Rheumatology

Rheumatology (Greek ρεύμα, rheuma, flowing current) is a sub-specialty in internal medicine, devoted to diagnosis and therapy of rheumatic diseases. Physicians who specialize in rheumatology are called rheumatologists. Rheumatologists deal mainly with clinical problems involving joints, soft tissues, autoimmune diseases, vasculitis, and heritable connective tissue disorders.

Many of these diseases are now known to be disorders of the immune system. Rheumatology is increasingly the study of immunology.

One of the major changes in modern rheumatology is the development of new drugs called biologics, or disease modifying agents, which can control severe disease more effectively.

A rheumatologist is a physician who specializes in the field of medical sub-specialty called rheumatology. A rheumatologist holds a board certification after specialized training after attaining a medical degree (M.D. or D.O.) through fellowship programs in the United States, or specialist registrar positions in the United Kingdom, or DM in India or equivalent programs elsewhere in the world. In the United States, training in this field requires four years undergraduate school, four years of medical school, and then three years of residency, followed by two or three years additional Fellowship training. The requirements may vary in other countries. Rheumatologists are internists who are qualified by additional postgraduate training and experience in the diagnosis and treatment of arthritis and other diseases of the joints, muscles and bones. Many Rheumatologists also conduct research to determine the cause and better treatments for these disabling and sometimes fatal diseases. Treatment modalities are based on scientific research, currently, practice of rheumatology is largely evidence based.