Training
The posts within the rotation provide strong clinical supervision and training. A monthly halfday curriculum based postgraduate education forum takes place at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Oxford. This includes expert lectures as well as case presentations from clinicians throughout the region. A twice yearly whole day educational meeting which rotates throughout the region includes local and regional audit. Many of our trainees choose to undertake an MSc in Musculoskeletal Science at Oxford during their training. Attendance at general medicine
training sessions in Oxford for the trainees is actively encouraged. All aspects of the curriculum are covered within the training programme.
Research
A key component of the Oxford Deanery training programme is the opportunity and expectation that trainees will engage in research. Many trainees in Rheumatology on our rotation undertake a period of research leading to a higher degree. The Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS) is an academic department within the Medical Sciences Division of the University of Oxford. The research work of the department takes place principally in the Botnar Research Centre and the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology. It is also supported by the NIHR Oxford Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit (BRU). The co-location with NHS services puts the department in an excellent position with basic researchers working alongside clinicians.
Research is actively encouraged and opportunities exist in both basic science and clinical research for our trainees, including NIHR funded academic clinical fellowships.
There are several academic supervisors available to support the trainee. Professor Arden directs the Musculoskeletal Epidemiology Unit with Dr Javaid, Professor Cooper, Dr Judge and Dr Prieto-Alhambra focusing on the epidemiology of osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and sports injury. Professor Bowness has a strong laboratory research programme investigating the immunology of inflammatory arthritis, particularly the spondyloarthropathies. Professor Luqmani is the theme leader for vasculitis research at the NDORMS, focusing on the epidemiology, mechanisms, treatment and long term outcome of systemic vasculitis. Professor Taylor is the Norman Collisson Chair of musculoskeletal sciences at Oxford and directs the new clinical trials unit within NDORMS. He has experience of over 15 years in biologic therapy testing with particular expertise in early proof of concept trials. Professor Wordsworth has a long standing expertise in the genetics of rheumatic diseases. Professors Wordsworth and Luqmani and Dr Javaid lead the national musculoskeletal theme for NIHR Rare Diseases -Translational Research Collaboration with a focus on diseases of bone, joint and blood vessels. The focus is on deep phenotyping of rare diseases, with a view to future genotyping and potential discovery of new therapeutic pathways. Professors Taylor, Luqmani and Bowness have been funded by Arthritis Research UK to set up an experimental arthritis treatment centre, with a focus on using imaging techniques to demonstrate effectiveness of novel agents in early phase clinical trials in inflammatory arthritis. Dr Catherine Swales is running several clinical trials in rheumatoid arthritis.
The trainee would be encouraged to discuss potential research projects with any of the
above supervisors.
Study Leave
Study leave is an essential part of higher specialty training and allows doctors in training the time and/or financial support to develop their knowledge and skills. At a time of increasing scrutiny on the public purse it is important that we can justify recommendations for funding time and costs of external courses or conferences. This guidance has been developed by the SAC to help residents plan and obtain their study leave as easily as possible. It should be read in conjunction with the local study leave policy for your deanery.
Principles
• Study leave is designed to support attainment of curriculum outcomes as set out in the 2022 curriculum. Funding for career development beyond the curriculum should usually be funded through other sources (fellowships, self-funding etc.).
• Approval of study leave and costs ultimately rests with local TPD’s and postgraduate Deans. This guidance does not supersede that responsibility.
• Study leave and costs are funded by the public and need to represent fair value for money. For example, if a local course is available that delivers the same training, then this would be supported over a national or international one.
• TPD’s are responsible for balancing the training needs of all HST’s in a rotation and need to ensure equity of access.
• Approval/funding for mandatory courses will be prioritised over non-mandated courses.
• Study leave should be agreed by the trainee in their personal development plan with their educational supervisor and should be appropriate to their level of training.
• Rheumatology Regional Training days & meetings are mandatory. Courses relevant to Generic capabilities – Teaching, Good Clinical Practice, Communication Skills, Leadership and Management would be supported by the Internal Medicine Curriculum and are not listed here.
Recommended courses/conferences for meeting Rheumatology curriculum outcomes
• BSR Annual meeting – recommended 2 in 4 years (encourage presentation)
• BSR Case -conference – recommended 2 in 4 years (encourage presentation)
• Speciality Certificate Examination revision course
• Regional Joint injection Course – early years
• BSR Core Course – Early years
• BSR Foot and ankle course
• BSR Spondyloarthropathy course
• BSR Connective Tissue Diseases course– later years
• BSR Adolescent rheumatology/BSPAR annual meeting – later years
• National osteoporosis society conference OR Rare and Metabolic bone diseases course
• Pregnancy and Rheumatic Diseases meeting
• BSR MSK ultrasound introductory – early years
• BSR MSK Ultrasound –intermediate – later years
• BSR/EULAR online Rheumatology Courses and modules
• ACR or EULAR or other international meetings – only if presenting and need to be discussed with
TPD and may get only registration fee.
• Good Clinical Practice in Research
• Pain management
• Crystal arthropathy course
This is not an exhaustive list but a collection of courses which the SAC as experienced educators know to represent good training quality training to meet curriculum outcomes.
Courses/conferences not listed here may be considered but are likely to need early discussion with educational supervisors/TPD’s and clear justification.