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Volume 6  Issue 8 • August 2017 • Rheumatology Research Foundation

 

Recruiting the Next Generation

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) estimates that there will be a shortage of 3,845 rheumatologists in the United States by 2025. The growing shortage leads to longer wait times for patients to get the care they need, especially in areas underserved by rheumatology health professionals. In some regions, patients might drive hours or wait months to see a rheumatologist. 

The Rheumatology Research Foundation is working to address the growing shortage by recruiting the next generation of rheumatology health professionals. One of the Foundation’s awards, the ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting Scholarship, provides funding for students and residents in underserved areas to explore their interest in rheumatology by attending the ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting. 

The ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting is the premier event of rheumatology. Scholarship recipients receive VIP treatment with mentoring opportunities throughout the meeting and exclusive access to a Student and Resident Experience. Attendees report an increased interest in the field and are more likely to choose rheumatology as their specialty. “I came away from the meeting inspired, curious, and motivated. I learned about the patient populations covered within the rheumatology field, and I left with a greater personal interest in furthering my own understanding of rheumatic conditions,” said Nicole Bertolino, OTS, a graduate student in occupational therapy at the Medical University of South Carolina and scholarship recipient to the 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting.

The 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting is scheduled for November 3 - 8 in San Diego, California. The application deadline has been extended until September 1, and is available to residents, medical students and graduate students from states underserved by rheumatology professionals.

Click here to apply to the ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting Scholarship.

 

 

Tackle Rheumatic Diseases with Terry Bradshaw

September 2017 marks the second annual Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month (RDAM), sponsored by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and its national public awareness campaign, Simple Tasks. RDAM is an effort to increase public understanding and awareness of the symptoms, risk factors, treatment options, personal and economic impact, and lifestyle and healthcare challenges associated with rheumatic diseases. 

The theme of RDAM in 2017 is “Hundreds of Diseases, One Voice.”  It serves as a reminder for what can be accomplished when many voices work together to improve the public’s understanding of rheumatic diseases and advance the health and wellbeing of millions of Americans living with rheumatic diseases.

Sports commentator and former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw is the official spokesperson for the American College of Rheumatology’s RDAM 2017.  As someone who lives with rheumatoid arthritis and who benefited from early intervention by a rheumatologist, Bradshaw is reminding everyone that “You don’t have to be an athlete to have sore joints!” Watch and share Terry’s public service announcement and be sure to take the ACR’s Joint IQ quiz for a chance to win a #12 Pittsburgh Steelers jersey signed by Bradshaw!

 

 

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