| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Clinical and Medical |
| Level | Mid level |
| Reports to | Head of Department (Clinical) |
| Direct reports | None |
| Experience | 2 to 6 years after DM in rheumatology practice |
Rheumatologist job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Rheumatologist
Department: Clinical and Medical
Reports to: Head of Department (Clinical)
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Rheumatologist treats autoimmune and inflammatory diseases of the joints, muscles and connective tissues: rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, lupus, gout, vasculitis, psoriatic arthritis and myositis. Most work happens in OPD, with long-term medicines that need careful monitoring, plus inpatient opinions for flares affecting the kidneys, lungs or nerves. A good rheumatologist diagnoses early before joints are damaged, uses disease-modifying drugs and biologics safely, and keeps patients working and independent.
Key responsibilities
- See OPD patients with joint pain, swelling, morning stiffness, back pain, rashes and unexplained fevers, and separate inflammatory from mechanical causes.
- Order and interpret autoantibody tests such as RF, anti-CCP, ANA and ANCA alongside imaging, without over-testing.
- Start disease-modifying drugs such as methotrexate early, and schedule regular blood tests to catch side effects.
- Prescribe biologics and targeted drugs for resistant disease after screening for TB, hepatitis and other infections.
- Perform joint aspiration and intra-articular injections, and examine synovial fluid for crystals and infection.
- Score disease activity at each visit with standard measures, and step treatment up until remission or low activity is reached.
- Manage lupus, vasculitis and myositis flares involving kidneys, lungs or nerves with the nephrologist and other specialists.
- Advise women on pregnancy planning and drug safety, and share care with the obstetrician.
- Refer patients to physiotherapy, occupational therapy and orthopaedics for joint protection or surgery when needed.
- Counsel patients on long-term treatment, costs, vaccination and infection risk while on immunosuppression.
Requirements
- DM or DrNB in Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology after MD in Medicine or Paediatrics
- Valid registration with the National Medical Commission or a State Medical Council
- Training in musculoskeletal ultrasound is an advantage
- 2 to 6 years after DM in rheumatology practice
KRAs and KPIs for a Rheumatologist
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Early treatment | New inflammatory arthritis patients started on disease-modifying drugs within 4 weeks of the first visit |
| Drug safety monitoring | Blood monitoring on schedule for at least 90 percent of patients on methotrexate and similar drugs |
| Biologic screening | TB and hepatitis screening documented before 100 percent of biologic starts |
| Disease activity scoring | Disease activity score recorded at every visit for rheumatoid arthritis patients |
| Treat to target | At least 50 percent of patients treated for a year in remission or low disease activity |
| Inpatient opinions | Rheumatology opinions for admitted patients within 12 hours of request |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Musculoskeletal ultrasound, Polarising microscope for crystals, Joint aspiration kits, Disease activity calculators, Electronic medical records.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Head of Department (Clinical)
Interview questions for a Rheumatologist
- A 30-year-old woman has had painful swollen finger joints for eight weeks. How do you proceed?
- What do you screen for before starting a biologic, and why?
- A lupus patient on treatment develops protein in the urine. What do you do?
- How do you counsel a young man with ankylosing spondylitis who sits at a desk ten hours a day?
- A patient stopped methotrexate because of nausea. How do you handle it?
- How do you tell gout from septic arthritis in a hot swollen knee?
Managing a Rheumatologist in ZeniaHR
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What does a rheumatologist treat?
A rheumatologist treats autoimmune and inflammatory diseases of the joints, muscles and connective tissues, including rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, lupus, gout, psoriatic arthritis, vasculitis and myositis. They use disease-modifying drugs, biologics and joint injections, and monitor long-term treatment for safety.
What is the difference between a rheumatologist and an orthopaedic surgeon?
A rheumatologist treats joint and muscle diseases caused by inflammation or the immune system, using medicines rather than surgery. An orthopaedic surgeon treats injuries and structural problems of bones and joints, often with operations such as fracture fixation or joint replacement. Patients with badly damaged joints may need both.
When should you see a rheumatologist for joint pain?
See a rheumatologist when joint pain comes with swelling, morning stiffness lasting over half an hour, pain in several joints at once, back pain that eases with activity, or symptoms such as rashes, mouth ulcers or unexplained fever. Early treatment can prevent permanent joint damage.