The Division of Pediatric Rheumatology and Immunology provides ample didactic lectures, seminars and conferences to ensure that the fellows will acquire the necessary understanding of the pathophysiology, clinical features, diagnosis and management of the core diseases in the field of pediatric rheumatology. Furthermore, emphasis is placed on not only understanding the diseases and potential therapeutic options, but also on elucidating the etiology and aberrant immunological mechanisms involved in the specific autoimmune and autoinflammatory disorders.
Fellows participate in the Department of Pediatrics Fellowship Core Curriculum which includes workshops and training on topics including grant writing, teaching, how to approach a job search and others. Throughout the academic year, fellows participate in a series of didactic lectures that systematically review the core disorders in pediatric rheumatology. In addition, fellows participate in a weekly Division of Pediatric Rheumatology case conference as well as a weekly Translational Research conference and Rheumatology Grand Rounds held in conjunction with the adult Rheumatology Division at Washington University. Fellows periodically present at these conferences to develop effective communication skills. Depending on the fellows’ long-term interests, they are also encouraged to participate in other conferences and journal clubs on the medical campus (e.g., the Department of Immunology’s weekly seminar series and work-in-progress seminars or the Department of Molecular Microbiology’s seminar series).