Welcome to RheumMadness – the place for everyone who is crazy about rheumatology to connect, collaborate, compete, and learn together.  RheumMadness is a project funded by a Clinician Scholar Educator Award from the Rheumatology Research Foundation and inspired by a similar project in nephrology called NephMadness.

How does RheumMadness work?

In RheumMadness, rheumatology learning concepts compete against each other in a tournament, much like basketball teams in the NCAA March Madness tournament. It’s easy (AND FREE) to participate.

1. Before the tournament starts, you will get a chance to learn about each team by reading scouting reports created by rheumatology trainees from fellowship programs all over the country.
2. Then, you can fill out your own bracket to predict which team you think will win the tournament.

The winner of each match-up is decided by a blue ribbon panel of rheumatology experts who will vote to determine which topic they think is most important to patients, providers, and researchers, both now and in the future. The more your picks match those of the panel, the more points you get, and the participants with the most correct predictions will be crowned the winners of RheumMadness!

How to connect with RheumMadness

There is always something going on in the RheumMadness community!  Here are some ways to connect.

1. Subscribe to the RheumMadness Podcast, available wherever you get your podcasts.
2. Check out #RheumMadness on Twitter to follow the latest updates and conversation.
3. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated with all things RheumMadness!

RheumMadness Leadership Team

Faculty Leadership

• David Leverenz, MD is the creator and director of RheumMadness.  He is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Immunology.
• Akrithi Udupa Garren, MD is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Medstar / Georgetown Washington Hospital Center.

Fellow Leaders

• Guy Katz, MD is a rheumatology fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital.
• Michael Macklin, MD is a rheumatology fellow at the University of Chicago.
• Iman Qaiser, MD is a a rheumatology fellow at LSU Health Shreveport.

Resident Leaders

• Lauren He, MD is a chief resident at the University of Chicago.
• Ben Kellogg, MD is an internal medicine resident at Duke University.
• Sabahat Usmani, MD is an internal medicine resident at Weiss Memorial Hospital in Chicago

Medical Student Leaders

• Courtney Bair is a medical student at Duke University School of Medicine.
• Meridith Balbach is a medical student at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
• Ben Lueck is a medical student at Duke University School of medicine.

Senior Mentorship Team

• Lisa Criscione-Schreiber, MD, MEd is an advisor and mentor for RheumMadness. She is a Professor of Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Immunology.
• Matthew Sparks, MD is the creator of NephMadness and serves an advisor and mentor for RheumMadness. He is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology.