Course Director
Siamak Moghadam-Kia, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Medicine
moghaddamkias@upmc.edu
Course Description
This course introduces students to the underlying pathophysiology and phenomenology of rheumatologic disorders, presenting basic approaches to assessment and management, to prepare them for clinical rotations.
Course Objectives
- Describe the clinical manifestations of the most common systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases.
- Demonstrate the ability to perform a comprehensive history and review of systems relevant to systemic rheumatic diseases.
- Explain the usefulness and limitations of current immunologic tests in diagnosing systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases.
- Describe the role of imaging in the diagnosis and monitoring of systemic rheumatic diseases.
- Explain the principles of assessment and management of systemic rheumatic diseases, including the role of interprofessional collaborative care.
- Describe the indications and mechanisms of action of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, glucocorticoids, immunomodulatory, and immunosuppressive agents in systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases.
Educational Methods
- Case-based learning
- Small group workshops
- Patient presentations
- Self-study
- Review sessions
- Weekly assessments (Formative, Summative)
Assessment
Assessment for this course is based on a cumulative, graded Summative exam.
Requests for excused absences should be submitted via Elentra. Unexcused absences may result in grading penalties as outlined in the Policy on Absence and Attendance.