Training combines clinical practice with teaching conferences and formal lectures.  Trainees are in daily contact with staff, discussing cases with regard to differential diagnosis, clinical and radiographic findings, and therapeutic decisions of patients with rheumatic diseases.  Trainees are required to present papers at the National American College of Rheumatology Meeting as well as completing publications in peer review journals during their fellowship.

Trainees frequently interact with other services pertaining to the rheumatology practice including orthopaedics, radiology, rehabilitation medicine, ophthalmology, and dermatology.  Trainees also participate in the internal medicine resident teaching program through inpatient consultation services, as well as in the outpatient department where the internal medicine residents rotate on a monthly basis.

Pediatric rheumatology is conducted by Drs. Barabar Ostrov and April Bingham of the Hershey Medical Center, with whom trainees do a monthly outreach pediatric rheumatology clinic at Penn State Hershey Children’s Outreach Network in Kingston, Pennsylvania.

In 2006, the rheumatology department added an active osteoporosis component to the rheumatology curriculum.  This successful addition consists of a month of review of the osteoporosis literature with Dr. Thomas Olenginski.  In addition, bimonthly osteoporosis lectures are carried out throughout the fellowship period.  Trainees also spend time reading bone density studies with Dr. Thomas Olenginski and in their second year attend an ISCD course to become certified in bone desitometry.  This aspect of the rheumatology curriculum has been well received by the trainees and is a unique addition to the rheumatology curriculum.

Trainees have one day-a-week allotted to preparing conferences, reading and completing research studies, in addition to the three month-per-year of clinical research time.

Trainees are allotted two weeks of meeting time with a stipend.