Rheumatology Care Expands in Nebraska

The Rheumatology Research Foundation (www.rheumresearch.org) recently announced that its largest fundraising campaign, Journey to Cure, has funded 14 opportunities for rheumatology health professionals in Nebraska. The funding helps to recruit and train more rheumatology professionals in the state, which currently has only 31 board-certified rheumatologists.

Of the Foundation awards received in Nebraska over the last five years, three UNMC students and residents received Foundation funding for preceptorships, or one-on-one, real world learning experiences with an established mentor in the field. Another three students from Nebraska received scholarships to the American College of Rheumatology and Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals Annual Meeting. The scholarship is intended to encourage future doctors to consider a rheumatology career in areas that are underserved by rheumatology professionals. Four UNMC fellows were trained with support from the Foundation’s fellowship training awards, and another four UNMC faculty members received Foundation funding for research into rheumatic diseases.

Nebraska awardees were among more than 900 rheumatology professionals nationwide that received funding from the Rheumatology Research Foundation’s Journey to Cure campaign. The campaign set out to raise $60 million to support the Foundation’s mission. By the end of 2016, the Foundation surpassed its goal, raising a grand total of $61,430,466 with support from 3,869 donors.