As a rheumatologist, you’re considered to be a medical professional because you specialize in conditions that affect the joints, muscles, bones, and also a host of other autoimmune-related illnesses. You’ve completed four to five years of undergraduate studies, three to four years of osteopathic education in medical school, and three years of residency training— so you’re highly qualified to find work in several medical settings. However, it’s important to note that you’re more likely to find employment in some medical settings over others.

Where You’re Most Likely to Find a Job

Outpatient Centers

Outpatient centers can be standalone facilities, but they are often a part of a hospital. Patients receiving treatment(s) in an outpatient center do not have to stay overnight, which is why outpatient centers are differentiated from hospitals (which usually require patients to stay overnight). As a rheumatologist, part of your job is to perform a lot of diagnostic tests, including:

• Biopsies
• CT scans
• DEXA scans
• Endoscopy
• Heart tests
• MRI scans
• Ultrasounds
• X-rays

When treating your patients in an outpatient center, you’re also likely to provide physical therapy, occupational therapy, corticosteroids, joint injections, and splinting. These treatments don’t require an overnight stay.

Hospitals

As mentioned above, rheumatologists are employed in hospitals as outpatient treatment centers are located inside many hospitals. Being a physician employed in a hospital doesn’t mean you have to perform surgery, which many rheumatologists cannot do. Orthopedists are the ones that perform surgeries related to the bones, joints, and muscles.

Where You’re Least Likely to Find a Job

Physician Offices

Primary care providers provide basic care and screenings for their patients, so they don’t typically hire rheumatologists to work in their offices. They do, however, refer their patients to rheumatologists working in hospitals or outpatient centers.

Consider Opening a Private Practice

You can, however, open your own private rheumatology practice. Just make sure that there is a need for these services before you open your practice. Again, many hospitals have rheumatologists working for them, so a rheumatology practice may not be necessary for all areas. When opening any type of business, it’s important to make sure that there is a need for your services before starting:

On the other hand, opening a rheumatology practice in conjunction with orthopedists could give you a competitive advantage over regular hospitals and outpatient centers. In fact, many orthopedic specialists have expanded their services to include rheumatology. This business decision benefits rheumatologists more because it provides more job opportunities (i.e., employment in outpatient centers, hospitals, and orthopedic offices).

Consider the State You’re Looking for Employment In

To increase your chances of finding a job as a rheumatologist, not only do you need to choose the right medical setting, but you should also look to states that have more job opportunities for rheumatologists. Job opportunities are typically high for physicians in general, but here’s a look at some of the states that are employing more rheumatologists than others.

Wisconsin

Currently, Wisconsin is one of the best states for rheumatologists looking for employment. It has a location quotient of 2.28, meaning that there is a greater share of employment for rheumatologists in the state. On average, rheumatologists in Wisconsin make about $210,000 per year.

Maine

Maine is another state with a very impressive location quotient for rheumatologists: 4.14. This means that you’re more likely to find employment as a rheumatologist in this state. The average salary for a rheumatologist in Maine is around $196,000 per year.

Nebraska

Nebraska also has a higher concentration of rheumatology jobs, with a location quotient of 1.89 (anything higher than 1.0 has a greater share of employment compared to the rest of the country). The average salary for a rheumatologist in Nebraska is around $204,000 per year.

Other states where rheumatologists are more likely to find employment include North Dakota, Alaska, Minnesota, and Washington state. As a whole, rheumatologists can expect to see an increase in job opportunities, so relocating may not be necessary for everyone.

Overall, physicians of all types and specialties are needed virtually everywhere in the world because healthcare is a necessity. However, rheumatology is a very specialized practice and isn’t considered primary care. The good news is that in 2018, there was a projected growth of 7% (which is considered to be faster than average) for rheumatologists over the next decade. Autoimmune disorders are also fairly common, so the need for rheumatologists doesn’t appear to be decreasing anytime soon.

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