Attendance at this event has broadened my horizons, and it was fascinating to hear about academic and clinical training in a system very different to that of the U.K. This brilliant initiative from the ACR, which invests in and fosters academic rheumatologists of the future, is sure to contribute to the longevity of high-quality rheumatology research in the U.S.
Above all, I left Orlando with new friends and colleagues from across the pond, whom I was fortunate to be able to catch up with at ACR Convergence 2023 in San Diego in November. It has been particularly heart-warming to see their budding research, which was displayed at the Rheumatology Research Workshop, subsequently blossom into successful presentations at ACR Convergence. Of course, it was also great to enjoy the Florida sunshine, some fine food and head to Disney Springs together after the sessions ended in search of Mickey Mouse.
Open exclusively to ACR/ARP members, the Rheumatology Research Workshop is an invitation-only meeting, with attendees selected on the basis of an application, letters of recommendation and abstracts of current research. Learn more.
The call for abstract submissions for this year’s Rheumatology Research Workshop is now closed, and I wish all the best to the applicants to this year’s program. Applications open early in spring and require details of ongoing research, as well as a supervisor’s letter of recommendation.
I would highly recommend the workshop to early career academic rheumatologists at all stages, including medical students and residents who want a taste of rheumatology research. This was undoubtedly the best intensive research course I have attended, unique in its focus on rheumatology research. I would like to thank the ACR and the ECI subcommittee for giving me this unforgettable opportunity, and Bharat Kumar, MD, MME, FACP, RhMSUS, and the team at The Rheumatologist for the opportunity to share my experience, which I hope will encourage others to apply in future.
Mrinalini Dey, MB BChir, MA (Hons) Cantab, MRCP (UK), FHEA, Dip LCM, is a trainee in rheumatology and general internal medicine at King’s College, London, where she is currently undertaking a clinical PhD fellowship. Her work focuses on the association between social determinants of health and comorbidities, and outcomes in people with inflammatory arthritis.