N/E/W Yorkshire Rheumatology Rotation

The Rotation

The rheumatology rotation consists of 16 training posts, with six placements in Leeds, three in Hull, two in Bradford, and one in each of Grimsby, York, Dewsbury, Wakefield and Harrogate. All new trainees now undertake dual training in both rheumatology and GIM. Most trainees will spend a total of two years in Leeds and a year each in three other locations, although this may vary. For geographical reasons, trainees who start their rotation in East Yorkshire may choose to spend more time in Hull. Generally, trainees will spend one year (usually ST3) doing rheumatology plus high intensity GIM, two years of pure rheumatology training, and two years of rheumatology plus low intensity GIM.

The NHS and University Rheumatology Service for Leeds is based at Chapel Allerton Hospital. At this hospital there is a large outpatient service, inpatient facilities, day case unit and NHS and University offices. Trainees based in Leeds also work at St James’s University Hospital.

The main postgraduate educational activities take place weekly on Wednesday afternoons. The Wednesday Afternoon Academic Meetings (WAAM) are usually held at Chapel Allerton Hospital but include six regional rounds per year, hosted in turn by the rheumatology units within the region. The content of the postgraduate afternoons follows the Rheumatology training curriculum so that over a two year period most areas of the curriculum are covered. These sessions are organised and delivered by the trainees with a supervising consultant, and include invited internal and external speakers. Feedback from these sessions has been very positive. Trainees working in Hull and Grimsby can also attend educational meetings in those centres.

Many trainees undertake a period of Out of Programme research leading to an MD or PhD. This is strongly encouraged, and there are excellent research opportunities in the region within the Leeds Academic Unit. Time spent during research can count towards up to one year of clinical training.

Academic Training Pathways

The unit strongly encourages trainees to pursue a research interest.  We have NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowship (ACF) and Academic Clinical Lecturer (ACL) posts that are advertised separately from the national ST recruitment process, and that provide protected time for research. Professor Maya Buch is the academic contact for Rheumatology in West Yorkshire (m.buch@leeds.ac.uk).