Assistant Professor of Clinical Practice, Internal Medicine-Rheumatology

UTMB Department Of Internal Medicine Seeks RheumatologistsUTMB's Department of Internal Medicine seeks board-certified rheumatologists (Assistant Professor) to join its expanding division. Faculty roles support clinical care, education, and research, with flexible mission profiles tailored to individual expertise. Faculty members will provide subspecialty care for patients with rheumatic diseases, contribute to the education of medical students, residents, and fellows, and have opportunities to develop scholarly activities aligned with their interests and the division's strategic priorities. Roles may focus on clinical service, education, or research based on candidate expertise and divisional needs. These positions report to the Division Chief of Rheumatology and work collaboratively with faculty across Internal Medicine subspecialties, hospital leadership, and interdisciplinary colleagues to advance patient care, education, and research missions.
UTMB, established in 1891 as Texas's first medical school, is a $3.5 billion academic health center with five schools. With $168 million in sponsored research, it ranks 52nd nationally in NIH funding and among the top 2% of NIH-supported institutions. UTMB operates four campuses with 1,000+ beds and 90+ clinics, serving over 1.8 million people in Southeast Texas. As the only academic health center south of Houston and a Level I Trauma Center, it offers quaternary care, burn and transplant services, and specialty care for the TDCJ prison population. UTMB hosts the Galveston National Laboratory (one of two BSL-4 university labs in the U.
S.) and the Sealy Center for Vaccine Development. Research strengths include microbiology, immunology, infectious diseases, critical care, and translational sciences, with the Moody Brain Health Institute recently launched through a $25 million donation.
The Department of Internal Medicine at UTMB's John Sealy School of Medicine, led by Dr. Salim Hayek, is the largest department and includes divisions such as Rheumatology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Nephrology, Pulmonary, and more. It offers a 32-position Internal Medicine residency and a unique Aerospace/Internal Medicine residency with NASA. The department emphasizes precision medicine, AI integration, patient care excellence, strong training programs, and growth in basic, translational, and clinical research.
The Division of Rheumatology provides comprehensive care for patients with rheumatic diseases across UTMB's multi-campus system. Division programs include:Comprehensive Clinical Services
- Consultative and longitudinal care for patients with systemic rheumatologic conditionsMulti-Site Clinical Operations
- Rheumatology clinics in Galveston and League City, with expansion to Clear Lake and Angleton-Danbury campuses to meet growing demandTDCJ Rheumatology Clinic
- Specialized rheumatologic care to the incarcerated population at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice HospitalInterdisciplinary Collaboration
- Integration with nephrology (glomerulonephritis), endocrinology (bone health), dermatology, neurology, orthopedics, and other specialtiesACGME-Accredited Fellowship
- Two-year rheumatology fellowship program with opportunities for faculty to serve as clinical educators and research mentorsResearch Infrastructure
- Access to UTMB's strengths in immunology, infectious diseases, and translational sciences, with potential for collaboration on autoimmune disease mechanisms and therapeutics developmentFaculty responsibilities are tailored to individual expertise and appointment track, with flexibility to emphasize clinical, educational, or research missions. All faculty maintain clinical practice and contribute to educational activities commensurate with their appointment.
Clinical ResponsibilitiesProvide outpatient rheumatology care in one or more clinical sites (Galveston, League City, Clear Lake, Angleton-Danbury)Deliver inpatient consultative services for hospitalized patients with rheumatic diseases or autoimmune complicationsPerform diagnostic and therapeutic procedures including musculoskeletal examination, arthrocentesis, joint injections, and point-of-care ultrasound (where applicable)Participate in multidisciplinary clinics and case conferences with nephrology, dermatology, and other subspecialtiesCollaborate with infusion services, pharmacy, and nursing staff to deliver team-based care including biologic therapies and immunosuppressive managementMaintain clinical documentation, coding, and billing practices consistent with institutional standardsParticipate in clinical quality improvement initiatives and utilization review activitiesEducational ResponsibilitiesSupervise and educate rheumatology fellows during outpatient clinics, consultative services, and procedural trainingTeach Internal Medicine residents during subspecialty rotations, including didactic conferences and bedside instructionProvide clinical teaching for medical students during clerkships and ele