Official 2015-2016 Rheumatology Fellowship Application Cycle

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
image.png

Members don't see this ad.
 
Is that from this year? Seems much more competitive than previous years with 82 unmatched candidates and only 5 unfilled spots.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
I was slightly disappointed for not matching my top choices; but after looking at the data, I should feel lucky for even matching!
 

The charting outcomes data is online. This year was the most competitive from 2011 onward, if what you sent is accurate. Last year about 77% matched and the year prior was 82%. This chart says 71% for 2016. We actually had the most number of applicants as well. To put that into perspective pulm/crit's average match rate is 65%. Cardiology last year was about 72% matched.

I matched at my number 10 out of 10 ranked programs which totally sucked mentally for me yesterday. Luckily all 10 interviews were at great places so my last place actually isn't bad for rheum at all. I was told I was CRAZY by my residency program advisors for going on so many interviews for "only rheumatology." It is so unpredictable and so dependent on how competitive your co-applicants are. Overall, I know now that that's terrible advice especially for someone like me with no pubs or solid research experience.

Anyways...Congrats to all my future rheumatologists!!! YAY we matched.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Where do you find the most recent match data?

Go to the Nrmp website, login into your account-->my reports-->match results statistics, this report was done on Nov 23 2015, that means that the results were available a week before the match day :)
 
Wow. We really did become substantially more competitive this year.

One thing I've been saying to people before the match is that with the current generation's emphasis on lifestyle etc, rheumatology is probably approaching an inflection point in terms of applicant numbers. This is the IM subspecialty with the best lifestyle aside from possibly A&I. Rheum compensation is increasing, and surveys have found rheumatologists to be among the happiest of all doctors. The intellectual aspects of the specialty are interesting and you can do procedures and train in imaging modalities (DEXA and US) if you want. You don't even have to round on hospital patients if you don't want to. People may be starting to wake up to all of this.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
The charting outcomes data is online. This year was the most competitive from 2011 onward, if what you sent is accurate. Last year about 77% matched and the year prior was 82%. This chart says 71% for 2016. We actually had the most number of applicants as well. To put that into perspective pulm/crit's average match rate is 65%. Cardiology last year was about 72% matched.

I matched at my number 10 out of 10 ranked programs which totally sucked mentally for me yesterday. Luckily all 10 interviews were at great places so my last place actually isn't bad for rheum at all. I was told I was CRAZY by my residency program advisors for going on so many interviews for "only rheumatology." It is so unpredictable and so dependent on how competitive your co-applicants are. Overall, I know now that that's terrible advice especially for someone like me with no pubs or solid research experience.

Anyways...Congrats to all my future rheumatologists!!! YAY we matched.

Very good points. I too heard the same line from others within my program "its only rheum"

Just some more breakdown from this year's match.

Allergy- 16% did not match
Cardio- 24% did not match
Endocrine- 22% did not match
GI- 34% did not match
Geriatrics- 3% did not match
Heme/Onc- 20% did not match
ID- 2% did not match
Nephrology- 4% did not match
Pulm/Crit- 22% did not match
Rheumatology- 28.3% did not match
 
Very good points. I too heard the same line from others within my program "its only rheum"

Just some more breakdown from this year's match.

Allergy- 16% did not match
Cardio- 24% did not match
Endocrine- 22% did not match
GI- 34% did not match
Geriatrics- 3% did not match
Heme/Onc- 20% did not match
ID- 2% did not match
Nephrology- 4% did not match
Pulm/Crit- 22% did not match
Rheumatology- 28.3% did not match

That is very interesting. Rheum is a very cool field with great lifestyle.
 
unfortunately i did not match this year! this was my first attempt. I am out of residency 4 years now. I do have a publication but in another subject field from 4 years ago. I would like to know from you guys of any opportunities to do research (translational or bench), where? and how to improve my CV for next years application cycle? any rheum programs that offer research opportunities? should I take up an academic hospitalist job or continue with private/locum work?
 
Wow. We really did become substantially more competitive this year.

