The mission of the Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology is

• to provide comprehensive clinical care to the people of North Carolina with rheumatic, allergic and immunologic diseases;

• to serve as a referral center for patients outside of North Carolina;

• to advance the understanding of rheumatology and immunology through basic and clinical research; and

• to provide Rheumatology training to medical students, residents, and subspecialty fellows.

Our clinical programs are located at the UNC Rheumatology and UNC Allergy and Immunology Clinics at Carolina Pointe II, the Satellite Arthritis Clinic in Sanford, NC, and at UNC Hospitals. Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology faculty provide consultative care to patients with arthritis, autoimmune, and immunologic disorders. We work closely with orthopaedic surgeons, therapists, and rehabilitation specialists to provide comprehensive care to the residents of North Carolina and its surrounding states.

The Division is home to a variety of research programs that range from the epidemiology of arthritis to basic mechanisms of disease pathogenesis. Researchers in the Division also participate in clinical trials of new agents for the treatment of arthritis and autoimmune disorders. Our research projects are funded by numerous sources including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Arthritis Foundation and the pharmaceutical and biomedical industries. Research efforts in the Division are coordinated through the Thurston Arthritis Research Center.

In conjunction with the UNC School of Medicine and the Department of Medicine, the Division coordinates educational programs for medical students, residents, and subspecialty trainees. Fellowship training is available to well-trained internists who are interested in a superior program in both clinical and research training. Our goal is to train outstanding clinicians and research scientists for careers in academic rheumatology.