Carolina Fellows Collaborative

One of the most amazing aspects of training at Wake Forest Rheumatology program is our involvement in the Carolina Fellows Collaborative.  This unique collaboration among rheumatology fellowship training programs from North and South Carolina was initially founded in 2004 by program directors from Duke University, Medical University of South Carolina, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Wake Forest Baptist Health (WFBH).  The CFC began as a collective summer conference to enhance rheumatology fellow education through shared resources, expanding to include a Winter Symposium in 2006.  Since that time, the twice yearly conferences have been a highlight of fellow education.

The summer session is held annually at WFBH and focuses on covering the basics for the first year fellows and allows the more senior fellows to refine their knowledge as they help teach the new fellows.  The summer conference is highly interactive with case-based learning and hands-on teaching of the MSK exam by second year fellows (including a pediatric joint exam). The summer conference culminates in a cadaver lab experience were fellows are able to practice joint aspirations and injections.  Faculty are available to help but we find our second year fellows are the best teachers!

The Winter Symposium, held in January or February of each year, rotates between the other participating institutions highlighting each institution’s exceptional educational strengths.  The collaboration allows fellows of all the programs to take advantage of diverse faculty expertise among the institutions.  Starting in 2014, Massachusetts General Hospital began participating in the Winter Symposium as well.   During the Winter Symposium, all fellows participate in a Rheumatology Objective Structured Clinical Examination (ROSCE) where you get direct and immediate feedback from a rheumatology faculty member on key topics in rheumatology.  It is well loved by the rheumatology fellows. 

The CFC is always innovating and with travel restrictions in place, we were able to convert our ROSCE into a virtual format.

Diversity

Wake Forest Baptist Health is committed to diversity and inclusion.   Through the institution as a whole an even on a departmental level, there are numerous opportunities to get involved in mentorship and social support for all but especially for URM housestaff.  In addition to all the amazing programs and events the institution sponsors, we strive to create a climate of inclusion and embrace diversity in the Rheumatology section.  We want our students, residents, fellows, staff and faculty to thrive and are committed to helping achieve that value.