Much more, however, needs to be done. Big questions that we are hoping to tackle include: What will be the scope of practice in the field of rheumatology in the future? and What business models will be viable for the practice of rheumatology five or 10 years from now?
Also of fundamental importance to clinical rheumatologists, and to our ability to train the workforce of tomorrow, is the question, What business model(s) can allow our academic rheumatology units to survive and even flourish, so that we can retain faculty in academic positions where salaries may be lower, but where they are needed to continue to train new generations of future rheumatologists? These are large, complex questions, and answering them will not be easy or inexpensive. Thoughtful members of the ACR are asking it to tackle these issues, and the time is right—we are already scheduled to undergo a major strategic planning process in 2009.
Providing an optimal workforce for the future is not, therefore, an isolated educational endeavor. Success in this task will require us to confront all of the major challenges in our field. Over the next few months, ACR members should think carefully about whether the ACR is asking the right questions and taking the right initiatives. Members can then provide their views to ACR leadership and staff regarding what they hope to see accomplished through the ACR’s new strategic plan that will be created in 2009.
Acknowledgement: Thanks to Abby Abelson, David Daikh, Amy Miller, and Mark Andrejeski for helpful suggestions during the preparation of this column.
Dr. Fox is president of the ACR. Contact him via e-mail at [email protected].
References
- Bole GG. The American Rheumatism Association 1990. Presidential Address to the American Rheumatism Association, June 4, 1981. Arthritis Rheum. 1982;25(1):1-9.
- Deal CL, Hooker R, Harrington T, et al. The United States Rheumatology Workforce Study: Supply and demand, 2005–2025. Arthritis Rheum. 2007; 56:722-729.
