
Email: jcb8qt@virginia.edu
Rheumatology Fellowship Program
PO Box 801406
Charlottesville, VA 22908
Phone: 434-243-8482
Graduate Medical Education At UVA
Salary and Benefits: see the Graduate Medical Education website.
Fellow wellness is a top priority of our program and is a factor in all decisions related to the fellowship program. There is an abundance of resources available. See information on GME well-being resources and learn more about the Faculty & Employee Assistance Program.