The Advanced Rheumatology Course is a 19-activity series for advanced practice providers and other professionals who need a deeper dive into rheumatology, with a strong focus on advanced information that will help experienced practice providers function well in rheumatology and foster inter-professional collaboration. 

This activity provides advanced education on how to assess and manage patients with rheumatic disease, develop strategies to integrate NP/PAs into rheumatology practice, and improve access to care for patients.

Activity Name Series 

This activity is part of a series. See the other activities in the series below.

• Activity 1: Musculoskeletal Structure And Function And Inflammation And Immunity
• Activity 2: Framework for Clinical Decision Making in Rheumatology
• Activity 3: Laboratory Evaluation of Rheumatic Disease
• Activity 4: Imaging of Arthritis
• Activity 5: Coding And Practice Issues
• Activity 6: Therapeutic Interventions And Resources
• Activity 7: Osteoarthritis
• Activity 8: RA and Seronegative Inflammatory Arthropathies
• Activity 9: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
• Activity 10: Systemic Inflammatory Conditions: Inflammatory Myopathy
• Activity 11: Vasculitis, Arteritis and PMR
• Activity 12: Crystal-Induced Arthropathies
• Activity 13: Pain Syndromes
• Activity 14: Spondylarthritis
• Activity 15: Infection-Related Arthritis
• Activity 16: Osteoporosis And Other Metabolic Bone Disorders
• Activity 17: Comprehensive Overview of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA)
• Activity 18: Comprehensive Overview of Pediatric Connective Tissue Diseases (CTD)
• Activity 19: Pediatric Noninflammatory Musculoskeletal Pain

Registration is discounted for ACR/ARP members. If you are not a member, consider joining ACR/ARP.

Target Audience

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

Learning Objectives

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

• Describe the structure and function of bone, skeletal muscle, articular cartilage, and connective tissue.
• Classify the different types of synovial joints and periarticular tissues.
• Articulate the structure and clinical relevance of functional and dysfunctional endothelium.
• Identify the principal cells and functions of the innate and adaptive immune systems.
• Describe the physiologic processes in inflammation, immunity, and immune dysregulation.
• Discuss the impact of evolving knowledge of molecular biology on the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatic diseases.

CE & MOC Information

CME

ACCME 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.

AMA Designation Statement

The American College of Rheumatology designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. 

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

In accordance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, ACR has implemented mechanisms prior to the planning and implementation of this CME activity to identify and mitigate all relevant financial relationships for all individuals in a position to control the content of this CME activity.

CME credit must be claimed by August 14, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET.

Financial Relationship Disclosures

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.

In accordance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, ACR has implemented mechanisms prior to the planning and implementation of this CME activity to identify and mitigate all relevant financial relationships for all individuals in a position to control the content of this CME activity.

Nature of Financial Relationships

All individuals that participate in an ACR-sponsored activity and are able to change content or influence the content of the activity must disclose to the planning committee and audience all financial or other relationships with ineligible companies including, but not limited to:

1. Advisor or review panel member
2. Consultant
3. Employee
4. Officer or Board Member
5. Grant/research support
6. Speaker/honoraria includes speaker’s bureau, symposia, and expert witness
7. Independent contractor
8. Executive role and/or ownership interest
9. Royalties and/or patent beneficiary
10. Intellectual property/patents
11. Stock options or bond holdings in a for-profit corporation or self-directed pension plan
12. Private investigator
13. Expert witness
14. Equity interest
15. Other: specify details

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

All participants that created and/or were able to influence the content and delivery of this activity reported the following disclosures. All of the relevant financial relationships listed have been mitigated. ARC01: Musculoskeletal Structure And Function And Inflammation And Immunity Financial Relationship Disclosures. 

Acknowledgement of Commercial Support

No commercial support was provided for this activity. 

Educational Activity Policies

See ACR educational activity policies, including the online enduring activity refund policy.