Introduction

Rheumatology is a rapidly advancing field that involves many organ systems and disease processes. Patients with rheumatologic diseases present with varied manifestations, many of which cause them to seek treatment in the hospital. You may also be exposed to the field of rheumatology in an outpatient elective since the vast majority of patients with rheumatologic disease are treated as outpatients. This rotation guide focuses on common rheumatologic diseases that you will see in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

This rotation guide covers the following conditions:

Other topics related to rheumatology are covered in the following guides:

Fibromyalgia (Ambulatory Care)

Jonathan Hausmann, MD, is a pediatric and adult rheumatologist at Boston Children’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital and Assistant Professor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He graduated from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and did his residency in Med-Peds at Brigham and Women’s and Boston Children’s Hospital. He conducted combined pediatric and adult rheumatology fellowships at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Boston Children’s, where he co-founded and co-directs the Autoinflammatory Disease Clinic and has been involved in national and international guidelines to help manage patients with autoinflammatory disorders. In addition to clinical care, Dr. Hausmann loves to teach and conducts research on health technology.

This rotation guide was developed by a collaborative team of contributors, including:
Writers: Angela Chen, MD; Michael Mi, MD; Andrea Merrill, MD (NEJM Fellows); Tom Wilsdon, MD
Peer Reviewers: Irina Gavanescu-Stockton, MD; Jonathan Hausmann, MD; Erin Penn, MD; and Julia Rudolf, MD
Section Expert: Jonathan Hausmann, MD
Senior Editor: Ole-Petter Hamnvik, MB BCh BAO, MMSc
Last updated: June 2023 by Guy Katz, MD

Brief Case Presentations with Videos

Rheumatology Videos

Examination of the Hand and Wrist

This video describes the anatomy of the hand and wrist and procedures for diagnosing and treating several common pathologic conditions that affect them, including carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, digital flexor injuries, scaphoid fracture, and distal fractures of the radius.