We value an importance to provide individualized learning experience for trainees. Fellows have opportunities to select their tracks of training based on career development goals.
WashU Medicine maintains a campus-wide, long-term commitment to fostering a collaborative community of academic educators. The Academy of Educators is a multidisciplinary organization that offers workshops, mentoring, and training sessions to support career development for educators.
This three-year track is designed for fellows pursuing careers as clinical educators. After completing the first year of fellowship training, fellows may be eligible to apply for the Washington University Teaching Physician Pathway (WUTPP). This one-year program equips fellows with the knowledge, skills, experience, and mentorship necessary to become competent and inspired clinician-educators and future leaders in medical education.
The WUTPP includes two 2-week courses featuring didactic sessions and workshops on:
- Learning theory
- Curriculum design
- Feedback and assessment
- Survey design
- Small group facilitation
- Presentation skills
- Professional development for academic educators
Fellows are also encouraged to attend the Methods of Education Scholarship course to enhance their education research and scholarship skills, if aligned with their career goals. Protected time is provided to attend these courses.
Example inpatient and clinic schedule:
- Year 1: Inpatient 6–7 months; 2–3 clinics/week
- Year 2: Inpatient 4–8 weeks; 1–2 clinics/week
- Year 3: Inpatient 4–8 weeks; 1–2 clinics/week
Suggested didactic lectures and conferences:
- Pediatric Rheumatology Didactic Lecture Series (weekly)
- Rheumatology Grand Rounds (weekly)
- Pediatric Clinical Immunology Conference (bi-weekly)
- Immunology Conference for Rheumatology Fellows (every 2–3 weeks)
- Pediatric Clinical/Translational Investigator Seminar (weekly)
This three-year track is designed for fellows who aim to develop broad clinical skills, provide exceptional patient care and serve as professional role models and mentors.
After gaining comprehensive clinical experience in rheumatologic diseases during the first year, fellows in years two and three may pursue elective opportunities to deepen their expertise in areas of interest. They will also have increased exposure to patient care in both inpatient and outpatient settings and observe master clinicians at WashU Medicine known for their clinical excellence, emotional intelligence and teaching abilities.
Career goal: To become a master clinician.
Example inpatient and clinic schedule:
- Year 1: Inpatient 6–7 months; 2–3 clinics/week
- Year 2: Inpatient 6–8 weeks; 2 clinics/week
- Year 3: Inpatient 6–8 weeks; 2 clinics/week
Suggested didactic lectures and conferences:
- Pediatric Rheumatology Didactic Lecture Series (weekly)
- Rheumatology Grand Rounds (weekly)
- Pediatric Clinical Immunology Conference (bi-weekly)
- Immunology Conference for Rheumatology Fellows (every 2–3 weeks)
- Pediatric Clinical/Translational Investigator Seminar (weekly)
This pathway is tailored for fellows pursuing careers in academic medicine as physician-scientists. Dedicated research training begins in the second year of fellowship. Fellows benefit from access to a wide network of mentors across WashU Medicine.
This track supports fellows aiming to establish investigative faculty careers. Many are funded through NIH-supported T32 training grants or individual career development awards. Fellows are provided with protected time, dedicating more than 75% of their effort to research in basic or translational science laboratories during their second and third years.
Example Inpatient and Clinic Schedule:
- Year 1: Inpatient 6–7 months; 2–3 clinics/week
- Year 2: Inpatient 0–4 weeks; 1 clinic/week
- Year 3: Inpatient 0–4 weeks; 1 clinic/week
- Year 4 (PePSTP fellows in ABP accelerated research track): Inpatient 0–4 weeks; 1 clinic/week
Suggested Didactic Lectures and Conferences:
- Rheumatology Translational Research Conference (weekly)
- Rheumatology Grand Rounds (weekly)
- Translational Immunology Conference (monthly)
- Pediatric Molecular Medicine Series (weekly)
- Pediatric Clinical/Translational Investigator Seminar (weekly)
- Immunology Seminar (weekly)
- Additional research-focused seminar series: PePSTP Program