Program Overview

Program Overview

The rheumatology fellowship training program, at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, is a two-year program designed to train rheumatologists prepared to pursue either future clinical or academic practice positions. The clinical learning environment promotes physician wellness and patient care that is of the highest quality. We utilize 4 ambulatory sites: the USF Health Morsani Center for Advanced Healthcare, the South Tampa Center (STC), the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital (JAHVH), and Health Park Clinic; and 2 inpatient sites: Tampa General Hospital (TGH) and the JAHVH. These sites each provide a unique and complementary experience, offering the opportunity to learn to diagnose and manage the vast spectrum of rheumatologic diseases in varied clinical and socioeconomic settings.

Program Highlights

• The weekly didactic conferences balance core lectures, case-based discussions, grand rounds, journal clubs, research conferences, and board review.
• The curriculum content and didactics are managed by the course director and coordinator through a web-based educational platform.
• Our program also provides opportunities for the trainees to become proficient in musculoskeletal (MSK) ultrasonography and clinical densitometry.
• The USF continuity clinic and VA clinical sites have ultrasound machines available providing ample access for clinical use.
• The fellows have access to 2 handheld butterfly ultrasound devices for use on inpatient and outpatient rotations.
• The division provides opportunities for trainees to engage in quality improvement, patient safety activities, and clinical and translational research.
• Graduates of our program have a 100% board pass rate, are readily employed, and consistently rate their readiness for practice highly.

Mission Statement

We provide a supportive and safe learning environment with opportunities to engage in high-quality scholarly investigation, education, and patient-centered care.

Program Aims

1. Graduate trainees with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to provide the highest quality of care for their patients and to maintain their professional satisfaction.
2. Recruit and maintain a workforce in which all members feel valued and respected.
3. Develop a clinical learning environment that monitors and supports the well-being of fellows, faculty, residents, and other members of the healthcare team.
4. Promote participation in QI and patient safety activities to achieve safe and high-quality patient care.
5. Develop a culture that promotes the participation in and dissemination of scholarly activity.
6. Promote a learning environment that identifies and addresses healthcare disparities.

Values

We align our values with the ACGME and ACR:

• Excellence in patient care
• Innovation in research and education
• Honesty and Integrity
• Accountability and Transparency
• Fairness and Equality
• Stewardship and Service
• Leadership and Collaboration
• Wellness

Vision

We will continually advance our training program to best meet the needs of our patients, trainees, and faculty in the ever-changing field of rheumatology.

Faculty

• Loutfi Succari, MD, Division Chief, Assistant Professor
• Tina Brar, MD, Program Director, Assistant Professor of Medicine
• Leen Alsaleh, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine
• Yih Chang Chen Lin, MD, Professor of Medicine
• Natasa Pejcic, MD, Assistant Professor
• Joanne Valeriano-Marcet, MD, Professor of Medicine
• Larry Young, MD, VA Division Chief & Associate Professor of Medicine