Dr. Janet Lewis
Message from Janet Lewis MD, Rheumatology Division Chief
The Division of Rheumatology has had another strong year with a continued commitment to excellence in patient care and education exhibited by our faculty members, fellows, and clinical staff over the past year.
We continue to have robust demand for clinical services in the ambulatory setting. We currently have nine faculty members who see patients at the Fontaine, Pantops, and Fishersville Pinnacle clinics, making us one of the largest rheumatology practices in Virginia. We were fortunate to add one new clinical faculty member in the past year. Dr. Alden Adkins joined our Division after completing his fellowship training at UVA.
Recognizing the increasing complexity of medical care in patients with multisystem autoimmune disease, we have continued to develop formal partnerships with other specialties. We currently have a combined pulmonary/rheumatology clinic for patients with interstitial lung disease and a combined dermatology/rheumatology clinic for patients with complex cutaneous and rheumatic manifestations and co-management of psoriatic arthritis. In the past year, Dr. Jacob Meindertsma has started a combined rheumatology-ophthalmology clinic with Dr. Arthi Venkat to manage patients with uveitis and other inflammatory eye conditions. Additionally, we have a procedure clinic dedicated to patients who need ultrasound-guided procedures and diagnostic studies.
Dr. Adam Carlson assumed the role of fellowship program director after Dr. Don Kimpel handed over the reins after many years of dedicated leadership. The fellowship program continues to grow under the guidance of Dr. Carlson and Dr. Jacob Meindertsma (associate fellowship director). Interest in rheumatology training has remained strong, and we continue to be able to recruit high-quality candidates for fellowship training. In addition to the fellowship program, our faculty continue to play an active role in teaching medical students and residents.
~Janet Lewis MD
Education Updates
It has been a strong year for the Rheumatology fellowship program. We had two outstanding senior fellows graduate this year. Dr Brian King has taken a job in private practice in Cape Cod, MA. Dr Alden Adkins will remain at UVA and join as faculty in the Rheumatology Division. Both were stellar fellows who worked tirelessly to enhance our training program.
We are excited to welcome two new fellows, Joanna Lee MD, from UVA, and Suqrat Munawar MD, from Centennial Medical Center in Nashville, TN. They join rising senior fellows, Drs. Alyssa Bosso and Bradley Clemens.
After many years of service, Dr. Donald Kimpel stepped down as the fellowship training program director. Dr. Adam Carlson has taken over this role, and Dr. Jacob Meindertsma will serve as the new associate program director.
From left: Bradley Clemens (1st yr Fellow), Alyssa Bosso (1st yr Fellow), Javanov Barksdale (Fellowship Coordinator), Alden Adkins (Graduating Fellow). Brian King (Graduating Fellow)
We continued to enhance our training program by adding a dedicated MSK ultrasound curriculum, administered as part of a diagnostic and procedures clinic staffed by Drs Jacob Meindertsma and Amanda Lusa. The rheumatology division also maintains robust educational collaboration with other divisions. We have combined educational conferences with Dermatology, MSK Radiology, Pulmonology, Nephrology, and Ophthalmology. We also maintain several combined clinics with Dermatology, Pulmonology, and Nephrology, seeing patients with complex rheumatic diseases that overlap with these specialties.
In undergraduate medical education, Dr. Janet Lewis continues to serve as the co-system leader of the Musculoskeletal Integument System for first-year medical students. All of our rheumatology faculty and fellows pitched in to work with first-year medical students during their Foundations of Medicine course, and they interacted with rheumatology patients from our clinics.
View the full December 2024 edition of Medicine Matters
Filed Under: Basic Research, Clinical Research, Education, In the Know, News and Notes, Notable Achievements, Publications, Research, Top News
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