About the Rheumatology Fellowship Program

Welcome to the Rheumatology Fellowship Program!  Our program has a cadre of bright, energetic, rheumatology faculty who place great emphasis on clinical teaching. The fellows educated here are well on their way to becoming excellent clinical rheumatologists, and many have become clinician educators in Virginia and across the world.

Vision Statement

Our rheumatology fellows aim to become proficient clinician practitioners and clinician educators with teaching skills and background to practice and teach evidence-based health care.

Mission Statement

We provide high-quality, compassionate medical care to a diverse population while fostering intellectual growth and contributions to medical education and scholarship.

Core Values

  • Teamwork and Collegiality
  • Optimal Evidence-Based Clinical Care
  • Intellectual Drive and Scholarship

Welcome

Program Director: Huzaefah Syed, MD, MPH

Welcome from the Program Director

Welcome from the Program Director

Welcome from the Program Director

Our Division of Rheumatology, Allergy & Immunology at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond sponsors a clinically strong rheumatology fellowship with excellent faculty support for teaching and clinical care. The Division grew out of the first arthritis clinic in Virginia nearly ninety years ago and now boasts a relatively large, diverse, full-time faculty. Our primary emphasis, the education of rheumatology fellows, is at the Division’s core. We will select two rheumatology fellow applicant to enter in July 2027.

Read more

Learn

Program Curriculum & Conferences

Curriculum

Conferences

Scholarship

Our recent publications, presentations and abstracts

Life During Fellowship

Rheumatology Fellowship Program

Vacation Time
Each fellow is allowed three weeks of vacation per year, plus some additional time over the Christmas and New Years holidays.

Night Coverage
Rheumatology fellows do not take in-house call.  Fellows take night call and urgent clinical care questions from home.

Weekend Coverage
When on call over the weekend, fellows will see new consults at VCU and VAMC--with growing responsibility during fellowship. Each consult is precepted by an attending rheumotologist on service.

GME Resident & Fellow Well-Being
Graduate Medical Education training is not easy. With the GME Physician Well-being program, we first and foremost assert our commitment to your well-being, resilience and all aspects of a healthy lifestyle. VCU and VCUHealth are dedicated to ensuring that you have the tools you need to be your best. (Learn more)

All About VCU, VCU Health, and RVA
First things first. We fondly refer to Richmond as RVA.  People love this city because it’s awesome. And Virginia Commonwealth University is in the middle of it all.  Learn more about VCU, VCU Health, and RVA!

Program Leadership

Rheumatology Fellowship Program

Huzaefah Syed, MD, MPH

Huzaefah Syed, MD, MPH

Program Director

Huzaefah Syed, MD, MPH

Huzaefah Syed, MD, MPH

Program Director

Internal Medicine

Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology

Email: huzaefah.syed@vcuhealth.org

Read More

View Faculty Expertise Profile

Neha Gupta, MD​

Neha Gupta, MD​

Associate Program Director

Neha Gupta, MD​

Neha Gupta, MD​

Associate Program Director

Internal Medicine

Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology

Email: neha.gupta@vcuhealth.org

Read More

View Faculty Expertise Profile

Abhishek Nandan, MD

Abhishek Nandan, MD

VA Site Director/Chief of Rheumatology at VAMC

Abhishek Nandan, MD

Abhishek Nandan, MD

VA Site Director/Chief of Rheumatology at VAMC

Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology

Email: abhishek.nandan@vcuhealth.org

Read More

Beth Rubinstein, MD

Beth Rubinstein, MD

Division Chief

Beth Rubinstein, MD

Beth Rubinstein, MD

Division Chief

Internal Medicine

Division of Rheumatology, Allergy & Immunology

Email: beth.rubinstein@vcuhealth.org

Read More

View Faculty Expertise Profile

Faculty

Rheumatology Fellowship Program

VCU Faculty

Non-Core Faculty

VAMC Faculty

  • Evan Dombrosky, MD
  • Sarah Ford, DO
  • Abhi Nandan, MD - Rheumatology Section Chief
  • Lane B. Scheiber, MD

Fellows

Rheumatology Fellowship Program

Class of 2028

Jude Al Qaqaa, MD

Jude Al Qaqaa, MD 
Medical School: University of Jordan Faculty of Medicine 
Residency: Lehigh Valley Health Network 


Michael Martin, DO

Michael Martin, DO 
Medical School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Carolinas Campus 
Residency: Prisma Health/USC School of Medicine Columbia 


Class of 2027

Dr. Tannas

Rebekah Tannas, DO
Medical School:   Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine​
Residency:  Virginia Tech-Carilion Internal Medicine


Dr. Wolff

Benjamin Wolff, DO - Chief Fellow
Medical School:   West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine​
Residency:   Lehigh Valley Health Network


Class of 2026

Dr. Amato

Justin Amato, DO
Medical School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: Virginia Tech-Carilion Internal Medicine


Dr. Gandhi

Riddhi Gandhi, MD
Medical School: Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Residency: Inspira Health Network - Mullica Hill


Alumni

Apply

Rheumatology Fellowship Program

Eligibility Requirements

All applicants to this subspecialty training program must be graduates of an ACGME-accredited internal medicine training program.  VCUHS can only support J-1 visas.  We do not accept H-1 visas.

How To Apply

The Rheumatology Fellowship Training Program at VCU is a participant in the NRMP match. All applications will be accepted through ERAS and follow ERAS deadlines.

Required Documentation

  • Application
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • USMLE score reports or COMLEX score reports
  • Medical school transcripts
  • MSPE
  • A personal statement
  • 4 letters of recommendation, including one from your program director
  • A photograph

If applicable, please provide the following: 

  • ECFMG certificate
  • Medical school diploma (with translation if necessary)

Application Timeline

We will review applications from July 20 to August 14.  Invitations will be issued starting late July 2026.

Interview Dates - 2026

  • September 11, 18, 25
  • October 9, 16

Interview Day

At this time, we anticipate conducting interviews virtually in 2026. Our day typically starts at 10:30am EST, and wraps up around 3:45pm EST.

Contacts

Rheumatology Fellowship Program

Program Director

Huzaefah J. Syed, MD, MPH
Email: huzaefah.syed@vcuhealth.org

VA Site Director

Abhishek Nandan, MD
Email: abhishek.nandan@vcuhealth.org

Fellowship Coordinator

Kayleigh Bishop
VCU School of Medicine 
Department of Internal Medicine 
Box 980509 
Richmond, Virginia 23298-0509 
Phone: (804) 828-6165 
Fax: (804) 828-4926
Email: imfellowships@vcuhealth.org

 

 

For training verification requests, please visit us at https://intmed.vcu.edu/education/verification/