One thing I've been saying to people before the match is that with the current generation's emphasis on lifestyle etc, rheumatology is probably approaching an inflection point in terms of applicant numbers. This is the IM subspecialty with the best lifestyle aside from possibly A&I. Rheum compensation is increasing, and surveys have found rheumatologists to be among the happiest of all doctors. The intellectual aspects of the specialty are interesting and you can do procedures and train in imaging modalities (DEXA and US) if you want. You don't even have to round on hospital patients if you don't want to. People may be starting to wake up to all of this.
Am applying to rheum in six months as well, this decision took a lot of thinking from my side to reach the conclusion that only rheum would work for what am comfortable with ; outpatient not so sick patients or at least stable with good hours may be four days a week model with light procedural side to it as well, my mentor mentioned that it's a specialty where jobs are everywhere and the market is only getting better for rheum however I wanted some insight about pay in both PP and academics and am hoping to get a detailed insight? also how much does chronic pain meds seekers contribute to rheum patients population and can I expect to be able to choose not to deal with pain meds seekers with affecting my ability to get a decent job?
 
also how much does chronic pain meds seekers contribute to rheum patients population and can I expect to be able to choose not to deal with pain meds seekers with affecting my ability to get a decent job?
I'm an oncologist. I write more narc scrips than you can fathom. For my patients without documented, malignant pain indications, I will write them a 15 day supply of oxycodone along with their referral to rheumatology.

You're welcome for the boat payment.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Am applying to rheum in six months as well, this decision took a lot of thinking from my side to reach the conclusion that only rheum would work for what am comfortable with ; outpatient not so sick patients or at least stable with good hours may be four days a week model with light procedural side to it as well, my mentor mentioned that it's a specialty where jobs are everywhere and the market is only getting better for rheum however I wanted some insight about pay in both PP and academics and am hoping to get a detailed insight? also how much does chronic pain meds seekers contribute to rheum patients population and can I expect to be able to choose not to deal with pain meds seekers with affecting my ability to get a decent job?

You don't have to see chronic pain patients at all (unless you have some bizarre obsession with pain management).

The association between 'rheum = pain management' came from the bad old days of rheum when the only drugs available were basically steroids, NSAIDs and gold and you couldn't do a damn thing to keep patients' joints from being utterly destroyed. Those rheumatologists had to do a lot of pain management for sure.

However, those days are long gone and strictly speaking, most rheumatologists don't do much of any pain management whatsoever. If the pain relates to inflammation, we have some wonder drugs to help fight it. If it doesn't, you're getting a referral somewhere else.

As for pay - I don't know much about academia. I know our fellows were getting PP offers of base salary $235-275 plus $25-50k signon bonuses, often with 3-year partner tracks where you're likely to pull $350k. Sounds good to me.
 
Beware of fibromyalgia though.

You don't have to deal with this either. Some rheumatologists will see a ton of it if they think it means $$$ (or if you think these people are eventually going to break through with a legit rheumatologic illness). Many rheumatologists will ship it back to the PCP.

There's nothing you're going to do as a rheumatologist for fibro that PCPs can't do. You don't have to turn your rheum clinic into a miserable whinefest of fibro patients if you don't want to. And, frankly, these patients are easy to deal with. Sleep, exercise, health promotion, here's your duloxetine, no we don't do opioids for this. Don't like it? Go somewhere else. Easy peasy.
 
The attitude that most rheumatologists I know have about fibromyalgia is the same as the attitude most endocrinologists I know have about chronic fatigue syndrome or the GI guys about IBS:

A) Thank you for this interesting consult. I will order XYZ studies to make it look like the expert consultation was worth something and rule out the things I'm actually interested in in treating.
B) The inflammatory markers/thyroid+adrenal studies/EGD came back negative. Unfortunately, given the current presentation, history and physical, and tests thus far, this looks like it is most likely FM/CFS/IBS. Here's a handout on the disease, congratulations on not having anything much more serious, please follow up with your PCP.
 
Congrats to everyone who matched! Would anyone here be able to comment on how to choose my IM residency to prime myself for a career in Rheum? I would also really appreciate if someone could post the NRMP 2016 data for fellowships, since I can only see 2015 data on the NRMP website.
 
Top