The syllabus is designed to ensure that learners acquire both the knowledge and practical tools necessary to understand and manage rheumatic diseases effectively.
Course Curriculum
Week 1: Overview: Introduction to Rheumatic Diseases
Objectives:
Understand the concept of rheumatic diseases.
Recognize the impact of rheumatic diseases on patients' quality of life.
Topics:
Definition and classification of rheumatic diseases (autoimmune, inflammatory, and degenerative).
Overview of common rheumatic diseases.
Epidemiology: Prevalence, demographics, and risk factors.
Reading/Resources:
Arthritis Foundation – Overview of Rheumatic Diseases.
Introduction to the "Clinical Immunology" textbook.
Week 2: How to approach a case of suspected Rheumatic Disease?
Objectives:
Recognize common presenting symptoms of rheumatic diseases (e.g., joint pain, stiffness, swelling, fatigue, systemic symptoms).
Differentiate between inflammatory and non-inflammatory joint pain based on clinical characteristics (e.g., morning stiffness, duration of symptoms).
Understand extra-articular manifestations associated with specific diseases (e.g., skin, eyes, cardio-vascular, renal involvement).
Topics:
Key principles of clinical approach.
Comprehensive history taking.
Musculoskeletal examination.
Extra-articular and systemic features of rheumatic diseases.
Approach to inflammatory joint pain.
Module 2A: Basic Approach to Common Rheumatic Diseases
30:09
Module 2B: Joint Examination – Back
02:09
Module 2C: Joint Examination – Lower Limb
05:20
QUIZ: Module 2
Week 3: Ordering and Interpretation of Immunological tests.
Objectives:
Understand common immunological tests.
Understand auto-antibodies.
Understand Rheumatoid factor, Anti-CCP Ab, ENA and HLA B27.
Understand when to order these tests, methods used and clinical interpretation.
Understand the limitation of these tests.
Topics :
What are auto-antibodies?
Understanding Rheumatoid Factor, Anti-CCP Antibody, ANA, ENA Panel and HLAB27.
Module 3: Ordering and Interpretation of Immunological tests.
30:15
QUIZ: Module 3
Week 4: Musculoskeletal Ultrasound and Imaging in Rheumatic Diseases.
Module 4: Musculoskeletal Ultrasound and Imaging in Rheumatic Diseases.
33:09
QUIZ: Module 4
Week 5: Diagnosis of Rheumatic Diseases
Module 5: Diagnosis of Rheumatic Diseases
38:01
QUIZ: Module 5
Week 6: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and its Management
Module 6: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and its Management
30:17
QUIZ: Module 6
Week 7: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and Other Autoimmune Disorders
Module 7A: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and Other Autoimmune Disorders
28:01
QUIZ: Module 7A
Module 7B: SJOGRENS SYNDROME (SS)
21:22
QUIZ: Module 7B
Module 7C: SCLERODERMA
24:24
QUIZ: Module 7C
Week 8: Other Common Rheumatic Diseases
Module 8A: OSTEOARTHRITIS
27:31
QUIZ: Module 8A
Module 8B: GOUT AND PSEUDOGOUT
34:02
QUIZ: Module 8B
Module 8C: ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS AND PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS
34:52
QUIZ: Module 8C
Week 9: Pharmacological Treatment and Innovations
Module 9A: NSAIDS, STEROIDS AND DISEASE MODIFYING DRUGS
39:08
QUIZ: Module 9A
Module 9B: BIOLOGICS IN RHEUMATOLOGICAL PRACTICE
19:34
QUIZ: Module 9B
Week 10: Multidisciplinary Approach to Rheumatic Disease Management
Module 10: MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO RHEUMATIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT
18 course videos - 7+ hours of video course content
12+ reading material [downloadable PDF files] - approximately 8MB
100+ Multiple Choice Questions to access your learning, spread across different modules
Certificate of Completion
Requirements
Please note that this is a 10 week course.
Learners are expected to complete one module every week.
In each module, learners are advised to scan the course video, then go through the reading material and then go back and watch the course video once again to gain full understanding of the topics being discussed.
