Activity OverviewThe Advanced Rheumatology Course is a 19-activity series for advanced practice providers and other professionals who need a deeper dive into rheumatology.  The series covers 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. The advanced information will help experienced practice providers function well in rheumatology and foster inter-professional collaboration. This activity reviews rheumatoid arthritis and seronegative inflammatory arthropathies, including how to distinguish between the three primary forms of joint pain.Advanced Rheumatology Course SeriesThis activity is part of a series. See the other activities in the series below.Advanced Rheumatology Course: All ActivitiesARC01: Musculoskeletal Structure And Function And Inflammation And ImmunityARC02: Framework for Clinical Decision Making in RheumatologyARC03: Laboratory Evaluation of Rheumatic DiseaseARC04: Imaging of ArthritisARC05: Coding and Practice IssuesARC06: Therapeutic Interventions And ResourcesARC07: OsteoarthritisARC08: RA and Seronegative Inflammatory ArthropathiesARC09: Systemic Lupus ErythematosusARC010: Systemic Inflammatory Conditions: Inflammatory MyopathyARC11: Vasculitis, Arteritis and PMRARC12: Crystal-Induced ArthropathiesARC13: Pain SyndromesARC14: SpondyloarthritisARC15: Infection-Related ArthritisARC16: Osteoporosis And Other Metabolic Bone DisordersARC17: Comprehensive Overview of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA)ARC18:Comprehensive Overview of Pediatric Connective Tissue Diseases (CTD)ARC19: Pediatric Noninflammatory Musculoskeletal PainRegistration is discounted for ACR/ARP members. If you are not a member, consider joining ACR/ARP.Target AudienceAdvanced practice nurses and physician assistants. Fellows-in training, residents, students, primary care providers, physical therapists, and researchers may also benefit.Learning ObjectivesUpon completion of this activity, participants should be able to: Differentiate the three basic causes of joint pain, characterizing joint presentations and developing a limited differential diagnosis of joint painState the epidemiology, risk factors, and genetics associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)Chart the progressive nature of the disease process, including the basic immunology of RA and the rationale for early aggressive therapy in RACategorize the distribution of joint involvement and extra-articular manifestations for early, advancing, and end-stage RA diseaseSummarize laboratory abnormalities and the utility of rheumatoid factor, and cyclic citrullinated antibodies, and radiologic changes in RADiscuss specific language of clinical trials, the utility of outcome measures, and the Disease Activity Score for RAIntegrate the historical and current context of treating RA, including the side effects of medications and the schedule for monitoring for adverse events, when caring for persons with RACE & MOC InformationACCME Accreditation StatementThe American College of Rheumatology (ACR) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.AMA Designation StatementThe American College of Rheumatology designates this enduring material for a maximum of 2.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. 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.CME credit must be claimed by August 14, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET.Financial Relationship DisclosuresACR Disclosure StatementIt 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 RelationshipsAll 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: Advisor or review panel memberConsultantEmployeeOfficer or Board MemberGrant/research supportSpeaker/honoraria includes speaker’s bureau, symposia, and expert witnessIndependent contractorExecutive role and/or ownership interestRoyalties and/or patent beneficiaryIntellectual property/patentsStock options or bond holdings in a for-profit corporation or self-directed pension planPrivate investigatorExpert witnessEquity interestOther: specify detailsNone: 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.AuthorGregory C. Gardner, MD, MACP – No relevant financial relationships to discloseEditors and ReviewersSheila Arvikar, MD – No relevant financial relationships to discloseJulie Lahti - No relevant financial relationships to discloseSonam Kiwalkar, MD – No relevant financial relationships to discloseAcknowledgement of Commercial SupportThe project was supported by Grant number 1 NU58DP006908-03-00 – Component A; Developing and Disseminating Programs to Build Sustainable Lupus Awareness, Knowledge, Skills and Partnerships. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Educational Activity PoliciesSee ACR educational activity policies, including the online enduring activity refund policy.