The past several decades have seen the transition of medical training from a hierarchical, teacher-driven model to a learner-centered approach that emphasizes competency-based medical education (CBME). CBME refers to several aspects of education, including: 1) flexible, lifelong learning; 2) emphasis on knowledge and skills rather than regurgitation of facts; and 3) formative rather than summative…
Although providing feedback is often discussed as separate from teaching, it is the most important teaching we do as clinician-educators. Whether attending on the inpatient consult service or precepting in the clinic, providing direct feedback is the most effective way to help fellows advance their skills. Feedback, however, is only as good as the giver…
Sir William Osler, a pioneer of modern medical education, taught “medicine is learned by the bedside and not in the classroom.”1 How, then, do we learn medicine in a world dominated by virtual interactions? This question was forced upon us in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. From telemedicine to remote meetings, the rheumatology community…
“It’s crazy! None of the pictures online look like me!” a young Black woman with systemic lupus earythematosus (SLE) exclaimed. We could only affirm her observation and agree that it was unfair. Like many patients with SLE, our patient was diagnosed at a young age and suffered severe complications that required kidney transplantation before her…
Civil unrest in response to racism is a call for realignment of priorities in all aspects of society, including medical education. Hospital preparedness demands training in the treatment of victims of pepper spray, tear gas and rubber bullets, as well as planning for lockdown procedures in healthcare facilities and medical schools. Beyond logistics though, events…
I have been tongue-tied, of late. When I was a medical student, I was told not to turn the physical examination into an aerobic workout. This sage piece of advice was imparted by my physical examination preceptor, who had watched me perform a complete examination on a hapless volunteer. At the time, I thought of…
Amid rising drug costs and the growing influence of pharmacy benefit managers on patient care decisions, physicians are increasingly called upon to advocate for affordable, evidence-based treatments for their patients.
As the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 spreads across the globe, innovative thinking is needed more than ever to counter the devastating effects on the physical and socioeconomic health of individuals and communities. Innovations in healthcare delivery not yet fully realized prior to the pandemic, such as the adoption of telehealth, are moving to the…
Over the past 18 months, the ACR’s Quality of Care (QOC) Committee has helped produce an impressive number of resources that will help rheumatologists deliver the best possible care. Working through specific projects supervised under its Criteria, Guideline, Guidance, and Quality Measure subcommittees, the QOC Committee has developed new sets of disease criteria, clinical guidelines,…
In early June, the ACR released an updated guideline on the management of rheumatoid arthritis, which includes new recommendations for specific high-risk groups.1 The guideline includes 44 recommendations—seven of which are strong and 37 conditional. It underscores the role of methotrexate as a cornerstone therapy and emphasizes minimizing glucocorticoids, when possible. Guideline Development Process At…