Rheumatology Course Details - Fees, Subjects, Syllabus, Duration, Eligibility, Career Scope

What is Rheumatology

Rheumatology is the study of the different joints in the human body. In practice, Rheumatology is quite similar to Orthodontology (the study of jaw and teeth) and Osteology (the study of bones). Rheumatologists deal with patients that may have problems such as arthritis, and disorders of joints, ligaments or muscles. Rheumatologists are doctors that undergo proper training in rheumatology.

Doctorate of Medicine in Rheumatology (D.M. in Rheumatology) is the major degree that an aspiring student needs to complete to become a rheumatologist.  

Eligibility Criteria (UG & PG) of Rheumatology

Eligibility Criteria for Rheumatology Courses

To be eligible for DM in Rheumatology, the candidate must satisfy the eligibility criteria for MBBS (General Medicine) program. Here is the eligibility criteria for MBBS are: -

• The aspiring candidate must have passed Senior Secondary/ 10+2 with science stream subjects which are Chemistry, Physics and Biology (which includes Zoology and Botany).

• The student must also have English as the main subject for their Senior Secondary/ Class 10+2.

Below are the eligibility criteria for the DM (Rheumatology) course are: -

• The candidate must have completed MBBS or an equivalent degree from a recognized college/ university.

• The student must have an aggregate percentage of 55% during his or her graduation.

• The student must have completed a 1-year (12 months) internship AND have a minimum 12 months of professional experience. 

Entrance Exams for Rheumatology Courses

• NEET (PG)- National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Post Graduate) is a postgraduate level national entrance examination conducted for students who are seeking admission in post-graduate medical courses. 

• SRM Medical Entrance Examination- SRM Institute of Science and Technology organizes the SRM Medical Entrance Examination for their postgraduate medical courses. Usually, after the results are announced, a couple of counselling sessions are held for the students based on their performance.

• BHU MD MS Entrance Examination- This entrance examination is held for graduates to gain admission into Banaras Hindu University’s (BHUs) postgraduate medical courses.

Required Skillset for Rheumatology

For every job, there is a specific skill set required. These skills come in essentially handy when a person performs a job. Rheumatology is a very niche area in the whole medicine segment and requires a precise amount of skill.

The main skills that a rheumatologist needs to have are: -

• Patience – When a person takes up a job as a rheumatologist or as any doctor, the patience of the person is severely tested. A person looking to be a rheumatologist must be extremely patient as he or she would have to deal with a different type of person every single time.

• Teamwork – Students willing to study rheumatology must work finely in a team as right after their studies when they seek jobs as freshers, they would have to work as a part of the team and coordinate with other team members.

• Learning Attitude – New medicines and new ways to cure the human body are continuously being researched. A person looking to work in this field must keep himself up to date with all the latest research.

• Academically Strong – The candidate should be academically strong as the candidate would have to learn a lot of complex concepts, and most of these concepts are used while practising rheumatology.