Assistant Professor of Clinical Practice, Internal Medicine-Rheumatology

University of Texas Medical Branch•Galveston, TX

42d•Onsite

About The Position

UTMB'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 conditions Multi-Site Clinical Operations - Rheumatology clinics in Galveston and League City, with expansion to Clear Lake and Angleton-Danbury campuses to meet growing demand TDCJ Rheumatology Clinic - Specialized rheumatologic care to the incarcerated population at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Hospital Interdisciplinary Collaboration - Integration with nephrology (glomerulonephritis), endocrinology (bone health), dermatology, neurology, orthopedics, and other specialties ACGME-Accredited Fellowship - Two-year rheumatology fellowship program with opportunities for faculty to serve as clinical educators and research mentors Research Infrastructure - Access to UTMB's strengths in immunology, infectious diseases, and translational sciences, with potential for collaboration on autoimmune disease mechanisms and therapeutics development Faculty 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.

Requirements

MD or DO from an accredited institution
Board certified/eligible in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology (ABIM or equivalent)
Eligible for Texas medical licensure
Completed ACGME-accredited residency and fellowship in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology
Demonstrated commitment to clinical excellence, education, and professional growth

Nice To Haves

Expertise in inflammatory arthritis, connective tissue diseases, vasculitis, and crystal arthropathies
Skilled in musculoskeletal ultrasound, joint injections, and procedural rheumatology
Experience in managing complex autoimmune diseases requiring multidisciplinary care
Proven educator of medical students, residents, or fellows
Active in scholarship through publications, presentations, or quality improvement projects
Clinician educators: background in educational scholarship, curriculum design, or simulation-based training
Physician-scientists: record of extramural funding, high-impact publications, and collaborative research
Engaged in professional societies (e.g., ACR, regional organizations)
Proficient with EHRs, decision-support tools, and telemedicine
Dedicated to health equity and culturally responsive care for underserved population

Responsibilities

Provide 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 complications
Perform 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 subspecialties
Collaborate with infusion services, pharmacy, and nursing staff to deliver team-based care including biologic therapies and immunosuppressive management
Maintain clinical documentation, coding, and billing practices consistent with institutional standards
Participate in clinical quality improvement initiatives and utilization review activities
Supervise and educate rheumatology fellows during outpatient clinics, consultative services, and procedural training
Teach Internal Medicine residents during subspecialty rotations, including didactic conferences and bedside instruction
Provide clinical teaching for medical students during clerkships and elective rotations
Participate in divisional, departmental, or institutional educational conferences
Mentor trainees in scholarly activities, case reports, quality improvement projects, or research initiatives
Contribute to fellowship recruitment, curriculum development, and program evaluation activities
Clinician educators: Lead curriculum innovation, educational scholarship, or medical education research; participate in teaching academies or faculty development programs
Physician-scientists: Conduct independent or collaborative research, seek extramural funding, and mentor trainees
All faculty: Participate in quality improvement, outcomes research, or scholarly dissemination; stay current in rheumatology and engage in professional societies
Engage in divisional meetings, planning, and quality improvement
Serve on departmental, institutional, or professional committees
Contribute to peer review, credentialing, and clinical pathway development
Support recruitment, onboarding, and faculty development
Maintain active licensure, board certification, and institutional credentials

Benefits

health insurance
retirement contributions to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas or Optional Retirement Program
life and disability insurance
professional liability coverage
CME
professional development
conferences
Negotiable protected time for scholarship based on appointment track and funding
Potential startup funding or research support for faculty with active research programs or competitive grant applications
Mentorship
promotion guidance
faculty development resources