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The Division of Rheumatology & Immunology has a long tradition of providing outstanding care to patients of all ages who suffer from rheumatic diseases. Our commitment to patient care extends to active engagement in research designed to understand the pathogenesis of connective tissue diseases and to improve outcomes for patients with rheumatic diseases. The Division has earned an international reputation for its care and research relating to two autoimmune connective tissue diseases - Scleroderma and Lupus. We are honored to have been recognized by our peers and ranked #16 among all US Rheumatology programs by US News and World Report (2009). Together with patient care and research, a third mission of the Division is to train the next generation of physicians and investigators who will study and care for patients who suffer from rheumatic diseases.
Our patients are seen in specialized clinics located in the Rutledge Tower at MUSC, as well as off-campus locations at the East Cooper Medical Office, North Area Specialty Clinic and West Ashley Bone & Joint Center. Last year our outpatient clinics had nearly 14,000 outpatient visits. We staff a Rheumatology Clinic at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center and provide in-patient consultation services at each of the hospitals served by MUSC - Medical University Hospital, Ashley River Tower, MUSC Children's Hospital, and the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center. A wide range of services is provided, including comprehensive consultative care, infusion therapies, bone density assessments and musculoskeletal ultrasound. Six members of the Division were named Best Doctors in 2009.
A unique aspect of the Division is our close relationship with and longstanding commitment to Pedatric Rheumatology. Two board-certified Pediatric Rheumatologists, Dr. Natasha Ruth and Dr. Murray Passo, share dual appointments in Pediatrics and Internal Medicine. Together, we strive to provide outstanding care to children with JIA and other rheumatic diseases and to enrich the education of our Rheumatology Fellows.
The Division has a strong commitment to provide high quality patient care which in today's world demands a multidisciplinary approach. This led us, nearly a decade ago, to establish the Bone & Joint Center where patients can receive multidisciplinary care including Rheumatology and Orthopaedics, as well as such services as Radiology, Physical Therapy, bone density assessments and biological infusion therapy. In addition to the Bone & Joint Center, the Division is involved in the Pulmonary Hypertension Center and is working to develop a new Osteoporosis Center and a Vertebral Fracture Clinic under the leadership of Dr. Marcy Bolster, Director of the MUH Musculoskeletal Service Line.
Grant Awards by FY 2009
 | The Division is engaged in both clinical and basic research. Division research funding remains strong and ranks among the highest in the Department of Medicine (see Figure). During the past fiscal year our faculty successfully competed for over $5 million in research funding (total costs). Active NIH research awards include funding for a T32 training grant, 4 RO1’s, an R21, 3 K-awards for junior faculty, and subprojects on several multicenter projects. In addition, members of the Division receive funding from the American College of Rheumatology, Arthritis Foundation, Lupus Foundation, and Lupus Clinic Trials Consortium. |
More than 50 articles were authored by Division faculty last year, including papers in leading medical and scientific journals, e.g., Journal of Biological Chemistry, Arthritis & Rheumatism, and the Journal of Rheumatology. Faculty members serve on numerous federal and private scientific review committees, editorial boards, and as officers of state and national organizations. Dr. Jim Oates, Associate Professor of Medicine, is past President of the American Federation of Medical Research (AFMR) and Secretary/Treasurer of the Southern Society for Clinical Investigation (SSCI). Dr. Diane Kamen was elected Secretary/Treasurer of the AFMR Southern Section. Dr. Marcy Bolster is co-chairman of the ACR's In-Training Exam Committee and Training and Workforce Issues Committee. Training the next generation of physicians and scientists is another important mission of the Division of Rheumatology & Immunology. All members of the Division actively participate in educating medical and graduate students, residents, clinical fellows and postdoctoral research fellows. Division faculty members are regularly nominated for departmental and institutional teaching awards. The Rheumatology Training Program, under the outstanding leadership of Dr. Marcy Bolster, Professor of Medicine, is fully accredited and comprised of 5 clinical and research fellows selected from an increasingly competitive pool of candidates. Fellows are supported in part by an NIH Training Grant (Gary Gilkeson, PI), and a Research Enhancement Award Program (REAP) grant from the Department of Veterans' Affairs. The Rheumatology Fellowship Training Program offers fellows the opportunity to see a wide array of rheumatic disease patients in a variety of clinical settings, to participate in clinical and basic research, and to obtain advanced training leading to a Master’s Degree in Clinical Research. |
