The Rheumatology Fellowship at Tufts Medical Center thrives on an environment of opportunity and collaboration between Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Tufts University. The fellowship program emphasizes a strong clinical experience and training but still provides the option of a 2 year (clinical) or 3 year (research training) track with flexibility provided to incoming fellows to determine their track after they have had an initial exposure to both the clinical and research components of the Division. We were excited in July 2018 to admit for the first time, two first year fellows after a successful application to the ACGME to increase our program complement from 2 to 3 yearly fellowship positions. The Tufts fellowship program is therefore now a two alternating with one fellow a year program. We feel this has had substantial benefits to our fellows and our program.
Primary goals
The primary goal of our fellowship program is to train fellows to be excellent clinicians equipped to practice in either the private-practice or clinical-academic environment. A fellow who is interested in a more research oriented career is supported by the division in collaboration with Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) in obtaining a Certificate (one year program) or a Master’s degree (two year program). Our fellowship program is characterized by close working relationship among faculty and fellows, with a key secondary goal being to create an atmosphere of mutual respect and close mentorship that promotes the type of positive fellowship experience so important in shaping each trainee’s long-term abilities, attitudes and career satisfaction.