Higher medical training in Rheumatology in the UK: any lessons worth learning?

Across Europe, provision of high quality care for people with rheumatological conditions is at least partly dependent upon the rheumatologist, who generally plays a key role in making a diagnosis and in co-ordinating a patient's care. In addition, in many countries the rheumatologist is pivotal in lobbying for services for patients with these disorders. It therefore follows that the training and accreditation of rheumatologists is important in ensuring high quality healthcare. In this commentary, I appraise some developments in the training of rheumatologists in the UK (training which has changed markedly over the past two decades). I do this as a means of promoting discussion.