Clinical rheumatology training of primary care physicians: the resident perspective

Because nonspecialized physicians provide care for the vast majority of patients with rheumatic disorders, we surveyed 327 internal medicine and family medicine residents with respect to the nature of their training in rheumatology. Although most internal medicine residents had access to rheumatologists for training and had taken formal rheumatology rotations, this was often not the case for family medicine residents. Deficiencies evident in both types of programs included limited access to rheumatology electives; insufficient exposure to certain major categories of rheumatic disease, e.g., the spondyloarthropathies and systemic autoimmune disorders; and lack of direct participatory experience in orthopedics, rehabilitation, and psychosocial aspects of rheumatology.