Program Information

The Advanced Rheumatology Course (ARC) is a comprehensive, 19-module educational series geared toward members of the rheumatology interprofessional team and other professionals needing a deeper dive into rheumatology. Use the course to learn how to assess and manage patients with rheumatic disease, develop strategies to better integrate NP/PAs into rheumatology practice, and improve access to care for patients. The course has a strong focus on advanced information that will help experienced practice providers function well in rheumatology and foster interprofessional collaboration.

Target Audience

The course was created for nurse practitioners and physician assistants; however, rheumatology fellows-in training, internal medicine residents, medical students, primary care providers and other providers new to rheumatology may also benefit.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants should be able to do the following: 

• Assess and manage patients with rheumatic diseases as part of an interprofessional collaborative care team.
• Develop strategies to integrate the nurse practitioner and physician assistant into a collaborative rheumatology practice.
• Assist in decreasing wait times for appointments and improve access to care for patients with rheumatic disease by improving the competence and performance of nurse practitioners and physician assistants in a collaborative rheumatology practice.

Accreditation Statement

The American College of Rheumatology is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

See the ACR's CME Mission Statement. For more information, download the AMA PRA Booklet.

Designation Statement

The ACR designates this enduring online activity for a maximum of 25.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. 

Health Professionals

Participants may claim hours to receive a Certificate of Participation for an activity designated for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

By completing this activity, you provide the ACR permission to share completion data with the ACCME and the certifying board(s).

ACR Disclosure Statement

It is the policy of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) to ensure that Continuing Medical Education (CME) activities are independent and free of commercial bias. To ensure educational content is objective, balanced, and guarantee content presented is in the best interest of its learners' and the public, the ACR requires that everyone in a position to control educational content disclose all financial relationships with ineligible companies within the prior 24 months. An ineligible company is one whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients. Examples can be found at accme.org.

For this educational activity, all conflicts of interest have been resolved through peer review and revisions to ensure independence, evidence based, fair balance, and absence of commercial bias.

Faculty participating in an ACR-sponsored activity must disclose to the editorial team and audience any financial or other relationship(s) including, but not limited to:

1. Stock, stock options or bond holdings in a for-profit corporation or self-directed pension plan
2. Research grants
3. Employment (full or part-time)
4. Ownership or partnership
5. Consulting fees or other remuneration (payment)
6. Non-remunerative positions of influence such as officer, board member, trustee or public spokesperson
7. Receipt of royalties
8. Speakers’ bureau
9. Other

None: Has no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.