Clinical training for the fellows occurs in the following venues:

Out-patient clinic: Trainees will gain experience in the evaluation, differential diagnosis, and management of children and adolescents with the full spectrum of rheumatic conditions. During the first year, fellows will develop their own patient panel while caring for patients in Fellows’ Clinic, general rheumatology clinic, and Lupus clinic (3 half-days per week). They will learn how to field phone calls regarding these patients, determine urgency by phone, perform appropriate physical examination, order and interpret studies, and initiate and manage treatments. In the second and third years of fellowship, fellows continue to care for their own patients during weekly Fellows’ Clinic.

In-patient service: Trainees will learn how to manage acutely ill patients with rheumatic conditions, including those with life-threatening complications.

Procedures: Trainees will become competent in aspiration and intra-articular steroid injection of the elbow, wrist, finger, knee and ankle.

Rehabilitation:Trainees will gain an understanding of the principles and techniques of rehabilitation.

Continuity: During their research years, fellows will continue to follow their cohort of patients in Fellows’ Clinic, developing competency in the management of chronic conditions.

The following are required rotations during the clinical year:

Various research tracks are available to pediatric rheumatology fellows, including basic science, clinical science and health services research. The fellow is expected to participate in a scholarly project during the last two years of the fellowship program, which may consist of a research project or medical education project. The program ensures a meaningful, supervised research experience based on early establishment of a mentor appropriate to the fellow's interests. Fellows are encouraged to write a grant, in order to provide meaningful experience in grant-writing. Trainees are encouraged to receive advanced training, either through formal curriculum or mentoring as appropriate. They are expected to prepare and submit a work product, usually a manuscript for publication, as per the requirements of the ABP.

UCSF boasts numerous institutes and academic programs which enrich training and provide extra resources to pediatric rheumatology fellows.

• Department of Pediatrics fellow’s College
• Traning in Clinical Research (TICR) Program
• Institute for Health Policy Studies
• UCSF Immunology Graduate Program
• UCSF Program in Biological Sciences
• UCSF Academy of Medical Educators

The pediatric rheumatology fellowship program and the faculty are committed to the career development and mentoring of fellows. In addition to providing support as needed, the program director meets formally with all fellows twice annually throughout training to review performance and set educational, research and individual professional goals.

All fellows will establish a Scholarship Oversight Committee (SOC) through the Department of Pediatrics. This committee is comprised of individuals both within and outside of pediatric rheumatology, who will oversee the fellow’s scholarly activity and provide final sign-off for the American Board of Pediatrics. In addition, UCSF provides a uniquely rich mentorship environment, with many opportunities for clinical, academic, research and career mentoring beyond our division.

The UCSF Pediatric Fellows’ College provides a unique three year program tailored specifically to the professional development needs of fellows in the Department of Pediatrics. This program offers career development seminars and mentoring programs for all fellows.

Fellow Schedules

The following teaching conferences provide didactic instruction during the clinical year. The core curriculum is provided through a weekly shared seminar series with the Adult Rheumatology Fellows and a weekly dedicated Pediatric Rheumatology conference series.

Our goal is to provide trainees with the necessary knowledge and skills to provide excellent care to patients and advance the field of pediatric rheumatology.

The UCSF Pediatric Rheumatology Fellowship adheres to all the policies and procedures mandated by the University of California, the Graduate Medical Education Committee and the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Policies can be obtained at the GME web-site at http://medschool.ucsf.edu/gme/

Please note that UCSF fellows receive free health insurance and a housing stipend, as well as a meal allowance in the first year, to help offset Bay Area housing costs.

Jennifer Cooper, MD [email protected]
Jennifer Cooper MD, PharmD studied Biology at the University of Missouri before graduating from the University of Colorado School of Pharmacy with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. She went on to earn her medical degree from the University of Colorado School of Medicine in 2010. She completed internship in pediatrics at Colorado Children’s Hospital and residency at the University of Minnesota where she spent an additional year serving as Chief Resident. Dr. Cooper has a special interest in the long-term prevention of cardiovascular disease in patients diagnosed with lupus during childhood.

Merav Heshin-Bekenstein, MD [email protected]
Merav Heshin-Bekenstein MD received a BSc in medical sciences at the Hebrew University in Israel, and then graduated from Hadassah medical school of the Hebrew university with a medical degree (MD) in 2009. She completed internship at Hadassah hospital and pediatrics residency at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, Israel. Her primary areas of interest include systemic lupus erythematous and juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Jessica Neely, MD [email protected]
Jessica Neely, MD studied Biology at the University of Evansville and earned her medical degree at the University of Kentucky School of Medicine. She then went on to complete her residency in Pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, and is currently in her 2^nd year of fellowship training in Pediatric Rheumatology at UCSF. She is currently obtaining a Master’s Degree through the Advanced Training in Clinical Research at UCSF. Her primary research interest is understanding heterogeneity in pediatric rheumatic diseases to inform precision medicine approaches to care with a specific focus on Juvenile Dermatomyositis.

Sara Haro, MD [email protected]
Sara Haro, MD received a BS in neurobiology at the University of Texas. She then received her medical degree (MD) from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in 2014. Sara then completed her pediatrics residency at University of California, San Francisco in 2017.

The Rheumatology Fellowship Training Program accepts one new trainee each year. Applicants must have an MD degree from an accredited institution and must be board eligible or board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. The Rheumatology Fellowship Training Program accepts applications from U.S. citizens or permanent residents through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). We begin reviewing completed applications in August. Selected applicants are invited to interview, when they will meet with our faculty and fellows and tour the facilities. Interviews are offered in September and October.

To apply, submit the following through ERAS:

• MyERAS application
• CV
• Three letters of recommendation (including one from residency program director)
• Personal statement
• Medical school performance evaluation (MSPE)
• Photograph
• USMLE transcript (transmitted by the NBME)
• ECFMG status report (for international medical graduates only)

We participate in the National Resident Matching Program's (NRMP) Fall Pediatric Subspecialties match http://www.nrmp.org/. We regret that we are not able to consider H1B and J1 visa applicants.

Erica Lawson, MD
Director, Pediatric Rheumatology Fellowship
Phone: 415-502-4940
Email: [email protected]
 

Julie Tran
Fellowship Coordinator
Phone: 415-502-3243
Email: [email protected]